Chapter 26 | Errata

Errata are errors found in music or text. Even with the most scrupulous editing, mistakes can sometimes slip through. If these misprints can be corrected before the music is distributed, the performers will save time during the rehearsal and present a more accurate performance.

■How to Identify Errata

The best way to find errata is by a close comparison of the parts to the score. Before you begin, ensure that the score and parts are of the same publisher, edition, and printing. If the edition does not have an adequate rehearsal system, consider adding rehearsal letters or numbers and/or measure numbers.1 This will help you keep your place as you compare score to part or part to part, and it will also make the subsequent rehearsals more efficient. Compare one part at a time, checking every note, rest, and musical marking. Look for discrepancies in:

■Creating the Errata List

Document the errors as you find them using a standardized form to record errata.3 The completed errata list will be a transcript of the work that you did and can be consulted if there are any questions about the corrections that were made. The list can be shared with other librarians, conductors, and bands to help them correct their own parts.

Example of part errata

It is important to describe the mistake and its correction clearly and accurately. In the first line of example 1, the closest rehearsal landmark (letter D) identifies the starting point. The indication “+9” tells to count nine measures after rehearsal D to find the measure with the error. Conversely, “–9” would indicate nine measures before rehearsal D. Identifying the beat allows you to be specific, such as 4, 4&, 3rd sixteenth note, etc. The description of the correction first tells the wrong item in the part (quarter note) and what it should be changed to (eighth note), or tells what should be added or subtracted from the part.

List the part corrections by instrument in score order, arranged chronologically so you move through each part, beginning to end, to make the corrections.

Another example of part errata

List score corrections first chronologically, then by instrument in score order (see example), so that all the errata can be fixed on each page of the score, reading from front to back, and moving from top to bottom on the page.

■Fixing the Mistakes

Make any corrections to the part as neatly as possible. The correction should look as much like the printed music as possible so the player isn’t distracted by the marking.

Use correction fluid or tape to cover the error if necessary. If you make the change by handwriting the correction, use a ruler to help draw straight stem, staff, and bar lines.

If you use notation software to create an insert, try to match the style of typeface. Judge the stave size and measurement so the insert aligns seamlessly with the original part. If there are many corrections on a page, photocopy the page so the player isn’t distracted by excessive correction fluid and taped inserts.

In some instances it is more efficient to photocopy the correct passage from another location on the part or from another instrument that has the same passage. Again, align the insert carefully so it matches the original part.

■Where to Find Errata Lists

Errata information is most often found in books, dissertations, or magazine articles that examine a specific work. Be aware that not every errata list is comprehensive and some corrections may be ambiguous. It is a good idea to have a score available to clarify or confirm information that may be unclear in the list.

Look for errata lists in the following places:

Finally, try to examine a set of parts from another ensemble that has already played the work. Alert players often will hear and fix errata in their parts as they rehearse.

1 Guidance for adding rehearsal figures can be found in The Music Performance Library: A Practical Guide for Orchestra, Band, and Opera Librarians, by Russ Girsberger and Laurie Lake (Galesville, MD: Meredith Music Publications, 2011), 88–92.

2 Bill Holab describes how to efficiently proofread music, including a description of John Cage’s proofreading system, in Insights and Essays on the Music Performance Library, ed. Russ Girsberger and Laurie Lake (Galesville, MD: Meredith Music Publications, 2012), 107–112.

3 Reproducible copies of the MOLA errata forms, along with instructions on how to complete them, are found in The Music Performance Library, 154–159.