Music Cataloging at Yale ♪ Language 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 | |