Opus number
Encyclopedia
An Opus number pl. opera and opuses, abbreviated, sing. Op. and pl. Opp. refers to a number generally assigned by composers to an individual composition or set of compositions on publication, to help identify their works. Opus numbers have been used inconsistently throughout history and by individual composers, and thus are not generally a good indicator of the chronological order of the compositions or the relative completeness of a given collection. Opus numbers are commonly used to organise catalogues of musical compositions. The Latin plural, opera, also denotes the opera music genre
, wherein the works also are (occasionally) identified with a musical composition
opus number, as in the grand opera
Samson and Delilah
, Op. 47, by Camille Saint-Saëns
.
, a practice and usage established in the seventeenth century when composer
s identified their works with an opus number. In the nineteenth century, publishers usually assigned opus numbers when publishing groups of like compositions, usually in sets of three-, six-, and twelve compositions. Consequently, opus numbers are not usually in chronological order, unpublished compositions usually had no opus number, and numeration gaps and sequential duplications occurred when publishers issued contemporaneous editions of a composer’s works, as in the sets of string quartet
s by Joseph Haydn
(1732–1809) and Ludwig van Beethoven
(1770–1827); Haydn’s Op. 76, the Erdödy quartets
(1796–97), comprises six discrete quartets consecutively numbered Op. 76 No. 1 – Op. 76 No. 6; whilst Beethoven’s Op. 59, the Rasumovsky quartets
(1805–06), comprises String Quartet No. 7, String Quartet No. 8, and String Quartet No. 9.
, assigned an opus number to a work, and later to a set of works, especially songs and short piano pieces; however, composers’ inconsistent usages ended the correspondence between an opus number and the work’s publication date. Since approximately 1900, composers tended to assign an opus number to a composition, published or not. Early in his career, Beethoven selectively enumerated his compositions (some published without opus numbers), yet in later years, he published early works with high opus numbers. Likewise, some posthumously published works were given high opus numbers by publishers, even though some of them were written early in Beethoven's career. Since his death in 1827, the un-numbered compositions have been catalogued and labelled with the German acronym WoO (Werk ohne Opuszahl), meaning "work without opus number". However, there are other catalogues of Beethoven's works - see Catalogues of Beethoven compositions
.
The practice of enumerating a posthumous opus (Op. posth.) is noteworthy in the case of Felix Mendelssohn
(1809–47); after his death, the heirs published many compositions with opus numbers Mendelssohn did not assign them. In life, he published three symphonies
, Symphony No. 1 in C minor, Op. 11
; Symphony No. 2 in B flat major, Op. 52
; and Symphony No. 3 in A minor, Op. 56
, yet, he chronologically wrote symphonies between symphonies Nos. 1 and 2, which he withdrew for personal and compositional reasons; nevertheless, the Mendelssohn heirs published (and catalogued) them as the Italian Symphony No. 4 in A major, Op. 90
and as the Reformation Symphony No. 5 in D major and D minor, Op. 107
.
Examples of composers’ historically-inconsistent opus number usages include the cases of César Franck
(1822–1890) and Béla Bartók
(1881–1945) who initially enumerated, but then discontinued enumerating, their compositions. Carl Nielsen
(1865–1931) and Paul Hindemith
(1895–1963) were also inconsistent in their approaches. Moreover, Sergei Prokofiev
(1891–1953) was a consistent enumerator who assigned an opus number to a composition before composing it; at his death he left fragmentary and planned — but numbered — works. In revising a composition, Prokofiev occasionally assigned a new opus number to the revision, thus: Symphony No. 4 is two, thematically-related, but discrete works: (i) Symphony No. 4, Op. 47
, and (ii) Symphony No. 4, Op. 112
; the former, Op. 47, was written in 1929; the latter, Op. 112, is a large-scale revision written in 1947. Like-wise, depending upon the edition, the original version of Piano Sonata No. 5 in C major, is twice catalogued as: (i) Piano Sonata No. 5, Op. 38, and as (ii) Piano Sonata No. 5, Op. 135.
and classical eras, musicologists
have definitively and unambiguously catalogued them via thematic catalogue abbreviations.
