A Brief Guide To Uniform Titles

Generic Titles || Distinctive Titles

Uniform titles appear on catalog cards and online catalog records in brackets beneath the composer's name. They are a device created to bring together all the library's editions, versions and excerpts of a single work by a composer. Uniform titles also bring together collections of works by a single composer. This is an important aspect of music to keep in mind when you are searching.

Generic Titles (titles that are types of compositions)

Works in a Specific Form
[Concertos, bassoon, orchestra . . .]
[Madrigals, vocies (5)]
[Quartets, violins, viola, violincello. . .]
[Sonatas, violin, piano. . .]




Collections of Works in One Broad Medium
[Works]
[Chamber music]
[Choral music]
[Operas. Selections]
[Songs]
[Vocal music]

Distinctive Titles (filed in original language)

[Deutsches Requiem. Vocal score. English]

[Fidelio]

[Fidelio. Libretto]

[Le sacre du printempts ; arr.]

[Messiah. Hallelujah]

[West side story. Selections]

For more detailed information see Indiana University Music Library's