Back to basics: music interlending

Helen BaderAssistant Librarian

Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama

“The successful management of the printed music requirements for orchestral

and choral performance is perhaps the most complex operation in the music

service industry.”

(Wright 2003, p.250)

Understanding what musicians

need

Music formats

Full score

Study score

Miniature score

Vocal score

Orchestral part

Orchestral set

Terminology

Libretto

Arranger / arrangement

Opus number

Work number

Voices (SATB etc)

Searching can be challenging!

Foreign / alternative titles

Variations in spelling (eg composers’ names)

Opus / work numbers

Different versions of works

Candide by Leonard Bernstein

Operetta1956 Original Broadway version1973 Broadway revival1989 “Final revised version”

OvertureOperettaSymphony orchestraWind ensemble

Locating music materials

Some music materials can be sourced in the same way as monographs, journal articles, theses etc.

BLDSS

Copac

SUNCAT

EThOS

FABLibraries / WorldCat

Online sources

International Music Score Library Project imslp.orgComposer websites

Can you be sure that the music is in the public domain?

Copyright

Music for performance

What you may need to know • Composer• Title• Version• Arranger / editor• Publisher• Language• Dates required (first rehearsal to performance)• Type & number of scores / parts required

ENCORE! The British Union Catalogue of Performance Music Setshttp://asp.bibits.no/encore/wsSearch.Asp

Image © Royal Welsh College of Music and DramaImage courtesy of wirewiping via en.wikipedia (CC by 2.0) http://www.flickr.com/photos/wirewiping/5588062881/

Conservatoire libraries

Boosey & Hawkes

OUP

United Music Publishers

Novello

Schott

Universal Edition

Publishers’ hire librariesMusic Publishers Association (MPA)

Managing the loan

Know what you’ve been sent

Keep detailed records

Create your own numbering system

Check, check and check again

Replace lost parts and scores

Verdi’s Requiem – sung by 400!

Image courtesy of pennstatelive via Flickr (CC by 2.0) http://www.flickr.com/photos/pennstatelive/5588528641/

Catalogues and reference

sources

Printed

Information sources in music (ed. L. Foreman)

British Union Catalogue of Music Periodicals (BUCOMP)

Music dictionaries and encyclopaedias

Oxford Music Onlinehttp://www.oxfordmusiconline.com

British Library - Music Collectionshttp://www.bl.uk/reshelp/findhelprestype/music/index.html

OperaGlass http://opera.stanford.edu/

Music Theory & History Onlinehttp://www.dolmetsch.com

Online

Further help and advice

Jiscmail list (IAML-UK-IRL@JISCMAIL.AC.UK)

Training courses (Success with music inter-library loans, Music for the terrified, Virtuoso skills for music enquiries)

Publications (Working with music in libraries)

IAML (UK & IRL)http://www.iaml.info/iaml-uk-irl/index.html

Top tips for music

interlending

1. Make sure you know exactly what your borrower wants

2. Have access to comprehensive music reference resources

3. Subscribe to the IAML UK & IRL Jiscmail list

4. Ask for help from music specialists

5. Go to some of the performances - it’s a great feeling knowing you’ve helped made it happen!

Image courtesy of Stefan Baudy via Flickr (CC by 2.0) http://www.flickr.com/photos/-bast-/349497988/

Any questions?

Helen Bader

helen.bader@rwcmd.ac.ukTwitter: @helbaderSlideshare: helbader

References

Wright, S. (2003) “Performance (orchestral, opera and ballet).” In: Foreman, L. (ed.) Information sources in music. Munich: K.G. Saur. pp.250-261.