Help:Advanced search

 

The CPDL advanced search is a very powerful way of searching CPDL's database of scores, composers and texts. You can search by virtually any criterion, and combine criteria to get exactly the results you're looking for.

For instance, try typing:

• bach
• fauré agnus dei
• mass SATB
• mass haydn
• madrigal 4vv
• secular 3vv byrd
• modern SAB english
• easter charles wood
• early 20th century music

How to search by title

All CPDL works are listed by their title. If you know the title of the work you're looking for, type it in the box and click Go.

You can also search for a fragment of a title, or the title of a movement within a larger work.

For instance, try typing:

• ave verum corpus (takes you directly to the page)
• ave verum (lists pages with 'Ave verum' in the title - works by Fauré, Liszt, etc.)
• ave (also finds 'Ave Maria', 'Ave maris stella', 'Ave regina coelorum', etc.)

How to search by composer or arranger

You can search by the name of a composer or arranger. Each composer has his or her own page, which lists all the works by that composer.

You can search for a surname or part of a surname, or (perhaps less usefully) for all or part of a first name.

For instance, try typing:

• johann sebastian bach (takes you directly to Bach's page)
• bach (takes you to a page listing the various members of the Bach family)
• goldwin (brings up two results: a single work by John Goldwin, and a composer page about him)

How to search by musical period

Both works and composers are categorised by the era of their original composition.

For instance, try typing:

• renaissance (brings up three options: view Renaissance works, view Renaissance composers, or visit an external website called 'Renaissance Music')
• 20th century (redirects to a page listing Modern music and Modern composers)

How to search by musical type or genre

You can search for a specific type of work on CPDL.

For instance, try typing:

• anthem (brings up a page offering a list of all anthems on CPDL)
• secular (brings up a list of all secular scores)
• mass (brings up a list of masses)

How to search by voicing

There are several ways to search for scores written for a particular kind of ensemble. You can search for ordinary choral voicings (S=Soprano, A=Alto, T=Tenor, B=Bass). Or you can search for a particular number of voices by typing Xvv, replacing X with the number you want.

For instance, try typing:

• SATB (brings up a list of all SATB scores - there are thousands!)
• 4vv (brings up a list of all scores written for four voices - an even larger number)

How to search by words from the text

A growing number of scores on CPDL also have texts and translations; these are all added by volunteers. You can search for any word or phrase in the text of a piece of music and CPDL will find it, if the text is available for that work.

For instance, try typing:

• procedenti ab utroque (this phrase is found in the Tantum ergo and Victoria's Pange Lingua Gloriosi)
• if thou canst get but thither (this phrase is found only in Parry's My soul, there is a country)

How to search by language or nationality

CPDL scores are categorised by their language, and composers are categorised by their nationality, if this is known. You can search for either (or both).

For instance, try typing:

• german composers (brings up a long list of German composers)
• german text (brings up a list of scores in German, or for which German translations are available)