Common terms used in German music publications and thematic indices

Music Cataloging at YaleLanguage tools

Note: this page was created with music cataloging in mind.

compiled by Diane Napert
revised with terminology from
the Symphony Orchestra Library Center's Glossary of German publishing terminology

Note: The terms in this list are defined according to their usage in music publications; other definitions are also possible.
See also German abbreviations from AA to z.Z | Glossary of bibliographic information: German
The names of numbers in German, etc. | The names of keys in German, etc.


A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I | J | K | L | M | N | O | P | Q | R | S | T | U | V | W | XYZ

A
German word abbreviation English
Abdruck Abdr. impression, print, reproduction
Abschrift Abschr. reprint, copy
Abteilung Abt. part
Anhang Anh. appendix, supplement
Anmerkung Anm. commentary
arrangiert   arranged
Aufführung(en); Aufführungsdauer   performance(s); performance duration
Aufführungspraxis   performance practice
Auflage Aufl. impression, edition
Ausgabe Ausg. edition
ausgewählte   selected
Autograph   holograph
B
German word abbreviation English
Band Bd. volume
Bearbeiter; bearbeitet; Bearbeitung(en) Bearb. arranger; arranged, revised; arrangement(s)
Beiheft   supplement
Beispiel   example
Bemerkungen   remarks, annotations, commentary
Bericht   report, commentary
Besetzung   setting (usually referring to instrumentation)
Bibliothek   library
Blatt   leaf, page (of book); folio (of manuscript); sheet
Buhnenwerke   dramatic works
Brief   letter
D
German word abbreviation English
Druck   impression, print
Dur   major (key)
durchgesehen   revised
E
German word abbreviation English
eigentlich eigtl. introduction
Einleitung Einl. introduction
Einrichtung   fingering
Erhaltene Werke   surviving works
erscheinen   to publish
Erstausgabe   first edition
erweitert erw. enlarged
etwa   approximately
F
German word abbreviation English
Fassung   version
Festschrift   publication on the occasion of a celebration
Folge   series
Fundort Verzeichnis   found/discovered index
G
German word abbreviation English
geboren geb. born
gedruckt gedr. printed
Gegenwart   present time
Generalbass Gb. continuo
Gesamtausgabe   complete works
Geschichte   history
Gesellschaft   society, association, club
gestorben gest. died
getauft get. baptized
H
German word abbreviation English
Handschrift   manuscript
heilig   sacred
herausgegeben von hrsg. von edited by
Herausgeber Hrsg. editor
Heft H. number, part
I
German word abbreviation English
Inhalt   Contents
J
German word abbreviation English
Jahr   volume, annual, year
Jahrhundert Jh. century
K
German word abbreviation English
Katalog   catalog
Klavierauszug   piano-vocal score
Komponist   composer
korrigiert   corrected
Kritischer Bericht   critical report or commentary
Kunst   art
M
German word abbreviation English
Manuskript Ms. manuscript
Mitarbeiter   collaborator
Moll   minor (key)
Musikforschung   music research
Musikschule   music school
Musikwissenschaft   musicology
N
German word abbreviation English
Nachdruck   reprint
Nachweise   proof, records
Nachwort   afterword
Namenszug   signature
Neudruck Neudr. reprint
Neue Ausgabe; Neuausagbe   new edition
Nummer Nr. number
O
German word abbreviation English
Opus op. opus
P
German word abbreviation English
Partitur Part. score
Q
German word abbreviation English
Quelle   source
R
German word abbreviation English
Redakteur; Redaktion   editor; editing
redigiert   edited
Register   index
Reihe   series
revidiert rev. revised
Revisionsbericht   critical commentary
S
German word abbreviation English
Sammlung Samml. collection
Sämtliche Werke   complete works
Satz   movement
Schrift   writing, book, periodical, etc.
Seite S. page
Skizzen   sketches
Sprechgesang; Sprechstimme   speech-song
Stimmen   instrumental parts; voices
T
German word abbreviation English
Teil T. part, volume
Textbuch   libretto
Titelblatt   title page
Tonkunst   art music; music
U
German word abbreviation English
Überschrift   heading, title
Übersetzung   translation
Übertragung(en)   transcription, transcriptions
unbekannt   unknown
Untergeschoben   attributed falsely
Urtext   original text
V
German word abbreviation English
Verfasser   composer, author
Verlag; Verlager   publishing house or firm; publisher
verlorengegangene   lost
veröffentlicht; Veröffentlichung   published; publication
Verzeichnis Verl. list (usually of works)
W
German word abbreviation English
weltlich   secular
Werke(s)   work(s)
Widmung   dedication
Wissenschaft   science, knowledge
XYZ
German word abbreviation English
Zahl   number
zusammengestellt   compiled
zweifelhaft   doubtful, questionable; usually applied to attribution of a work