I Want to Search for.....

Help Overview Best Practices

All these Searches can be combined to refine your searches. You can search for concerts that were for a certain period, that were of a certain composition of compositions, directed and/or performed by certain individuals.  The more selections you make the better will be your results.  Open ended searches, like everything before 1950 for example will be limited to the first 200 results. Happy Searching.

Date Searches

Date Searches can be combined with other search criteria to limit the amount of returns.  The Date Selector's Default Date Setting is the current date and is set by having no dates selected by any of the Dropdown ListBoxes, the radio button "On This Date" selected and the "Or Select From Existing Concert Dates"  Dropdown ListBox set to "none".  Clicking the "Clear Form" button will set the Date Selector to the Default Date. This also happen when you first visit the page.


To search for a Concerts on a specific date


To search all Concerts within a Month


To search all Concerts within a Year


To search all Concerts Before a Specified Date (or Month/Year or Year)

  • To search for concerts before a specific date you need not specify the entire Date. Selecting only a Year will search for All Concerts from December 31 of that year.  If you select a Year and a Month then the search will be for all concerts before the last day of that month for the given year.  The instructions below are for a given day, month and year.  Simply do not include the day and/or month if you'd like.
  • Set the Date Selector's top Radio Button to "Before This Date"
  • Select the Date you want to search from by selecting the Day, Month and Year from the "Select Starting Date" Dropdown ListBox.
  • Click the "Search" Button.
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To search all Concerts After a Specified Date (or Month/Year or Year)

  • To search for concerts after a specific date you need not specify the entire Date. Selecting only a Year will search for All Concerts from January 1 of that year.  If you select a Year and a Month then the search will be for all concerts after the first day of that month for the given year.  The instructions below are for a given day, month and year.  Simply do not include the day and/or month if you'd like.
  • Set the Date Selector's top Radio Button to "After This Date"
  • Select the Date you want to search from by selecting the Day, Month and Year from the "Select Starting Date" Dropdown ListBox.
  • Click the "Search" Button.
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Composer Searches


To Search for All Works by a Composer

  • Method 1 (Free Text)
    • In the "Write in the Composer's (Last) Name" Textbox type in the composer's last name.
      • This method will "Wild Card" search for the composer's name. If you type in "Bach" the search will return all Performances of works by all composers named "Bach".
      • Any text in the "Write in the Composer's (Last) Name"  textbox will override any selection by Method 2 below.
    • Click the "Search" Button.
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  • Method 2 (Selected)
    • First insure that the "Write in the Composer's (Last) Name" Textbox is empty.
    • In the "Select a Composer" Dropdown ListBox, scroll down and select a composer.
      • Ignore the entries that may appear in the "Select a Composition" and "Select a Performance" Listboxes.
    • Click the "Search" Button.
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To Search for Specific Works by a Composer

  • Method 1 A (Free Text for both)
    • In the "Write in the Composer's (Last) Name" Textbox type in the composer's last name.
      • This method will "Wild Card" search for the composer's name. If you type in "Bach" the search will return all Performances of works by all composers named "Bach".
      • Any text in the "Write in the Composer's (Last) Name"  textbox will override any selection by Method 2 below.
    • Type in the name of the composition in the "Write in the Composition's Name" Textbox.
      • This method will "Wild Card" search for the composition. If you type in "Concerto" the Search will return all Performances of Concertos by the composer.
      • The "Write in the Composition's Name" Textbox will override any selections in the "Select a Performance" Listbox.
    • Click the "Search" Button.
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  • Method 1 B (Free Text for the composition, selected composer)
    • First insure that the "Write in the Composer's (Last) Name" Textbox is empty.
    • In the "Select a Composer" Dropdown ListBox, scroll down and select a composer.
      • Ignore the entries that may appear in the "Select a Composition" and "Select a Performance" Listboxes.
    • Type in the name of the composition in the "Write in the Composition's Name" Textbox.
      • This method will "Wild Card" search for the composition. If you type in "Concerto" the Search will return all Performances of Concertos by the composer.
      • The "Write in the Composition's Name" Textbox will override any selections in the "Select a Performance" Listbox.
    • Click the "Search" Button.
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  • Method 2 (Selected composer and Selected compositions)
    • In the "Select a Composer" Dropdown ListBox, scroll down and select a composer.
      • This action will fill in the "Select a Composition" and "Select a Performance" Listboxes.
        • The "Select a Composition" Listbox is a list of compositions by the selected composer performed by the Handel and Haydn Society.
        • The "Select a Performance" Listbox is a listing of the individual performances of the compositions from the "Select a Composition" Listbox.
        • These Listboxes are Multiple Selectable.  Simply hold down the Control Key while making selections to select more than one..
    • Make selections from either or both the "Select a Composition" or the "Select a Performance" Listboxes.
    • Click the "Search" Button.
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Miscellaneous Searches


To Search for Concerts directed by a Specific Music Director

  • n the "Select a Director" Dropdown ListBox, scroll down and select a Musical Director.
  • Click the "Search" Button.
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To Search for Performances where a Specific Performer has Performed

  • In the "Select a Performer" Dropdown ListBox, scroll down and select a Performer.
    • The search results are Performances only. If the Performer is listed in some performances during a concert, only those performances will be returned.
    • Important.  Many of the records for the earlier Concerts and Performances are somewhat incomplete. In many cases there are no performers listed. In many other cases there are no first names in the records.  This makes it difficult to tell when there are transitions from a father to a son, or a mother to a daughter as had happen during the many years that the Handel and Haydn Society has been in existance.  If the name is fairly common, like Mr. Johnston for instance, its impossible to tell weather there were more than one Mr. Johnston performing at the Handel and Haydn Society during a given period. 
  • Click the "Search" Button.
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To Search for Concerts performed at a certain Concert Hall

  • In the "Select a Concert Hall" Dropdown ListBox, scroll down and select a Concert Hall.
  • Click the "Search" Button.
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