Subject guides: MLA 9th: Music scores / recordings

Music scores / recordings

General works cited tips for music scores / recordings

If the date of composition is unknown, omit that portion of the citation. Music publishers before the twentieth century did not usually provide a date of publication. If you find the missing date from a reliable external source, cite the date in square brackets: See 5.122 of the MLA Handbook. If you are uncertain about the accuracy of the date, add a question mark: [1888?].

In-text citation

One author

Format

(Author's surname Page number)

Example

(Gifford 2)

Gifford's main theme enters ... (2)

Two authors

Format

(Author surname 1 and Author surname 2 Page number)

Example

(Barton and Hindson 27)

The solo voice for the Songman's entrance in the Barton and Hindson orchestral score ... (27)

Tips

Go to Getting started > In-text citation to view other examples such as multiple authors.

Score

Works cited

Format

Print

Composer Last Name, First Name. Title of Score. Publisher, Year of Publication.

Online

Composer Last Name, First Name. Title of Score. Publisher, Year of Publication. Database, DOI, permalink, or URL.

Example

Print

Boyd, Anne. Black Sun: In Memory of the Beijing Students. 1989. U of York Music P, 2003.

Gifford, Brenda. Mungala (Clouds): For Alto Flute and Percussion. Australian Music Centre, 2021.

Westlake, Nigel, and Lior Attar. Compassion: A Song Cycle in Seven Movements Based on a Collection of Ancient Hebrew and Arabic Texts, For Symphony Orchestra and Solo Voice. Rimshot, [2013].

Online

Barton, William, and Matthew Hindson. Kalkadungu: For Soloist (Voice, Electric Guitar, Didjeridu) and Orchestra. Faber Music, 2007. Alexander Street, https://search.alexanderstreet.com/view/work/bibliographic_entity%7Cscore%7C3572574?account_id=12528&usage_group_id=100790.

Tips

For an online score, add the location plus the link, in order of preference, the DOI, permalink, or URL. For more information, see sections 5.93 (DOI), 5.94 (permalink), and 5.95 (URL) of the MLA Handbook.

Score in a multivolume complete works edition

Works cited

Format

Individually titled and edited volume with editor in chief for whole edition

Composer Last Name, First Name. Score Title. Edited by First Name Last Name, Year. Title of Collected Works. First Name Last Name, editor in chief, vol. no., Publisher, Year/s.

Individually titled volume with editor, in series from the edition

Composer Last Name, First Name. Score Title. Edited by First Name Last Name, Publisher, Year. Title of Collected Work and Series no., vol. no.

Musical work from a volume in a multivolume set

Composer Last Name, First Name. “Title of Score.” Title of Multivolume Set, vol, no., Publisher, Year of Publication, page range of work.

Example

Individually titled and edited volume with editor in chief for whole edition

Berlioz, Hector. Symphonie Fantastique. Edited by Nicholas Temperley, 1972. New Edition of the Complete Works. Hugh Macdonald, editor in chief, vol. 16, Bärenreiter, 1967-2005.

Individually titled volume with editor, in series from the edition

Mozart, Wolfgang Amadeus. Die Zauberflöte [The Magic Flute]. Edited by Gernot Gruber and Alfred Orel, Bärenreiter, 1970. Neue Ausgabe Samtliche Werke Series 2, Werkegruppe 5, Band 19.

Musical work from a volume in a multivolume set

Bach, Johann Sebastian. "Passacaglia." The Complete Organ Works in Eight Volumes, vol. 7, Edwin F. Kalmus, 1968, pp. 102-6.

Tips

The name or names of editors are listed before the volume number. See 5.117 of the MLA Handbook.
Like complete works of literature the volume no., publisher, date, and page range follows the title of the complete works. For an example, see fig. 5.93 of the MLA Handbook.
If the reader is likely to be unfamiliar with the language of the title, you may place a translation, placed in square brackets after the original title and with the same formatting. For more information, see 5.30 of the MLA Handbook.

Score published in an anthology

Works cited

Format

Composer Last Name, First Name. “Song Title.” Anthology Title, edited by First Name Last Name, Version of edition (if relevant), Publisher, Year, page range.

Example

Giordani, Tommaso. "Caro Mio Ben." 30 Italian Songs and Arias of the Seventeenth and Eighteenth Centuries, edited by Roger Nichols, translated by Sarah Nichols, Medium-low voice ed., Peters, 2007, pp.130-35.

Cheetham, Deborah, and Jessica Hitchcock. “Parrwang Lifts the Sky.” Dhungala Choral Connection Songbook, Short Black Opera, 2016, pp. 13-14.

Score with emphasis on libretto/lyrics

Works cited

Format

Librettist / Lyricist Last Name, First Name, label of role. Title of Score. Composed by First Name Last Name, Publisher, Year of Publication.

Example

Goldsworthy, Peter, librettist. Ned Kelly: A Chamber Opera. Composed by Luke Styles, Australian Music Centre, [2020].

Sterbini, Cesare, librettist. The Barber of Seville: Opera in Three Acts. Composed by Gioachino Rossini, G. Schirmer, 1962.

Tips

See p. 334 of the MLA Handbook.

Manuscript

Works cited

Format

Composer Last Name, First Name. “Title.” Date. Name of Collection. Identification no. Library, Place. Manuscript.

Example

Phillips, Linda. "Garden Secrets." 1945?, Music Archive of Linda Phillips, Box 2. Monash University Library, Melbourne. Manuscript.

Tips

Include a box location or similar when possible for the reader to know (without looking it up) where to find it. See use of uncertain dates in 5.83 of the MLA Handbook. For examples, see p. 341 of the MLA Handbook..

