DON'T DELETE - experimenting with layout, code, stuff, and dirt.
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I can't change the link colour because of wiki markup. It would also be nice (but need access to an external CSS file for that) so that the whole box is highlighted when hovered by mouse, to a lighter colour.
Meh.
By Davydov:
For the background to this project, see this forum message
Comments and criticisms are also welcome on this Discussion page.
At the moment there are five main headings ("meta-generes"):
These are further divided into 57 'genres', which can be seen here. Unfortunately these have proved difficult to use, and unsatsifactory for the purpose of identifying works of a particular type.
The proposal is that this system should be replaced by two new independent cataloging systems:
These proposed new categories are set out below, with accompanying notes.
| Category | Description |
|---|---|
| Stage | All music intended to accompany a stage performance, including operas, ballets, musicals, and incidental music for theatrical or amateur dramatic productions. This does not include film scores or television/video soundtracks, which should be classified in one of the categories below. |
| Choral | Works involving multiple voices singing the same part, with or without accompaniment. |
| Vocal | Works for one or more singers, where each performs a unique solo part. |
| Concertante | Works for solo instruments accompanied by an ensemble of at least 10 performers (smaller ensembles come under "Chamber Works") |
| Orchestral | Works for ensembles of at least 10 performers (ranging from full symphony orchestra to small baroque ensembles). |
| Chamber | Works for fewer than 10 performers (excluding those for solo keyboard instruments). |
| Keyboard | Works for piano, organ, harpsichord, etc. |
| Electronic | Works performed by synthesized electronic sounds without human performers. |
| Writings | Books and essays about music. |
There will be a large number of work types, examples of which include:
Important Note: The above headings are only examples, and others may be added by users as required. Apart from certain standard foms (e.g. "String Quartet"), they should not normally refer to the instrumentation of a work (e.g. "Pieces for clarinet and strings"), as this information will be given elsewhere on the work page.
The above suggested list of work types should be taken as a starting point, and it is likely to quickly expand and adapt as more and more works are scrutinized and classified. It will be left to individual users to select an appropriate type for each work, together with careful monitoring of the system, and forum discussions to iron out any teething troubles. So the list will be ultimately determined by the musical knowledge and experience of all IMSLP users.
The proposal is that the existing system of "Meta-Genres" and "Genre" should be abandoned. Instead each work would be placed in one of nine new "Categories" (Stage, Choral, Vocal, Orchestral, Concertante, Chamber, Keyboard, Electronic, Writings). Additional descriptive categories called "Work Types" (e.g. symphonies, cantatas, operettas, ballets) will also now be given to every work, with the option of using "Undefined" where no suitable work type can be determined.
