Cataloging Music Scores with RDA

Definition of “Score”

AACR2• A series of staves on which

all the different instrumental and/or vocal parts of a musical work are written, one under the other in vertical alignment, so that the parts may be read simultaneously.

RDAGraphical, symbolic, or word-based musical notation representing the sounds of all the parts of an ensemble or a work for solo performer or electronic media.

Preferred Source of Information (resource is one or more pages, leaves, sheets)

AACR2• Title page• Title page = list title page

– Use whichever of list title page, cover, or caption furnishes fullest information

• Caption• Cover• Colophon• Other preliminaries• Other sources

RDA• Title page, title sheet, title

card• Cover (or image of a cover)• Caption (or image of a

caption)• Masthead (of image of a

masthead)• Colophon (or image of a

colophon)

Preferred Source of Information(resource is more than one part)

• Score issued with parts– Choose a source of information identifying the

resource as a whole (score, along with a cover or wrapper if present)

• Set of parts, no score– Cover or wrapper? Treat as source of information

identifying the resource as a whole– No cover/wrapper? Select one of the parts as the

main part (identifies resource as a whole)

Title Proper – Titles of Parts, Sections, and Supplements

For a resource that is a separately issued part/section/supplement to another resource, and the title on the resource consists of – Title common to all parts or sections (or title of the

larger resource) AND– Title of the part, section or supplement

• Record the – common title– enumeration/designation– Title of part/section/supplement

Examples

245 00 Musical theatre for classical singers. |p Soprano

245 10 Choraleworks. |n Set II : |b ten chorale preludes for organ

245 10 Bolivian Baroque. |n Vol. 2, |p Music from the missions and La Plata

Other Elements Recorded as Part of the Title Proper

• If a music title consists only of the name(s) of one or more types of composition OR

• The name(s) of one or more types of composition and one or more of the following:– medium of performance– Key– Date of composition– Number

• Treat all elements as the title proper

Examples

• Rhapsody• Songs & dances• Piano concertos 1 & 2• Symphony no. 3, A minor, opus 56• Zwei Praeludien und Fugen für Orgel, op.

posth. 7• Scherzo for two pianos, four hands

Other Elements Recorded as Part of the Title Proper

In all other cases, if one or more statements of medium of performance, key, date of composition, and/or number are found on the source of information, treat those elements as other title information

Examples

• Fugue on Hey diddle diddle : for SATB unaccompanied

• Sinfonia mazedonia : nr. 4 für grosses Orchester

Resources Lacking a Collective Title

• If sources of information identifying the individual parts are being treated as a collective source of information for the resource as a whole, record the titles proper of the parts in the order in which they appear

– Clock symphony ; surprise symphony

Devised Titles

If the resource itself bears no title and a title cannot be found in any of the other sources of information devise a brief descriptive title that indicates either the nature of the resource or its subjects or a combination.

Devised Titles

For music, include medium of performance, numeric designation (e.g. serial number, opus number), key, and/or other distinguishing characteristic, as applicable

– Trio for piano and strings, no. 2, op. 66, C minor

– Sämmtliche Lieder, Balladen und Romanzen, 4. Heft. Erster Verlust

Extent of Notated Music

RDA 3.4.3.2

• Record the extent of a resource consisting of notated music by giving the number of units and an appropriate term for the format of notated music as listed under 7.20.1.3

Statement of Responsibility

• MLA Recommendation: If feasible, record all statements of responsibility relating to the title proper appearing on the preferred source. Optionally, record statements of responsibility relating to title appearing elsewhere in the item.

Examples

A piece for Yvonne : for solo piano / Gustav Holst ; edited by Raymond Head.

On the beach at Fontana : soprano and piano / Roger Sessions ; text by James Joyce.

Nanie : for chorus of mixed voices with orchestra (and harp ad libitum) op. 82 / music by Johannes Brahms ; poem by Friedrich Schiller ; English version by Alma Strettell.