Opera
Opera is an art form in which singers and musicians perform a dramatic work combining text and musical score, usually in a theatrical setting. Opera incorporates many of the elements of spoken theatre, such as acting, scenery, and costumes and sometimes includes dance...
, wherein the works also are (occasionally) identified with a musical composition
Musical composition
Musical composition can refer to an original piece of music, the structure of a musical piece, or the process of creating a new piece of music. People who practice composition are called composers.- Musical compositions :...
opus number, as in the grand opera
Grand Opera
Grand opera is a genre of 19th-century opera generally in four or five acts, characterised by large-scale casts and orchestras, and lavish and spectacular design and stage effects, normally with plots based on or around dramatic historic events...
Samson and Delilah
Samson and Delilah (opera)
Samson and Delilah , Op. 47, is a grand opera in three acts and four scenes by Camille Saint-Saëns to a French libretto by Ferdinand Lemaire...
, Op. 47, by Camille Saint-Saëns
Camille Saint-Saëns
Charles-Camille Saint-Saëns was a French Late-Romantic composer, organist, conductor, and pianist. He is known especially for The Carnival of the Animals, Danse macabre, Samson and Delilah, Piano Concerto No. 2, Cello Concerto No. 1, Havanaise, Introduction and Rondo Capriccioso, and his Symphony...
.
Early usage
In the arts, opus number usually denotes a work of musical compositionMusical composition
Musical composition can refer to an original piece of music, the structure of a musical piece, or the process of creating a new piece of music. People who practice composition are called composers.- Musical compositions :...
, a practice and usage established in the seventeenth century when composer
Composer
A composer is a person who creates music, either by musical notation or oral tradition, for interpretation and performance, or through direct manipulation of sonic material through electronic media...
s identified their works with an opus number. In the nineteenth century, publishers usually assigned opus numbers when publishing groups of like compositions, usually in sets of three-, six-, and twelve compositions. Consequently, opus numbers are not usually in chronological order, unpublished compositions usually had no opus number, and numeration gaps and sequential duplications occurred when publishers issued contemporaneous editions of a composer’s works, as in the sets of string quartet
String quartet
A string quartet is a musical ensemble of four string players – usually two violin players, a violist and a cellist – or a piece written to be performed by such a group...
s by Joseph Haydn
Joseph Haydn
Franz Joseph Haydn , known as Joseph Haydn , was an Austrian composer, one of the most prolific and prominent composers of the Classical period. He is often called the "Father of the Symphony" and "Father of the String Quartet" because of his important contributions to these forms...
(1732–1809) and Ludwig van Beethoven
Ludwig van Beethoven
Ludwig van Beethoven was a German composer and pianist. A crucial figure in the transition between the Classical and Romantic eras in Western art music, he remains one of the most famous and influential composers of all time.Born in Bonn, then the capital of the Electorate of Cologne and part of...
(1770–1827); Haydn’s Op. 76, the Erdödy quartets
String Quartets, Op. 76 (Haydn)
Joseph Haydn's string quartets, Op. 76 were composed in 1796 or 1797 and dedicated to the Hungarian Count Joseph Erdödy. The six quartets are the last complete set that Haydn composed...
(1796–97), comprises six discrete quartets consecutively numbered Op. 76 No. 1 – Op. 76 No. 6; whilst Beethoven’s Op. 59, the Rasumovsky quartets
String Quartets Nos. 7 - 9, Opus 59 - Rasumovsky (Beethoven)
The three "Rasoumovsky" string quartets, opus 59, are the quartets Ludwig van Beethoven wrote in 1806, as a result of a commission by the Russian ambassador in Vienna, Count Andreas Razumovsky:*String Quartet No. 7 in F major, Op. 59, No. 1...