Recording, composer emphasis

Works cited

Format

Track from a recording/album

Composer Last Name, First Name. "Piece Title." Title of Album, performance by Performer's First Name Last Name, Publisher or recording label, Year. Format.

Whole work/s from a collection

Composer Last Name, First Name. "Work Title/s." Title of Collection, performance by Performer's First Name Last Name, Publisher or recording label, Year. Format.

Whole recording/album

Composer Last Name, First Name. Title of Album. Performance by Performer's First Name Last Name, Publisher or recording label, Year. Format.

Example

Track from a recording/album

Davis, Miles. "Flamenco Sketches." Kind of Blue, Columbia, 1959. Spotify app.

Wyatt, Aaron. “Cirrus.” To Listen, to Sing: Ngarra-Burria: First Peoples Composers, performance by Ensemble Offspring, ABC Classics, 2022. CD.

Whole work/s from a collection

Haydn, Joseph. “Symphony no. 97 in C major." The Symphonies nos. 96-104, performance by Philharmonia Hungarica, Decca, 1991. CD.

Whole recording/album

Westlake, Nigel. Babe: Orchestral Soundtrack. Performance by Melbourne Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Nigel Westlake, ABC Classics, [2015]. CD.

Tips

In addition to the composer, other contributors may be credited in the source. Note the capitalisation of “ Performance by" or “performance by” depending on whether the reference is for a “part of” or for the whole recording. For more information see 5.45 of the MLA Handbook.
The song or individual piece of music, a track, on an album uses quotation marks, and the whole album is in italics. When the song is listened to on a website, app or streaming service, italicise the name of the source. For examples, see p. 330 of the MLA Handbook.

Recording, performer emphasis

Works cited

Format

Physical

Performer Last Name, First Name (or Band Name). "Song Title." Title of Collection/Album, composed by First Name Last Name, Publisher, Year of publication. Format.

Online

Performer Last Name, First Name (or Band Name). "Song Title." Title of Collection/Album, composed by First Name Last Name, Publisher, Year of publication. Database, permalink or URL.

Example

Track from a recording/album (emphasis on performer)

Physical

Mitchell, Joni. “Goodbye Pork Pie Hat.” Mingus, composed by Charles Mingus, Asylum, 1979. Vinyl.

Online

Mitchell, Joni. “Goodbye Pork Pie Hat.” Mingus, composed by Charles Mingus, Asylum, 13 June 1979. Spotify app.

Whole work/s from a collection (emphasis on conductor)

Physical

Vänskä, Osmo. “Symphonies, Vo. 12.” The Sibelius Edition, performance by Lahti Symphony Orchestra, BIS records, 2011. CD.

Online

Abbado, Claudio. "Flute Concerto No. 2 in D Major K. 314." Mozart: Flute Concertos. Performance by Emmanuel Pahud with the Berlin Philharmonic, EMI Records, 1997. Apple Music, https://music.apple.com/us/album/mozart-flute-concertos/693109398.

Whole recording/album (emphasis on performer/s)

Physical

Attar, Lior. Compassion. Composed and conducted by Nigel Westlake and Lior Attar, performed by Lior and Sydney Symphony Orchestra, ABC Classics, 2013. CD.

Online

Guitar Trek. Blue Tongue: Australian Guitar Quartets. Composed by Nigel Westlake, Richard Charlton, Phillip Houghton, and Kats-Chernin. Naxos, 2020. Naxos Music Library, https://monash-nml3-naxosmusiclibrary-com.ap1.proxy.openathens.net/catalogue/item.asp?cid=8.579060.

Warumpi Band. Warumpi Band: 4 Ever, Erato, 2015. Naxos Music Library Jazz, https://monash.primo.exlibrisgroup.com/permalink/61MONASH_AU/162tcri/cdi_naxos_jazz_825646829033.

Tips

Key contributors such as conductors and performers and performing groups are generally listed in the contributor element. See 5.44 of the MLA Handbook. Occasionally you may have a reason to list a contributor in the author element, see 5.3 of the MLA Handbook. In addition to a composer whose name appears at the start of the reference, other people may be credited in the source. Note descriptions such as "performance by" and "conducted by."
The song or individual piece of music, a track, on an album uses quotation marks, and the whole album is in italics. When the song is listened to on a website, app or streaming service, italicise the name of the source. For examples, see p. 330 of the MLA Handbook.
When the album is performed by a band who composed the music, it is not necessary to add composed by.

Text accompanying audio and visual works

Works cited

Format

Titled

Author Last Name, First Name. “Title of notes.” Title of Recording, by Composer/Artist First Name Last Name, Publisher or Record label, Year, page range of notes. Booklet accompanying CD.

Untitled

Author Last Name, First Name. Liner notes. Title of Recording, by Composer/Artist First Name Last Name, Publisher or Record label, Year.

Example

Titled

Imrie, Martyn. “Masters of the Papal Chapels.” Music From the Sistine Chapel, by The Sixteen, conducted by Harry Christophers, CORO, 2007, pp. 3-9. Booklet accompanying CD.

Kremer, Gidon. “Tango Passion.” El Tango, by The Astor Quartet et al., Nonesuch, 1997. Booklet accompanying CD.

Untitled

Hentoff, Nat. Liner notes. Sketches of Spain, by Miles Davis, Columbia Records, 1960.

Hohnen, Michael. Liner notes. Djarimirri: Child of the Rainbow, by Garrumul Yunupingu, Skinnyfish Music, 2018.

Tips

Booklets or liner notes accompanying recordings vary in size. Include the page numbers for the liner/program notes when available. See p. 333 of the MLA Handbook.