• The most common mistake seems to be using both the Composition and Composer Textboxes along with the Composition and Composer Listboxes.  Use either the Textbox OR Dropdown List box for the composer, not both. Then either select a Composition or Compositions from the composition Listbox OR type in a "partial" name in the Composition Textbox.
  • It is fine to use the Textbox for one and the Dropdown for the other.  For example, Selecting Beethoven from the Dropdown then typing in "Symphony" in the Textbox.  This will give you all Beethoven Symphonies performed by the Handel and Haydn Society.
• Adding too much to the Composition Textbox.  The Textboxes allow you to "wild card" search on compositions or composers.  The less you add, the better chance you have a getting results.  
  • (Assuming you selected Beethoven as the composer.) Typing in "Symphony No. 9 Ode to Joy Chorus"  will result in no returns. Type in either "Symphony No. 9" or "Ode to Joy"
    • Hint, If something is very specific to a composer, you can leave out the composer altogether.   "Ode to Joy" will return Beethoven's 9th Symphony and nothing else.
    • Hint, If you want something very specific it is better to select the composition from the "Select a Composition" Listbox than typing in the information.
  • (Again, assuming you selected Beethoven as the composer.)  Typing in unconventional notation for a composition will most likely result in no returns. Beethoven's 9th Symphony in the Handel and Haydn Database is listed as Symphony No. 9, typing in Symphony #9 will not match this entry.
    • It is better to use the Composition Listbox after selecting Beethoven from the Dropdown listbox.
• Not every field in the form has to be filled in. The Search Page will search for concerts even if you select nothing at all. (see "Selecting too little"... above) Use the Dropdowns, List boxes and Textboxes to refine your search.  See "Starting general then narrow down."
• Select only the performer if you are searching for a specific performer.  Any performer will have only a limited number of performances and years in the database.
• If you do not know the Exact Date of a performance, don't select the Day, Month and Year.   The search page has a very sophisticated date selecting controls, let them help you find the date. 
  • See also the Date Searches by Specific Date, Specific Month, Specific Year, Before a Specified Date and After a Specified Date.
  • Hint, The "Select from existing (prior) concerts dates" Dropdown lists every cataloged concert date in the Handel and Haydn Society archives. Only concerts on those dates will result in returns. Scroll down to the desired date.  The Radio buttons above the Dropdown will limit the selections in the dropdowns to 50 year increments.
    • Example: Selecting the 3rd concert every performed by the Handel and Haydn Society...
      • Click on the 1815 to 1850 Radio button...
      • Select the 3rd date in the "Select from existing (prior) concerts dates" Dropdown...
      • Click Search.
  • Hint, Use the Date Range functions.  These functions are designed to be user friendly, you do not have to know an exact date. 
    • If you select only a year, then the program will assume either 1/1/year or 12/31/year of the year depending on the direction of the range.
    • If you select a month and a year then the program will assume either 1/month/year or last-day-of-month/month/year depending on the direction of the search. Yes!, The program will work out leap years and the number of days in the month for you!
      • Example:  You want a search for concerts conducted by Christopher Hogwood during the 1986/1967 season.
        • Click the "Between these Dates" Radio button.
        • Select "October" and "1986" in the "Select Starting Date" Dropdowns
        • Select "April" and "1987" in the "Selecting Ending Dates" Dropdowns.
        • Select "Hogwood, Christopher Mr." from the "Select a Director" Dropdown
        • Click on "Search"
        • This will return all concerts conducted by Mr. Christopher Hogwood between 9/1/1986 to 4/30/1987.
• Selecting a date from both the "Select from existing (prior) concert dates" .Dropdown and a Date from the Date Range dropdowns.   These controls work in an either /or manner.  Use only one. 

Selecting too little ...

        If you click on the Search button without making any selections then your search will be....
"Every concert and performance by every composer of every composition ever performed by the Handel and Haydn Society since December 1815 to the current date."
Your results will be limited to the first 1000 performances. (In this Database system, a concert is a collection of performances occurring at the same date and time.)  If this happens with your searches try...

• Narrowing your searches to specific date ranges.   (see Search By Date)
  • Try selecting date ranges by decade like from 1860 to 1870.
  • Try selecting before or after a specific year like after 1950 or before 1900
    • You may need to add a composer or composition to the above query.
• Add a composer to your Date Range (see Search By Composer)
  • Popular composers (Handel, Haydn, Mozart, Beethoven, etc can still results in more than 400 returns)
    • Add a broad category in the "Write in Composition's Name" textbox like "Concerto" or "Symphony". See Free Text Search,
    • Or narrow the Date range even more.
• Include more selective criteria to the Search like Composition, Concert Hall, Director or Performer. See Search By Composition or   Miscellaneous Searches
• Narrow the Date Range even more.

Start general then narrow down...

It is best to start with the most general search criteria, a date range for example.   Perform the search and see if your results already show up there or you receive too many results.  Then select more and more restrictive criteria until you narrow down your search to the desired results.  Selecting everything at once may result in no returns because some small criteria may be in error.

A note about AND'ed Searches...

All search parameters are AND'ed together. Selecting a date range and a composer will limit searches to concerts within the date range AND only those concerts where the selected composer's composition was performed.  The more search parameters included in a search query the more restrictive a search becomes.