(1805–06), comprises String Quartet No. 7, String Quartet No. 8, and String Quartet No. 9.
19th century to date
From about 1800, composers, especially Ludwig van BeethovenLudwig van Beethoven
Ludwig van Beethoven was a German composer and pianist. A crucial figure in the transition between the Classical and Romantic eras in Western art music, he remains one of the most famous and influential composers of all time.Born in Bonn, then the capital of the Electorate of Cologne and part of...
, assigned an opus number to a work, and later to a set of works, especially songs and short piano pieces; however, composers’ inconsistent usages ended the correspondence between an opus number and the work’s publication date. Since approximately 1900, composers tended to assign an opus number to a composition, published or not. Early in his career, Beethoven selectively enumerated his compositions (some published without opus numbers), yet in later years, he published early works with high opus numbers. Likewise, some posthumously published works were given high opus numbers by publishers, even though some of them were written early in Beethoven's career. Since his death in 1827, the un-numbered compositions have been catalogued and labelled with the German acronym WoO (Werk ohne Opuszahl), meaning "work without opus number". However, there are other catalogues of Beethoven's works - see Catalogues of Beethoven compositions
Catalogues of Beethoven compositions
The Catalogues of Beethoven compositions are all of the different ways in which the musical compositions by Ludwig van Beethoven have been organized by researchers into his music.-The problem:...
.
The practice of enumerating a posthumous opus (Op. posth.) is noteworthy in the case of Felix Mendelssohn
Felix Mendelssohn
Jakob Ludwig Felix Mendelssohn Barthóldy , use the form 'Mendelssohn' and not 'Mendelssohn Bartholdy'. The Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians gives ' Felix Mendelssohn' as the entry, with 'Mendelssohn' used in the body text...
(1809–47); after his death, the heirs published many compositions with opus numbers Mendelssohn did not assign them. In life, he published three symphonies
Symphony
A symphony is an extended musical composition in Western classical music, scored almost always for orchestra. A symphony usually contains at least one movement or episode composed according to the sonata principle...
, Symphony No. 1 in C minor, Op. 11
Symphony No. 1 (Mendelssohn)
Symphony No. 1 in C minor, Op. 11, is a work by Felix Mendelssohn, which was completed on March 31, 1824, when the composer was only 15 years old. However, the autographed score was not published until 1831. The symphony was dedicated to the Royal Philharmonic Society who premièred the work in...
; Symphony No. 2 in B flat major, Op. 52
Symphony No. 2 (Mendelssohn)
The Symphony No. 2 in B flat major, op. 52, called the "Lobgesang" Symphony, was composed by Felix Mendelssohn. It was written in 1840 to celebrate the 400th anniversary of the invention of printing, along with the less-known Festgesang "Gutenberg Cantata".The composer's description of the work...
; and Symphony No. 3 in A minor, Op. 56
Symphony No. 3 (Mendelssohn)
The Symphony No. 3 in A minor, Op. 56, known as the Scottish Symphony, is a work by Felix Mendelssohn. It is thought that a painting on a Scottish trip made by Mendelssohn had inspired the 33-year-old composer, especially the opening theme of the first movement.The emotional scope of the work is...
, yet, he chronologically wrote symphonies between symphonies Nos. 1 and 2, which he withdrew for personal and compositional reasons; nevertheless, the Mendelssohn heirs published (and catalogued) them as the Italian Symphony No. 4 in A major, Op. 90
Symphony No. 4 (Mendelssohn)
The Symphony No. 4 in A major, Op. 90, commonly known as the Italian, is an orchestral symphony written by German composer Felix Mendelssohn ....
and as the Reformation Symphony No. 5 in D major and D minor, Op. 107
Symphony No. 5 (Mendelssohn)
The Symphony No. 5 in D major/D minor, Op. 107, called the Reformation Symphony, was composed by Felix Mendelssohn in 1830 in honor of the 300th anniversary of the Presentation of the Augsburg Confession. This Confession was a key document of Lutheranism and its Presentation to Emperor Charles V in...
