AudioCircle

Music and Media => The Classical Music Circle => Topic started by: Tone Depth on 5 Sep 2019, 05:49 am

Title: Composer name spelling
Post by: Tone Depth on 5 Sep 2019, 05:49 am

I'm cataloging composer names on ripped CD and downloaded high res files, and they show up with various spellings. Any thoughts on selecting a consistent spelling for a composer's name?

Title: Re: Composer name spelling
Post by: S Clark on 5 Sep 2019, 02:07 pm

Go with whatever Wikipedia uses.

Sergei Rachmaninoff instead of Rachmaninov, or Сергей Васильевич Рахманинов

Title: Re: Composer name spelling
Post by: FullRangeMan on 5 Sep 2019, 02:16 pm

An accurate source are albums covers.

Title: Re: Composer name spelling
Post by: LesterSleepsIn on 5 Sep 2019, 02:27 pm

Quote from: S Clark on  5 Sep 2019, 02:07 pm

Go with whatever Wikipedia uses.

Sergei Rachmaninoff instead of Rachmaninov, or Сергей Васильевич Рахманинов

Wiki has a page dedicated to composers of note (no pun intended):
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_composers_by_name

Title: Re: Composer name spelling
Post by: cso_fan on 6 Sep 2019, 01:59 pm

The link that LesterSleepsIn provided  is a great resource. May I suggest that you look up Mieczyslaw Weinberg because his name is a good example of alternative spellings. In his case its almost looks like a different name. As long as you are aware of an alternative spelling you should have no problem cross referencing your database.

Title: Re: Composer name spelling
Post by: Tone Depth on 12 Sep 2019, 04:17 pm

Thanks for all the good suggestions!

Title: Re: Composer name spelling
Post by: Tyson on 12 Sep 2019, 05:02 pm

I just pick whatever I think looks cooler.  For example, Rachmaninov instead of Rachmaninoff. 

Title: Re: Composer name spelling
Post by: LesterSleepsIn on 13 Sep 2019, 11:36 am

Quote from: Tone Depth on 12 Sep 2019, 04:17 pm

Thanks for all the good suggestions!

Glad you could get a Handel on it.

Title: Re: Composer name spelling
Post by: Calypte on 14 Sep 2019, 04:23 am

Quote from: S Clark on  5 Sep 2019, 02:07 pm

Go with whatever Wikipedia uses.

Sergei Rachmaninoff instead of Rachmaninov, or Сергей Васильевич Рахманинов

In the UK they prefer "Rachmaninov."  Just look at innumerable British CD covers and reviews in Gramophone & BBC Music.  But HE preferred "Rachmaninoff."  That is, he based his preferred Roman-letter spelling on a French rather than a German model.  He's buried in New York state (Kensico Cemetery, Valhalla, Westchester Co., NY) as "Sergei Rachmaninoff."  His record label, RCA Victor, always spelled it "Rachmaninoff."  It's fair to point out that a music scholar I know who speaks Russian prefers "Rakhmaninov."