Tagging classical

Some background information on tagging classical can be found here.

 

JRMC supports a couple of tags like Composer, Conductor, Orchestra, etc.
Most internet databases simply don’t populate these tags.

 

Depending on your needs you simply accept the results of these databases or you do some editing. Fortunately, JRMC offers a couple of options speeding up the tagging process.

 

An example: All Bach’s harpsichord concerto’s on 3 CDs.

 

 

No, this is not my entire collection.
To improve speed and having a good overview I simply use a separate library for new material. How to make a library can be found here.

 

A simple way to edit all tracks is to select all albums and use the tag panel.

An alternative is multi-line editing.

 

Composer, Artist and Genre can be set in the tag panel for all selected albums.

 

I’m not in need of 3 separate albums.
Let’s make one album.

Album

1 Preserve the original title

I use a custom field Original Title. How to make a custom tag can be found here.
Select all the albums and choose Library Tools > Move/Copy fields

2 – Add a disc number

This must be done per album

 

3 – Update track number

Not all media players support the disc number. You’re portable probably don’t.
Renumbering them is easy using the Library Tool “Fill track numbers from list order”.
I like to preserve the original track number.
Prefixing the track number with the disc number keeps them in the right sequence and preserves the original number.
I use an expression to do so.

4 – Give all albums the same title

 

E voilà

Opus

I like to have an overview of all Opus numbers.

First make a custom tag Opus.

 

This time I have luck, the opus is in the Title (Name in the JRMC lingo).
A fast way to retrieve the Opus number is to use an expression.
I always use an Expression Column to develop the expression.

 

This says make a list of Name using BWV as a separator and returns the second element (first element=0).

 

 

Now we need to parse the list item for a second time using the / for separator.

 

Not the double slash. Add BWV

 

 

Paste the formula in the Opus column prefixed with = (Excel style expression).

Repeat this for all titles with a – for separator
BWV ListItem(ListItem([Name],1,BWV),0,-)
Apply it to the Opus column again.

Work

Now that we do have the Opus, generating the composition from the title is almost trivial.

ListItem([Name],0,//) retrieves the part from the title containing the composition.

 

View

 

 

The album view gives me a single entry, the Harpsichord concerto’s.
The Work view list all compositions

 

Opus

If you want an overview of compositions per composer, using the Opus is a convenient way.
Often works are spelled different (Trio for piano,Piano trio, etc) the Opus number remains the same.

This view I use often for a good overview.

Work and Movement are custom fields.

 

Unassigned contains all the works without an opus number.

Using an expression it is not hard to generate the Opus number from the text.

 

After generating the opus you get this

You can do in-place editing like changing Op. 19 for mixed choir in Op. 19

This will updat the opus in all tracks involved.

 

If you expand an Opus you can easily spot double entries: same work but with a different title.

 

A simple drag/drop will solve this.

Expanding the work in case of double entries will tell you if the movements are labeled the same.

Conclusion

Listening to pop music only does have its advantages.