.
Examples of composers’ historically-inconsistent opus number usages include the cases of César Franck
César Franck
César-Auguste-Jean-Guillaume-Hubert Franck was a composer, pianist, organist, and music teacher who worked in Paris during his adult life....
(1822–1890) and Béla Bartók
Béla Bartók
Béla Viktor János Bartók was a Hungarian composer and pianist. He is considered one of the most important composers of the 20th century and is regarded, along with Liszt, as Hungary's greatest composer...
(1881–1945) who initially enumerated, but then discontinued enumerating, their compositions. Carl Nielsen
Carl Nielsen
Carl August Nielsen , , widely recognised as Denmark's greatest composer, was also a conductor and a violinist. Brought up by poor but musically talented parents on the island of Funen, he demonstrated his musical abilities at an early age...
(1865–1931) and Paul Hindemith
Paul Hindemith
Paul Hindemith was a German composer, violist, violinist, teacher, music theorist and conductor.- Biography :Born in Hanau, near Frankfurt, Hindemith was taught the violin as a child...
(1895–1963) were also inconsistent in their approaches. Moreover, Sergei Prokofiev
Sergei Prokofiev
Sergei Sergeyevich Prokofiev was a Russian composer, pianist and conductor who mastered numerous musical genres and is regarded as one of the major composers of the 20th century...
(1891–1953) was a consistent enumerator who assigned an opus number to a composition before composing it; at his death he left fragmentary and planned — but numbered — works. In revising a composition, Prokofiev occasionally assigned a new opus number to the revision, thus: Symphony No. 4 is two, thematically-related, but discrete works: (i) Symphony No. 4, Op. 47
Symphony No. 4 (Prokofiev)
Symphony No. 4, Op. 47/112 is actually two works by Sergei Prokofiev. The first, Op. 47, was written in 1929 and premiered in 1930. The second, Op. 112, is a large-scale revision from 1947...
, and (ii) Symphony No. 4, Op. 112
Symphony No. 4 (Prokofiev)
Symphony No. 4, Op. 47/112 is actually two works by Sergei Prokofiev. The first, Op. 47, was written in 1929 and premiered in 1930. The second, Op. 112, is a large-scale revision from 1947...
; the former, Op. 47, was written in 1929; the latter, Op. 112, is a large-scale revision written in 1947. Like-wise, depending upon the edition, the original version of Piano Sonata No. 5 in C major, is twice catalogued as: (i) Piano Sonata No. 5, Op. 38, and as (ii) Piano Sonata No. 5, Op. 135.
Catalogues
To supersede composers’ inconsistent opus number usage, especially by those of the baroqueBaroque
The Baroque is a period and the style that used exaggerated motion and clear, easily interpreted detail to produce drama, tension, exuberance, and grandeur in sculpture, painting, literature, dance, and music...
and classical eras, musicologists
Musicology
Musicology is the scholarly study of music. The word is used in narrow, broad and intermediate senses. In the narrow sense, musicology is confined to the music history of Western culture...
have definitively and unambiguously catalogued them via thematic catalogue abbreviations.
- The works of Carl Friedrich Abel, usually catalogued by original publication opus numbers, e.g. the Op. 17 symphonies have different catalogue opus numbers Walter Knape assigned them in the Bibliographisch-thematisches Verzeichnis der Kompositionen von Karl Friedrich Abel (Bibliographic–Thematic Catalogue of the Compositions of Karl Friedrich Abel), published by Cuxhaven, in 1972.
- Carl Philipp Emanuel BachCarl Philipp Emanuel Bachright|250pxCarl Philipp Emanuel Bach was a German Classical period musician and composer, the fifth child and second son of Johann Sebastian Bach and Maria Barbara Bach...
