[NB: New pieces on this site will appear at the top of the lists, but after any Zipped files.]
The abbreviations below may be used as search terms (ctrl-F in Windows) in any page on this site, including any provided lists.
(Abbreviated instrumental terms that are inside single or double quotes, e.g., ‘vn or va, & vc’, denote a POSSIBLE instrumentation, not the original instrumentation.)
- KBD = one of several keyboard instruments like the cembalo (harpsichord), organ, clavichord, or even the early piano.
- VN or VLN = violin (Plural: vns)
- VA or VLA = viola (Plural: vas)
- VC or VLC = cello (Plural: vcs)
- VC-BC = cello and/or contrabass playing a BC line (called a ‘continuo cello’)
- CB or DB = double bass or contrabass
- BC = basso continuo, or ‘continuo’ (a bass–lowest–line played by a cello and a KBD, with figures (sometimes absent) that indicate to the keyboardist the well-voiced (“well-counterpointed”) ‘harmonization’ to be played by the right hand).
- BC realized = a KBD part with an arranger’s ‘harmonization’ of the BC printed in the treble (right hand) of the kbd score.
- PF = piano, pianoforte, fortepiano.
- Basso = Cello (or possibly double bass), in chamber music if there is not a separate staff for cello.
- Basso= Cello and Double Bass, in orchestral music if there is not a separate staff for cello.
- OB = oboe
- BSN = bassoon
- FL = flute
- CL = clarinet
- Op = opus
- Arr = arranged for, or by (an arrangement SHOULD mean a significant modification/addition of many elements to the original piece)
- Transc = transcribed for (in America, meaning little more than a key-change, octave transposition or reassignment of instruments–hence, remains public domain in the USA)
- Ed = edited, editor
- pd = public domain
- DUPLEX = a pdf file that prints two-sided with the left and right pages appearing correctly. (Almost all files from JDH are duplex, without them being so described.)
- REPAGED = The page layout has been modified, or reflowed (‘REPAGED’) from the original: 1) A blank page is removed or inserted to change the way pages flow to improve page turns. 2) Staves may be ‘reflowed’ for the same purpose. NB: Repaged pages may retain the original, now incorrect, page numbers.