Music data at findclassmusic.net is stored in a relational database. In a relational database, a unique set of data is only stored once in the database. Thus, the data for a specific recording is stored once and then links to that recording data is used for any CD (or other media) that has that recording. Thus if the recording data needs to be corrected, the correction is reflected on all of the CD's that contain that recording.
Musical Works A musical "Work" in findclassmusic.net is a distinct
music composition which has been published and/or recorded. An example of a
Work is the Mozart Requiem.
Work-related entities include:
Revisions.
Just about all of the performances of the Mozart Requiem use a musical score that was completed by
somebody else because much of the Requiem was left incomplete at Mozart's death. In findclassmusic.net, these
various different versions are considered "Revisions". A work can have multiple revisions but
a revision can only be derived from a single work. A common revision is an arrangement or transcription
to a different instrument(s).
A "Work Part" is a subdivision of a Work. A "Work Part" can be a movement, an act, a scene, a song,
a variation, a number, a part or a piece. A movement, act and variation all have specific
musicological definitions. A scene is typically used for dramatic vocal works whose scope
and musicological use varies considerably between musical periods and different composers. Numbers
were typically used in vocal works (operas, oratorios, etc.) older than 125 years. A song as a
work part (vs. a work) exists because the composer has grouped a number of songs together.
Sometimes the collection of songs is referred to as a "song cycle". A piece as a work part is any other work division as
defined by the composer. findclassmusic.net also has a "subpart" work part which is a
division of a work part which is not a true work part but which in performance and
recording tradition has become a common division of a work part.
findclassmusic.net supports up to a hierarchy of up to four levels of
work parts for a work.
An "Excerpt" is a portion of a work or work part. Excerpts may or may not have been approved
by the composer and is almost always done to expedite performance or recording.
The excerpt may also be a revision of the original work.
Super-works. Occasionally, composers will group their works together. There is no specific musicological term for this but in findclassmusic.net, this is referred to as a super-work. Examples of a super-work are Vivaldi's "Four Seasons" and Wagner's "Ring of the Nibelung".
Related Works. When a work uses another work (either by the same composer or another composer), findclassmusic.net can display this related work. The tradition of music borrowing is most typically used for variations on a theme (a short musical quotation) or with transcriptions of longer, large works into a smaller, more compact work. Franz Liszt made many transcriptions of operas by other composers into piano works that he would play himself at concerts. More work is needed in findclassmusic.net to populate known related works.
Work or Work Part?
In findclassmusic.net, a Work that has a distinct Opus or catalog (Hoboken, BWV, etc.) number is stored
as a separate Work. If a Work shares an Opus or catalog number with other works but is typically
played separately from these other Works, it is usually entered as a separate Work. An exception
to this would be if works with the same Opus number are closely related. For example, if a Song
Cycle is based on a theme, the songs are stored as Work Parts even if the Songs are typically performed
separately. One example points out how this works. Schubert's
"Winterreise" song cycle consists of 24 songs. There are 7 recordings
of "Winterreise" catalogued in findclassmusic.net, but no recording
of a single song - artists will tend to record the cycle as a whole
or not at all. In contrast, Schubert's opus 3 consists of 4 songs. There are 22 recordings from 10 singers of the separate 4 songs in findclassmusic.net.
Of these, only one artist has sung all 4 songs - Fischer-Dieskau did so,
but over a period of 3 years, indicating the non-integral nature
of these 4 songs of the same opus. So "Winterreise" is catalogued
as a single work, the 4 songs of opus 3 are catalogued as 4 works.
Genre Works and revisions are associated with a single genre or sub-genre. In findclassmusic.net, a work with a sub-genre will appear in all queries of the parent genre. A work may not have a sub-genre and will only appear when doing a query for the genre. Genre classifications in certain cases can be subjective.
Recordings A "Recording" is a recorded performance of a Work, Revision or Excerpt and is distinct from
any CD, LP etc. it has appeared on. If available, timings for Work Parts are stored in findclassmusic.net. This allows for a cross-listing of the timing of work parts against the performers of the recorded work.
A distinction is made in findclassmusic.net between a recorded excerpt that was intentionally
recorded as an excerpt and a recorded excerpt that is simply a portion of the previously recorded
work.
In certain instances, a recording company will release an album which is comprised of other sub-albums, each of
which were or are available as a separate album with its own identification code. In such cases, findclassmusic.net will display information about the parent and child albums.
Works - Instruments - Artists/Groups
Most classical music works were written for a specific set of instruments. This instrument scoring is recorded in findclassmusic.net. Artists are also associated with the instruments they play. findclassmusic.net has the ability to query works by instrument combinations using the "Work Search" feature. The "Performer Search" feature can search for recordings by an artist regardless of instrument or by a specific instrument(s) that the artist performs on. It also allows a combination of can-have, must-have or exclude criteria.
Data Issues
Priority in findclassmusic.net is given to classical music works which are commonly performed and/or recorded.
Priority is given to more well-known artists and "major" labels. While findclassmusic.net
can store information on different media (LP's, cassette, etc.), the vast majority of data is on recordings
on the compact disc (CD) media.
Sources. Data on musical works have been gathered from multiple sources. Data from musical scores are given greater weight than other sources. Data on recordings are typically gathered
from album liner notes, web-based data made available by recording companies or by published discographies. Experience has shown that no single
data source type is infallible. In some cases data about works and/or recordings may be unpublished or unknown.
Timing information. Timings are not exact. Sometimes, the time reported by a recording company
will include the "filler"
time between tracks. Other times it will not. The amount of time which is not filler but nevertheless
includes no discernible sound may also vary for the same recording as it goes through different
re-masterings. For older recordings the "true" time may actually vary as a recording is modified to
account for pitch variations. In any case, only one timing is entered for the recording (or work parts,
if available). Generally, the first-come, first-used rule is used.
Language Issues
findclassmusic.net stores formal work type names ("Symphony", "String Quartet") and key data ("A major", "B minor") in English. Otherwise, titles are typically in the native language. Cyrillic characters are not used and thus for Russian works, French titles (many Russian works had their first non-Cyrillic published version in French) are used in some cases, English is used in other cases and a transliteration in other cases. When translated to English or transliterated, there is a possibility that different translations or transliterations exist. Most group names are in the native language. Most album titles are in English.
findclassmusic.net can display work and work-part titles in different translated languages. Most of the translations done so far have been into English and many work/work-part translations have yet to be done.
Date Issues
Work completion dates are stored. If the completion date is not known, the first published date, first performance date or circa completion date is indicated. In some cases, the date will be blank. If a work has had undergone revision over an extended period of time, findclassmusic.net may display multiple dates for a work with an explanation of the date. For example, for Brahms' Piano Trio, op. 8, was completed in 1854 with Brahms making a major revision to in in 1889. Typically the original version is not played or recorded and as such it is not stored as a separate revision in findclassmusic.net.
Recording dates (year) are stored if known. If a recording date is not known, the release date or circa recording date may be used (and will be display) or it may be blank. If a recording is known to span multiple years, this will be indicated and a comment about the recording years will be displayed.
Literary Works
findclassmusic.net has implemented the ability to store literary works (and its authors) associated with a work. Although implemented, this data has not been entered yet.