's works are indexed with two opus number systems: (i) the older Wotquenne (Wq.) numbering system, established by Alfred Wotquenne, in a catalogue of Emanuel’s music, in 1905; and (ii) the complete H. opus number system by E. Eugene Helm, used in the Thematic Catalogue of the Works of C.P.E. Bach (New Haven: Yale University Press, 1989).
- Johann Christian BachJohann Christian BachJohann Christian Bach was a composer of the Classical era, the eleventh and youngest son of Johann Sebastian Bach. He is sometimes referred to as 'the London Bach' or 'the English Bach', due to his time spent living in the British capital...
's works are mostly referred to by the original-publisher’s assigned opus number, which can cause mis-identifications, because different, secondary publishers used the same (original) opus number, such as using Op. 18 to identify three different sets of J. C. Bach works: (i) “Six Grand Overtures”, (ii) “Deux sinfonies”, and (iii) “Four Sonatas and Two Duets”. Moreover, three of six Op. 6 symphonies are identified as Op. 8, but in a different order. Because of said confusion, the de facto standard catalogue is John Christian Bach, by C. S. Terry (2nd ed. 1967), for identifying a J. C. Bach work, one cites the page and incipit numbers “in Terry”, although they are not catalogue numbers. Moreover, a short list of the Terry numbers is in The New Grove Bach Family, by Christoph Wolff, et al. (pp. 341ff., NY: Norton, 1983). Also used are the opus numbers of the “Thematic Catalog” in the Collected Works of Johann Christian Bach (Ernest Warburton, ed.; NY: Garland Publishing, 1985).
- Johann Sebastian BachJohann Sebastian BachJohann Sebastian Bach was a German composer, organist, harpsichordist, violist, and violinist whose sacred and secular works for choir, orchestra, and solo instruments drew together the strands of the Baroque period and brought it to its ultimate maturity...
's works are referred to by BWVBWVThe Bach-Werke-Verzeichnis is the numbering system identifying compositions by Johann Sebastian Bach. The prefix BWV, followed by the work's number, is the shorthand identification for Bach's compositions...
(Bach-Werke-Verzeichnis) opus number assigned in the catalogue by Wolfgang SchmiederWolfgang SchmiederWolfgang Schmieder was a German musicologist.Schmieder was born in Bromberg. In 1950, he published the BWV, or Bach-Werke-Verzeichnis , a catalog of musical works by Johann Sebastian Bach. The numbering system used in the BWV has since become a nearly universal standard, used by scholars and...
.
- Wilhelm Friedemann BachWilhelm Friedemann BachWilhelm Friedemann Bach , the second child and eldest son of Johann Sebastian Bach and Maria Barbara Bach, was a German composer and performer...
's works were catalogued by Martin Falck in 1913; a work is identified by its F (Falck) opus number.
- Béla BartókBéla BartókBéla Viktor János Bartók was a Hungarian composer and pianist. He is considered one of the most important composers of the 20th century and is regarded, along with Liszt, as Hungary's greatest composer...
's works are designated by numbering systems developed by three different catalogers. The most frequently-used is the chronological "Sz." system created by András SzőllősyAndrás SzőllősyAndrás Szőllősy was the creator of the Szőllősy index , a frequently used index for the works of Hungarian composer Béla Bartók, was born at Szászváros in Transylvania on February 27, 1921. He studied composition under Zoltán Kodály at the Franz Liszt Academy of Music where he was a professor of...
.
- Luigi BoccheriniLuigi BoccheriniLuigi Rodolfo Boccherini was an Italian classical era composer and cellist whose music retained a courtly and galante style while he matured somewhat apart from the major European musical centers. Boccherini is most widely known for one particular minuet from his String Quintet in E, Op. 11, No...
's works are referred to by "G" numbers, following the catalogue of Yves GérardYves GérardYves Gérard is a French musicologist.-Life and career:Born on January 6, 1932, Yves Gérard studied philosophy at the Nancy-Université from 1949 to 1955. Following his graduation, he studied piano for three years at the Nancy Conservatory. From 1955 to 1956 he studied at the Sorbonne under...
