IMSLP:Score submission guide/Manual of Style
This is the official guide to correct submission style on IMSLP. It is targeted at IMSLP moderators/admins, and anyone who wants to help with the maintenance of IMSLP. It is also very helpful for file submitters.
Contents |
Composer Pages
Please consult this page for the correct form of a composer name.
Work Pages
Page Title
The page title should uniquely identify the work, and be as short as possible. It will usually take the form:
- Work Title, Catalogue Number
Language
Use the main title of the work in the language in which it was first presented by the composer:
- Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg
- Symphonie fantastique
- Le nozze di Figaro
- Variationen über ein russisches Volkslied
The Library of Congress Authorities Catalog or Hofmeister database can be helpful in establishing the original language of a work. If in doubt then use the main title as it appears on the edition you are uploading, applying the capitalization rules shown below.
Exceptions:
- If the title is the name of a standard, generic type or form of work (e.g. symphony, concerto, sonata, suite, string quartet, piano trio, nocturne), then English is preferred:
- Symphony No.6
- Violin Concerto No.2
- Concerto for 2 Pianos
Leave out any spaces between "No." and the following number.
- If the original title is in a non-Latin alphabet (e.g. Russian or Chinese), or is well-established under an English title, then a better-known English translation or transliteration may be used:
- Pictures at an Exhibition
- Swan Lake
- The Bartered Bride
- Khovanshchina
- St. Matthew Passion
- If the title of a collection of pieces starts with a number, then use numerals at the start:
- 10 Lieder
- 12 Morceaux
- 6 Pieces
Do not include subtitles (e.g. "Symphonie pathétique"), or descriptions like "Overture to Shakespeare's play" in the main title. These can be included in the "General Information" box on the work page.
Capitalization
For English titles, capitalize the first and last words, together with all nouns, verbs, adverbs and adjectives:
- Variations on an Original Theme
- Serenade for String Orchestra
For German titles, capitalize the first word and all nouns:
- Grosse Konzertfantasie über spanische Weisen
- Gesang der Geister über den Wassern
For Italian, French, Spanish and Portuguese, capitalize only the first word and all proper names:
- Le nozze di Figaro
- Prélude à l'après-midi d'un faune
- El sombrero de tres picos
- Saudades das selvas brasileiras
In all other languages, capitalize the title as if it would be a sentence in that language.
Ignore any numerals at the start of the title (e.g. 12 Morceaux, not "12 morceaux").
Opus/Catalogue Numbers
Separate opus or catalogue numbers from the main part of the title with a comma and a space:
- Erhöhtes Fleisch und Blut, BWV 173
- Symphony No.6, Op.74
- Le nozze di Figaro, K.492
If a work has both an opus number and a catalogue number, look at pages for other works by the same composer to see how these should be used in the title. Leave out any spaces between "Op." and the opus number. Spacing for catalogue prefixes can vary, so follow the established spacing used for works by the same composer. For sub-divisions of opuses, use this format:
- Piano Sonata No.7, Op.10 No.3 (not "Op.10/3" or "Op.10, No.3")
Instruments
Only include the names of instruments in the title if they are needed to avoid confusion between similar types of works:
- Violin Sonata
- Piano Sonata
- Sonata for Horn and Violin
- Piano Concerto No.1
- Concerto for Flute and Harp
- Piano Concerto for the Left Hand
The names of the instruments should be in the same language as the rest of the title (which in practice will usually be English), and follow the same capitalization rules for that particular language.
Keys
Do not include key signatures in the title unless they are needed to uniquely identify indivdual works:
- Polonaise in A-flat major (Chopin, Frederic)
- Polonaise in B-flat major (Chopin, Frederic)
- Polonaise in B-flat minor (Chopin, Frederic)
- Polonaise in G minor (Chopin, Frederic)
The key signature should always be given in the English language after the word "in", followed by "major" or "minor" (which are always in lower-case). The use of a hyphen in "A-flat", "C-sharp", etc. is optional, but be aware that the {{flat}} and {{sharp}} templates do not work in page titles.
Other Information
If there is still potential for confusion between works with similar titles, then a short description or part number can be added as necessary:
- Romeo and Juliet, duet (Tchaikovsky, Pyotr Ilyich)
- Romeo and Juliet, overture-fantasia (Tchaikovsky, Pyotr Ilyich)
- Pieces de Clavecin, Book 1 (Dandrieu, Jean-François)
- Pieces de Clavecin, Book 2 (Dandrieu, Jean-François)
