I’ve been playing around with ‘work types’ a bit.
I thought it would be good to start by getting a list of work types that are generally regarded as being qualified work types in classical music.
That proved to be a bit harder than I imagined, so I tried to assemble a comprehensive list myself by scraping the web at different sources.
This is the result (for now):
Air
Allemande
Agnus Dei
Aria
Bagatelle
Ballad
Ballata
Barcarole
Ballet
Berceuse
Bolero
Bourrée
Burlesque
Cadenza
Canon
Cantata
Canzona
Canzonetta
Capriccio
Carol
Chaconne
Chamber music
Chanson
Chant
Chorale
Chorale prelude
Chorus
Concertino
Concert piece
Concerto
Concerto for Orchestra
Concerto grosso
Courante
Credo
Dance
Divertimento
Double concerto
Duet
Elegy
Entr'acte
Entrée
Etude
Fanfare
Fantasia
Fugue
Galliard
Gavotte
Gigue
Humoresque
Hymn
Impromptu
Interlude
Intermezzo
Introduction
Kyrie
Lament
Lauda
Lied
Litany
Madrigal
March
Mazurka
Minuet
Missa brevis
Missa solemnis
Motet
Nocturne
Opera
Oratorio
Overture
Partita
Passacaglia
Passepied
Pavane
Piano ballade
Polka
Polonaise
Prelude
Psalm
Quadrille
Requiem
Requiem Mass
Rhapsody
Ricercar
Rigaudon
Rondo
Saltarello
Saraband
Scherzo
Serenade
Siciliana
Sinfonia concertante
Sinfonietta
Solo concerto
Solo suite
Sonata
Sonatina
Song cycle
String quartet
Suite
Symphonia
Symphonic poem
Symphony
Tiento
Toccata
Triple concerto
Waltz
.
Then I tried out Classic Extra’s work type features to see if that would result in tags that matched what I would expect to be appropriate for the recording/work, and it being a work type from my fabulous list.
Well, the answer is: no, not really.
This is not criticism targeted at the plugin. The plugin is doing fantastic, making smart efforts, and will have to make do with what is available from MusicBrainz’ database.
(I am guessing ‘work type’ is not a current attribute in MusicBrainz’ database?)
At the moment I am not sure how I will proceed with this, but there is one thought that came up and I thought to share and have it’s tires kicked:
Many of the ‘work type’ keywords I would expect to show up, but don’t, happen to be present in the titles of the recordings.
Would it be an idea and a possibility to have the plugin (also) looking at the titles of works/parts/movements to try and resolve an appropriate work type?
.
edit:
Hate to, but probably should already anticipate on further complications;
There probably should be levels for work types.
The top level work type could be ‘Opera’, but for a lower level part of it, it could be ‘Aria’.