.
- Dieterich BuxtehudeDieterich BuxtehudeDieterich Buxtehude was a German-Danish organist and composer of the Baroque period. His organ works represent a central part of the standard organ repertoire and are frequently performed at recitals and in church services...
's works are referred to by their Buxtehude-Werke-Verzeichnis numbers, abbreviated BuxWV, after the catalogue published by Georg Karstädt.
- Marc-Antoine CharpentierMarc-Antoine CharpentierMarc-Antoine Charpentier, , was a French composer of the Baroque era.Exceptionally prolific and versatile, he produced compositions of the highest quality in several genres...
's works are referred to by the H or Hitchcock numbers after H. Wiley HitchcockH. Wiley HitchcockHugh Wiley Hitchcock was an American musicologist. He is best known for founding the Institute for Studies in American Music at Brooklyn College of the City University of New York in 1971. The insititue was recently renamed the Hitchcock Institute for Studies in American Music in his...
.
- Claude DebussyClaude DebussyClaude-Achille Debussy was a French composer. Along with Maurice Ravel, he was one of the most prominent figures working within the field of impressionist music, though he himself intensely disliked the term when applied to his compositions...
's works are usually referred to by the L or Lesure numbers after François Lesure, as Debussy didn't use Opus numbers, except for his String Quartet, labeled Opus 10.
- Antonín DvořákAntonín DvorákAntonín Leopold Dvořák was a Czech composer of late Romantic music, who employed the idioms of the folk music of Moravia and his native Bohemia. Dvořák’s own style is sometimes called "romantic-classicist synthesis". His works include symphonic, choral and chamber music, concerti, operas and many...
's works are usually now referenced by B numbers, after Jarmil BurghauserJarmil BurghauserJarmil Michael Burghauser was a Czech composer, conductor, and musicologist....
's comprehensive catalogue which resolved a great many difficulties with the often misleading and duplicated opus numbers given by different publishers to Dvořák's works.
- César FranckCésar FranckCésar-Auguste-Jean-Guillaume-Hubert Franck was a composer, pianist, organist, and music teacher who worked in Paris during his adult life....
's works are usually now referred to by M numbers or FWV numbers, although he did allocate opus numbers to some early compositions. M and FWV refer to the catalogue created by Wilhelm Mohr, which he himself called Franck-Werke-Verzeichnis
- George Frideric HandelGeorge Frideric HandelGeorge Frideric Handel was a German-British Baroque composer, famous for his operas, oratorios, anthems and organ concertos. Handel was born in 1685, in a family indifferent to music...
's works are often designated by HWV (Händel-Werke-Verzeichnis) numbers as allocated by Bernd BaseltBernd BaseltBernd Baselt was a German musical scholar noted for his works on the composer Handel. He was a professor of music at the University of Halle....
. Many of Handel's works are still commonly referred to using the traditional Opus numbers as designated during original publication. For more details, see the List of compositions by George Frideric Handel.
- Joseph HaydnJoseph HaydnFranz Joseph Haydn , known as Joseph Haydn , was an Austrian composer, one of the most prolific and prominent composers of the Classical period. He is often called the "Father of the Symphony" and "Father of the String Quartet" because of his important contributions to these forms...
's works are referred to by their Hob or Hoboken numbers after Anthony van HobokenAnthony van HobokenAnthony van Hoboken was a collector and musicologist. He was born in Rotterdam, the Netherlands, and died in Zürich, Switzerland.Hoboken trained as an engineer in Delft, before studying music in Frankfurt and Vienna...
's 1957 classification. Hoboken assigned numbers to the string quartets, but these are generally still known by their opus numbers.
- Franz LisztFranz LisztFranz Liszt ; ), was a 19th-century Hungarian composer, pianist, conductor, and teacher.Liszt became renowned in Europe during the nineteenth century for his virtuosic skill as a pianist. He was said by his contemporaries to have been the most technically advanced pianist of his age...
