The title list is not a definitive research document. However, alternate titles provided by reference publications and research by Ellington scholars or Archives Center staff suggest a relationship between certain titles. Titles in italics indicate that there is additional music, in a separate location, which might be of interest to the researcher. Title fragments, abbreviations, working titles or nicknames which are written on the music are cross-referenced to the proper title. Some identical songs were recorded and performed under two different titles.
Some music is located on the reverse side of a score or part with a different title.
Series 1 also contains ten non-Ellington extended works. The music manuscripts in Series 1 have been organized into seven subseries. Music Manuscripts consisting of scores and parts composed and arranged by Duke Ellington, Billy Strayhorn and others for performance by Duke Ellington And His Orchestra. Scattered throughout this series are arrangements by Tom Whaley for bands that performed during his tenure as musical director of various Harlem Theatres including the Apollo Theatre, ca. Eubie Blake manuscripts of his original compostions contained in this series also were not created for performance by Duke Ellington And His Orchestra.