Classical music query
Posted by: Paper Plane on 12 July 2010
Can someone explain what "Opus No 1 (or whatever)" means when attached to a piece of classical music? Is it like a version number for a computer program?
Also what do the "KV" numbers mean?
Thanks
steve
Also what do the "KV" numbers mean?
Thanks
steve
Posted on: 12 July 2010 by Nick Lees
An Opus number is usually a composer's published work number (i.e. stuff he/she wrote before their Opus 1 was published didn't have an Opus number).
Some composers, usually the ones that wrote heaps of stuff, some published in their lifetime some not, were often catalogued posthumously. For example Mozart, who was catalogued by Ludwig van Köchel in the 19th Century and KV stands for his catalogue or Köchel-Verzeichnis.
Some composers, usually the ones that wrote heaps of stuff, some published in their lifetime some not, were often catalogued posthumously. For example Mozart, who was catalogued by Ludwig van Köchel in the 19th Century and KV stands for his catalogue or Köchel-Verzeichnis.
Posted on: 12 July 2010 by Florestan
Hi Steve,
Opus numbers (Op. x) are just a way that a composer or publisher would number or catalogue works. Op. 1 can be the first composition of the composer but more often than not they weren't necessarily in chronological order. Within the Opus number you can have a group of similar pieces. So, for example, you could have six pieces in Opus 1 (Op. 1, No. 1,...Op. 1, No. 6).
The KV x is how we typically identify Mozart's works. It stands for Köchel-Verzeichnis and it is basically the catalog of Mozart's works as cataloged by Ludwig Alois Ferdinand Ritter von Köchel.
Most composer's have a similar system based on the first person or way in which the complete works were cataloged. We usually refer to Bach's works by BWV x (Bach-Werke-Verzeichnis) or Schubert by D x (Deutsch) or Liszt by S x (Searle) etc. etc. Composer's like Brahms or Chopin's pieces were mostly all identified by Opus number.
Regards,
Doug
Opus numbers (Op. x) are just a way that a composer or publisher would number or catalogue works. Op. 1 can be the first composition of the composer but more often than not they weren't necessarily in chronological order. Within the Opus number you can have a group of similar pieces. So, for example, you could have six pieces in Opus 1 (Op. 1, No. 1,...Op. 1, No. 6).
The KV x is how we typically identify Mozart's works. It stands for Köchel-Verzeichnis and it is basically the catalog of Mozart's works as cataloged by Ludwig Alois Ferdinand Ritter von Köchel.
Most composer's have a similar system based on the first person or way in which the complete works were cataloged. We usually refer to Bach's works by BWV x (Bach-Werke-Verzeichnis) or Schubert by D x (Deutsch) or Liszt by S x (Searle) etc. etc. Composer's like Brahms or Chopin's pieces were mostly all identified by Opus number.
Regards,
Doug
Posted on: 13 July 2010 by Hot Rats
Now if Mozart had been able to catalogue his works using a Windows based database ...
He wouldn't have had time to compose anything!
He wouldn't have had time to compose anything!
Posted on: 13 July 2010 by EJS
quote:Originally posted by Doctor Jazz:
Now if Mozart had been able to catalogue his works using a Windows based database ...
He wouldn't have had time to compose anything!
Well known fact, Mozart was right to outsource his administration to Köchel. Let's not forget the troubles Beethoven faced when he became first generation SAP adopter. More than two centuries later, people are still obsessed over his timewriting. Apparently, there were issues with the Metronome module. The module has been discontinued since, but the problems with SAP have never been solved.
EJS
Posted on: 13 July 2010 by Paper Plane
Many thanks for the replies. That's cleared it up for me.
Cheers!
steve
Cheers!
steve