Help/advice needed

[M. Henriksen]

Sorry for posting this here, didn't really know where to put it. But the forum is a place to go for some advice.. I'm trying to organize my music collection, and the language I'm using is English. I'm not.
I need some help clarifying the difference in use of the terms chorus and choir.
What's the difference? A work for chorus and orchestra, or choir and orchestra? Is it a men's choir/chorus or male choir/chorus, female choir/chorus or women's chorus/choir? Help needed!

And: Is it common to use capital letters in work titles? F. ex The Isle of the Dead instead of The isle of the dead?


Morten

[JimL]

Choir is more of a reference to a liturgical musical vocal group.  Chorus is more of a concert term.  So, in church, the pastor "preaches to the choir". 

[eschiss1]

Hrm. Though one does see the use "woodwind choir" and especially "brass choir" (though maybe there's a liturgical analogy made there!...) etc. rather often. Language...!

[Alan Howe]

1. Choir/Chorus are more or less interchangeable as terms used in the names of vocal groups. The problem is that certain usages only occur in particular contexts. Thus, a school has a choir; but, in a musical put on in a school, if one does not have a solo part, one is singing in the chorus!!
2. As for work titles, "The Isle of the Dead" is correct. Here is a helpful guide:
http://alasir.com/motley/title_capitalisation/

[TerraEpon]

Personally I tend to always go with chorus when talking about the instrumentation, and I've found that seems to be generally the rule or others as well.

[jerfilm]

Good ol' english.  About as idiomatic as a language can be.   If you don't believe it, visit the UK,then the USA and Canada, then hop down to New Zealand and Australia......for starts.  If that doesn't convince you, take in india, too.

Here's what a dictionary here in the colonies sez about choirs: 

"An organized company of singers, especially one performing church music or singing in a church. 2. a. The part of a church used by such a company of singers."

But then as Eric points out, we have "brass choirs" and such.  Which sometimes are brass sections or brass ensembles. 

I'm not so sure there's a right or wrong way.  I just try to be consistent in my database (and probably don't always succeed even then).  Good luck, cataloging a large collection is a LOT of work.....

Jerry

[M. Henriksen]

Thanks everyone. I'm nearly done with my cataloging, but there's always details, details..


Morten