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Submission guide
Introduction
A successful submission to the website generally requires the following:
- i) List of solo works by that composer, split into sub-sections where applicable (e.g. movements of a sonata).
- ii) Relevant information for each work, such as
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- a) year of composition,
- b) references to catalogues (e.g. the BWV catalogue for Bach),
- c) approximate durations of works and sub-sections,
- d) miscellaneous information (e.g. that a work exists in multiple versions, or is an arrangement of a work by another composer).
- iii) Typeset incipits (in Sibelius format) for each work (or sub-section).
As an example, a submission could contain an Excel file containing the information for i) and ii), and a set of Sibelius files for iii). This content can then be merged into the website.
The information on this page is intended to provide further guidance for the creation of this content.
Sources
It is naturally important to use reliable sources. As just a single example, the hundreds of pieces across François Couperin’s Pièces de clavecin are newly published in a brilliant edition by Bärenreiter. However, the first entry on the corresponding IMSLP page is to an old, unreliable Durand version that makes many changes to the musical text and should not be used.
Before starting to prepare a submission, it is highly advised to check the source status. Many relevant editions and materials have already been collected and could be shared to help.
List of works
In general, the scope of the website is works for solo piano. When adding music by a new composer, the aim is to add the complete solo piano works of that composer, which is much more time effective than doing so in multiple, smaller stages.
As a starting point, a basic list of works is required. These should be split into sub-sections where relevant (e.g. movements of a sonata, or pieces of a suite). Each entry on this list will link to a work page containing further information and incipits.
As examples, see the following works lists (ignore the durations and difficulties next to each entry):
The inclusion criteria are generally clear; below gives some further details:
- Arrangements are listed under the arranger, not the original composer (e.g. a Bach/Busoni arrangement is listed under Busoni, not Bach).
- Unfinished works can be included (e.g. Franz Schubert · Klavierstück in C major, D 916B).
- Works with doubtful authenticity can be included (e.g. Johann Sebastian Bach · Suite in B-flat major, BWV 821). Works that are definitely spurious should not be included.
- Extremely basic technical exercises (e.g. the Brahms WoO 6 exercises) are not given work pages and therefore should not be included here. They can be referenced elsewhere (see corresponding information below).
- Cadenzas for piano concerti, although for solo piano, are not intended to be performed by themselves. They therefore should not be included here, but can be referenced elsewhere.
- In exceptional cases, works for other instruments can be included if also playable (and naturally so) on the piano. For examples, see Works for lute under Johann Sebastian Bach and Works for other instruments under Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart.
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The final submission process is easier if contributors maintain a style that is consistent with the rest of the website. For example:
- Key signatures are written as follows: C major, C-sharp minor, D-flat major.
- Opus numbers, general numbering, and (appropriate) titles are written as follows: Sonata no. 21 in C major, op. 53 (Waldstein), Sonata no. 2 in B-flat minor, op. 36 (second version).
- For a general descriptive title (e.g. sonata), (in general) use English. For descriptive titles (e.g. Valse romantique), (in general) use the original language.
- More-familiar languages (e.g. French, German, Italian) are fine to use. For less-familiar languages (e.g. Norwegian), English should be used, but a page with translations can be given (e.g. Edvard Grieg · List of translations).
- Use the capitalisation appropriate for the language (e.g. Différentes petites pièces but Sechs kleine Klavierstücke).
- For arrangements, when the original work is not clear from the new title, give the original composer in brackets. For example: Six Grandes études de Paganini, but Liebesfreud (Fritz Kreisler).
Using the work list as a starting point, further information is required for each work (including any sub-sections).
Year of composition
Below are some examples:
This should be kept simple. Some advice:
- There will usually already be a reliable catalogue or works list for a composer. The ideal scenario is if all composition dates can be taken directly from here: this is quicker and usually more accurate than searching for each work individually.
- Wikipedia and IMSLP have some composition dates. These are usually good, but there are mistakes and omissions.
- Scores often have a year on the front page; this usually refers to the date of publication, not the date of composition. They are often different.
References to catalogues
There are often helpful catalogue references for a composer’s works: these should be incorporated. Using Frédéric Chopin as an example:
Approximate durations
Each work (and any sub-sections) should be given an approximate duration, rounded to the nearest half-minute. This is assuming all repeats are taken. Some advice:
- Assume an average tempo. If, for example, the Liszt sonata is generally played in the 24–34 minutes range, give a duration somewhere in the middle, not at an extreme without a good reason.
- Keep it simple. There is no need to find dozens of recordings and take an exact average. A rough indication is fine.
- If using existing recordings for comparison, be aware that some recordings might be much shorter if they omit repeats.
- Some composers (e.g. Bartók) already give precise timings in the scores for their compositions that can be used instead.
Miscellaneous information
Where appropriate, other accompanying information should be provided for readers; below gives a range of examples. For the submission, contributors can focus solely on the content of this information instead of spending time trying to match perfectly the writing style of the rest of the website.
- If a work is incomplete.
- If a work might not be by the composer.
- If a work exists in multiple versions.
- If a work exists in versions for different instruments.
- If a work has discarded sections.
- If different works are related.
- If a work is an arrangement of work by another composer.
- If a work is based on music by another composer.
Difficulty ratings
The website includes difficulty ratings, ranked in half-points from 1 to 5. This is not only very approximate, but also very subjective. To maintain consistency across the website, all difficulties are calibrated across the website instead of being taken unadjusted from single contributors.
If a contributor knows the music of a composer extremely well and already has a strong indication of approximate difficulty, then associated difficulty ratings can be welcome: they will be used as a starting point before being calibrated and uploaded. In general, though, difficulty ratings are not expected or encouraged. Since the benefits are minor relative to other content, and calibration is required anyway, contributors are not encouraged to invest any meaningful time here.
Incipits
The purpose of an incipit is to enable quick identification and recognition of music. For a submission, each work (and sub-section) requires at least one incipit. This is to be provided in Sibelius format; see the incipit style guide for further details on how to create these files.
- High-quality editions should naturally be used as a basis for incipits.
- Incipits should be added complete; that is, the full, original text, without simplifications. An exception is fingerings, even if by the composer, which should be omitted.
- Incipits should not generally be longer than two lines.
There is subjectivity as to how many incipits should be added for a work and how long these incipits should be. It is worth considering the compromise between creating longer incipits and the associated time required to do so. Submissions should naturally be consistent across a composer.
- The opening of a piece always requires an incipit, even for a minor introduction (e.g. Felix Mendelssohn · Lieder ohne Worte, Book 4, op. 53 (no. 3)).
- Further, important themes can deserve an incipit (e.g. Frédéric Chopin · Ballade no. 1 in G minor, op. 23, where, after the introduction, the primary G minor theme and secondary F major theme get incipits, but none of the other, less-important themes do).
- For a set of variations, there should be an incipit for the theme but not each individual variation (e.g. Johannes Brahms · Variations on an Original Theme, op. 21 no. 1). If the variations are based on a piano work by another composer, it can be helpful to provide an additional incipit for the first variation (e.g. Johannes Brahms · Variations on a Theme by Schumann, op. 9).
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