Edition Statement

AACR2• Musical presentation

statement recorded in field 254

• Indicates the physical presentation of the music (e.g., score, miniature score, score and parts)

RDA• No instructions for

recording musical presentation statement – treat as edition statement

• Use field 250 (no 254 field)• Indicates an arrangement or

edition of a musical work (e.g., full score, 2-piano edition, low voice)

Examples

250 High voice.

251 Vocal score, Updated edition.

250 5th edition, with corrections, Study score.

Production Statement

MLA Recommendation: • If deemed useful for identification and access,

transcribe production information in field 264 (2nd indicator=0)

264 -0 [Boston, Massachusetts] : Boston Conservatory, 2011.

Publication Information

MLA Recommendations:• If more than one publication is given on the resource

and it is unclear which is the “true” place of publication, give all places

• Transcribe the names of all publishers appearing on the preferred source.

• If place of publication is not identified, supply a probable place of publication

• Use field 260 or field 264

Examples

264 -1 [Burbank, California] : Wonderland Music Company, Inc.

264 -1 Minneapolis, Minnesota : Libby Larsen Publishing : Kenwood Editions

264 -1 [Place of publication not identified] : [publisher not identified]264 -2 Chatsworth, California : Distributed exclusively by Image Entertainment

Dates

MLA Recommendation:• Copyright date is a separate element in RDA from

publication date• Copyright may be used to infer publication date, but

it may not “stand in” as one• Routinely give copyright dates separately, even if it is

the same as the stated or inferred publication date.

Examples

260|c [2011?], c2011.

OR

264 _1 |c [2011?]264 _4 |c c2011

Identifier for the Manifestation

MLA Recommendation:• If feasible, record all standard identifiers on

the item– ISBN (020)– ISMN (024 1st indicator 2)– Plate number (028 1st indicator 2)

Recording Extent of Notated Music

• Score• Condensed score• Study score• Piano conductor part• Violin conductor part• Vocal Score

• Piano score• Chorus score• Part• Choir book• Table book

7.20.1.3 - … using one or more appropriate terms from the list below:

Extent of Notated Music

AACR2

• 1 miniature score• 55 p. of music

RDA

• 1 study score• 1 score (55 p.)

300 |a 1 score (30 pages) ; |c 20 cm. + 16 parts ; |c 32 cm

336/337/338 fields

336 notated music |2 rdacontent337 unmediated |2 rdamedia338 volume |2 rdacarrier

Preferred Title for a Musical Work

Choose as the preferred title for a musical work the composer’s original title in the language in which it was presented.

Meistersinger von Nurnberg

Exception: If the work has become better known by another title in the same language, choose it as the preferred title.

Don Giovannia

Preferred Title for a Musical Work

Use the name of the type of composition as the preferred title if:• All the titles of a composer’s works include the name

of a type of composition AND• The works are also cited as a numbered sequence of

compositions of that type– Symphonies[Beethoven’s Eroica symphony is cited in lists of the composer’s symphonies as no. 3]

Recording Preferred Title for a Musical Work

Omit from the title:• Statement of medium

of performance• Key• Serial, opus, thematic

index numbers• Numbers• Date of composition

Preferred Title:String quartetSymphonie no. 40Concerto in A minor, op. 54Nocturne in F sharp minor, op. 15, no.2Five little pieces for piano

Preferred Title Consisting of Name of One Type of Composition

Record the name of the type of composition as the preferred title is the omissions (key, numbers, etc.) result in a preferred title consisting solely of the name of one type of composition

Record the name in plural unless the composer wrote only one work of the type• Quintets• Ballades• Sonatas

Form of Work

MLA Recommendation:If giving form of work as a component of an access point*, routinely also give form of work in a 380 field.

*preferred title consisting of the name of one or more type of composition

Authority Record Examples:

100 1_ Bach, Johann Sebastian, 1685-1750. |t Masses, BWV 234, A Major380 Mass

110 2_ Green Day (Musical group). |t American idiot (Musical)380 Musical

Date of Work

MLA Recommendation:

If giving form of work as a component of an access point, routinely also give date of work in 046 subfield k (and l as appropriate)

Authority record example:

046 |k 1927 |l 1928100 1_ Thomson, Virgil, |d 1896-1989. |t Four saints in three acts

AACR2 Example