's works are referred to by their S or Searle numbers after Humphrey SearleHumphrey SearleHumphrey Searle was a British composer.-Biography:He was born in Oxford where he was a classics scholar before studying — somewhat hesitantly — with John Ireland at the Royal College of Music in London, after which he went to Vienna on a six month scholarship to become a private pupil of Anton...
's 1960s classification The Music of Liszt. Alternatively, R is used to refer to Peter RaabePeter RaabePeter Raabe was a German composer and conductor. Graduated in the Higher Musical School in Berlin and in the universities of Munich and Jena. In 1894-98 Raabe worked in Königsberg and Zwickau. In 1899-1903 he worked in the Dutch Opera-House . In 1907-20 Raabe was the 1st Court Conductor in Weimar...
's 1931 reference Franz Liszt: Leben und Schaffen. See List of compositions by Franz Liszt (S.1–S.350) and List of compositions by Franz Liszt (S.351–S.999).
- Wolfgang Amadeus MozartWolfgang Amadeus MozartWolfgang Amadeus Mozart , baptismal name Johannes Chrysostomus Wolfgangus Theophilus Mozart , was a prolific and influential composer of the Classical era. He composed over 600 works, many acknowledged as pinnacles of symphonic, concertante, chamber, piano, operatic, and choral music...
's opus numbers are particularly scattered and useless and are no longer used at all (for instance, there are two sets of violin sonataViolin sonataA violin sonata is a musical composition for violin, which is nearly always accompanied by a piano or other keyboard instrument, or by figured bass in the Baroque period.-A:*Ella Adayevskaya**Sonata Greca for Violin or Clarinet and Piano...
s both called Op. 1). His works are always referred to by their K or Köchel numbers, after Ludwig Ritter von KöchelLudwig Ritter von KöchelLudwig Alois Ferdinand Ritter von Köchel was a musicologist, writer, composer, botanist and publisher. He is best known for cataloguing the works of Mozart and originating the 'K-numbers' by which they are known ....
. In continental Europe, the German abbreviation "KV" for Köchel-Verzeichnis is more common; see that entry for an explanation of the differing K numbers found between the first and subsequent editions of Köchel's catalog. See also: List of compositions by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
- Antonio RosettiAntonio RosettiAntonio Rosetti was a classical era composer and double bass player, and was a contemporary of Haydn and Mozart....
's works are usually given with catalog numbers by Sterling E. Murray, Chairman of the Department of Music History at West Chester University of Pennsylvania,http://www.wcupa.edu/CVPA/som/mh_faculty_smurray.html although older numbers from Oskar Kaul's 1912 Rosetti catalog sometimes appear as well. For example, Rosetti's popular "La Chasse" symphony is numbered as "Murray A20/Kaul I:18."
- Domenico ScarlattiDomenico ScarlattiGiuseppe Domenico Scarlatti was an Italian composer who spent much of his life in the service of the Portuguese and Spanish royal families. He is classified as a Baroque composer chronologically, although his music was influential in the development of the Classical style...
's harpsichordHarpsichordA harpsichord is a musical instrument played by means of a keyboard. It produces sound by plucking a string when a key is pressed.In the narrow sense, "harpsichord" designates only the large wing-shaped instruments in which the strings are perpendicular to the keyboard...
works have two major numbering systems: the L or Longo numbers after Alessandro LongoAlessandro LongoAlessandro Longo was an Italian composer and musicologist.After studying at the Naples Conservatory under Beniamino Cesi , he began teaching piano at his alma mater in 1887, deputizing for Cesi as pianoforte professor, and succeeded him in 1897...
's edition for pianoPianoThe piano is a musical instrument played by means of a keyboard. It is one of the most popular instruments in the world. Widely used in classical and jazz music for solo performances, ensemble use, chamber music and accompaniment, the piano is also very popular as an aid to composing and rehearsal...
