When you type text into the search box, VMII searches across movement titles, occasions, composers, and movement and work types, as well as texts and translations. To give the best matches, VMII understands inflected forms (e.g., sleeps = sleeping). This currently works best in English.
In the search box, you can type keys like a major or b flat minor — handy for planning key relationships in concerts or finding things with a desired Affekt. You can also filter by meter, e.g. 4/4 or 3/2. VMII has keys and meters for JS Bach, CPE Bach, Jacquet de La Guerre, and a few others.
The search box also lets you specify how many of each instrument you need: 2 sopranos or 2 oboes 1 flute.
The default sort is by number of instruments, to find you the ensemble closest to the one you selected. You can also sort by catalogue (BWV 1, BWV 2, BWV 3, …), title (movement title), or relevancy (with solo or textual matches first).
When you search for a continuo instrument like harpsichord, you’ll only see movements that call explicitly for harpsichord, either as continuo or solo. If you’re looking especially for solo harpsichord, sort by relevancy to see these matches first.
We’re very precise about what is editorial vs original when cataloguing titles, instrumentation, character names, capitalization, etc. This style of type means something was added by the editor of a critical edition. This style of type means that a VMII contributor added something.
When you view an aria, we show the exact instrumentation from the critical edition or manuscript, in its original language. When you search, VMII “rolls up” some very specific instruments (e.g., clarino) to create more general categories (e.g., trumpet). If you prefer to search by the most precise names, use the search box (e.g., here are the clarino arias).
When you search for a dessus instrument like flute, you’ll see movements that call explicitly for flute, as well as movements that call for any dessus instrument.
We recorded the occasion for every Bach cantata and many other works as well. You can search occasions by typing in the search box.
There’s so much beautiful music left to catalogue that we could spend a lifetime doing it. We’d love your help. Learn more ›
We’re hand-cataloguing vocal music – using scholarly sources – so you can browse by instrumentation and text. If you find the site useful, please make a small donation!