What is the original title in German of Mozart’s A Little Night Music?
Who composed the music for the musical Evita? And who was Evita? In
Concierto de Aranjuez by Rodrigo, what is Aranjuez? In what year did Verdi
compose his opera Rigoletto? What is Mozartiana? And
Vangoghiana? And over 60 titles ending with …iana? Who articulated
the concept of The Four Freedoms? And what are they? And who wrote a
piece about them? Name the muse of music... and of dance... and composers who
used the names of these muses as titles. Who wrote the novel on which the
musical The Phantom of the Opera is based? On which of Shakespeare’s
plays did Bernstein base his musical West Side Story?
What’s What in Titles of Classical Music... and beyond - A Dictionary of Titles by François Verschaeve - gives the answers to all these questions. This document in English is much more than a “standard” repertoire of mostly Western classical music titles for the past five centuries. In a short paragraph for each title, entries may include its source, explanation or translation into English of many titles of various foreign languages, name of composer, musical form, number or order of composition, movements, parts (instruments, voices...), key signature, opus number, catalogue number, year of composition or publication, additional comments or cross-references.
From the many explanations, translations and cross-references included for many titles in a variety of languages, this document is as much a multilingual reference as a musical dictionary, making it interesting and helpful to musicians, composers, music professors, students and scholars, librarians, music store managers, radio programmers and music lovers in general.
"François' occupation
Is accurate translation.
And, believe it, with music,
He's encyclopedic."
Herbert R. Anderson, 1916-2005