, and the K or Kirkpatrick numbers after Ralph KirkpatrickRalph KirkpatrickRalph Kirkpatrick was an American musician, musicologist and harpsichordist. He is most famous for his chronological catalog of Domenico Scarlatti's keyboard sonatas.-Life and work:...
's facsimile edition (K is sometimes written as Kk to distinguish it from Köchel numbers - see Mozart above). A newer ordering, by Giorgio PestelliGiorgio PestelliGiorgio Pestelli is an Italian musicologist.He is perhaps most notable for his 1967 edition of the 555 keyboard sonatas of Domenico Scarlatti, which purports to correct some anachronisms and provides an alternative numbering system to those of Alessandro Longo and Ralph Kirkpatrick .-Notes:...
, has led to P numbers appearing in some places. For a full concordance between these three systems, see List of solo keyboard sonatas by Domenico Scarlatti.
- Franz SchubertFranz SchubertFranz Peter Schubert was an Austrian composer.Although he died at an early age, Schubert was tremendously prolific. He wrote some 600 Lieder, nine symphonies , liturgical music, operas, some incidental music, and a large body of chamber and solo piano music...
's works are referred to by their D or Deutsch numbers after Otto Erich DeutschOtto Erich DeutschOtto Erich Deutsch was an Austrian musicologist. He is known for compiling the first comprehensive catalogue of the works of Franz Schubert, first published in 1951 in English, new edition in 1978 in German...
's catalogue. Schubert's opus numbers are very scattered, unchronological, and mostly posthumous, but a few of them are occasionally seen. See Schubert compositions D number 1-500 and Schubert compositions D number 501-998.
- Antonio SolerAntonio SolerAntonio Francisco Javier José Soler Ramos, usually known as Padre Antonio Soler, known in Catalan as Antoni Soler i Ramos was a Spanish Catalan composer whose works span the late Baroque and early Classical music eras...
's keyboard sonatas are usually referred to by their R number, after the catalogue compiled by Father Samuel Rubio.
- Antonio VivaldiAntonio VivaldiAntonio Lucio Vivaldi , nicknamed because of his red hair, was an Italian Baroque composer, priest, and virtuoso violinist, born in Venice. Vivaldi is recognized as one of the greatest Baroque composers, and his influence during his lifetime was widespread over Europe...
's works are referred to by their RV or Ryom-Verzeichnis numbers after Peter Ryom's catalogue. Some of his works were published in opus sets, and these numbers are often still used as well.
- Richard WagnerRichard WagnerWilhelm Richard Wagner was a German composer, conductor, theatre director, philosopher, music theorist, poet, essayist and writer primarily known for his operas...
's works are referred to by their WWV or Wagner-Werke-Verzeichnis numbers, which also include his non-musical work.
- Carl Maria von WeberCarl Maria von WeberCarl Maria Friedrich Ernst von Weber was a German composer, conductor, pianist, guitarist and critic, one of the first significant composers of the Romantic school....
's works may appear by opus or by J. number, the latter referring to Friedrich Wilhelm Jähns, Carl Maria von Weber in Seinen Werken: Chronologisch-Thematisches Verzeichnis Seiner Sämmtlichen Compositionen (1871). A list of Weber's works in order of Jähns catalogue number can be found at List of compositions by Carl Maria von Weber.
- In a parody of catalogue numbering, the works of P. D. Q. BachP. D. Q. BachP. D. Q. Bach is a fictitious composer invented by musical satirist "Professor" Peter Schickele. In a gag that Schickele has developed over a five-decade-long career, he performs "discovered" works of this forgotten member of the Bach family...
are assigned "Schickele" numbers, after Peter SchickelePeter SchickeleJohann Peter Schickele is an American composer, musical educator, and parodist. He is best known for his comedy music albums featuring his music that he presents as music written by the fictional composer P. D. Q...
, the works' sole discoverer (and, in reality, their composer). Schickele numbers are not sequential but are intended as jokes (a Christmas work is S.359 because 25 December is the 359th day of the (non-leap) year).