Music Authorities Procedure
Authority records for works of music are probably the most
problematic aspect of music cataloging. They must include the composer's
name as well as the correct form of entry for the musical work. The correct
form of entry must be in the language that the composer either worked in or in
which the musical work was written. Tracking down the necessary information
for such an authority record can be a time consuming process.
Process
- Search
Voyager's authority file for the authority records needed for each
piece of music. This is the first step because Kresge Library does not
contribute authority records to OCLC. Thus there are authority records in
Voyager that are not in OCLC.
Example of a Staff Name/Title Headings search: Mozart, Wolfgang
This search will bring up all of the Name/Title authorities for
Wolfgang Mozart. Scroll through them to find the one needed.
- Search OCLC's authority file for the authority records needed for each
piece of music. There are two steps in this process since sometimes a
piece of music can be overlooked in the index of pieces for each composer.
The cross-references do not always stand out in the list of authority
records.
- Search OCLC's authority file by composer.
sca pn: Bach, Johann Sebastian
- Search titles in OCLC's authority file
Sca ti: wachet auf ruft uns die stimme
- A title search for a prolific composer is sometimes easier particularly if the title is distinctive.
Sca ti: wachet auf ruft uns die stimme
- If there is no authority record in Voyager or in OCLC then search New Groves
Dictionary of Music and Musicians (ML100.N48 2000 (in Reference)) by composer
name. Each composer will have an entry discussing his work, his life,etc.
At the end of each entry there is a list of his/her works. ***Caveat***
Many of the obscure composers are not in Groves OR they appear in a previous edition of Groves,
but not in the 2000 ed. Editions of Groves are not cumulative. ***Warning***
We are missing v.17 of New Groves.
- Search the appropriate thematic index for each composer. A thematic index is theoretically
a complete listing of a composer's music. The author of each thematic index assigns
numbers to each piece. These numbers are known as thematic index numbers.
Our thematic indices begin at ML134.A and continue. They are cuttered by composer name
thus they are in alphabetical order (by composer) on the reference shelves.
- This is an example of a thematic index number for one of Johann Sebastian Bach's cantatas.
Example: Thematic index number BWV 125
- If there is no thematic index and the composer is not in Groves then search for books
about the composer. These books will SOMETIMES have a partial list of works.
- Search the Internet for web sites with lists of the composer's works. Some
of these websites are done by music associations or fans of a particular
composer. The information that is contained can range from virtually none
of the works to a complete thematic index. However, please use the information with care
since the accuracy of some of it is questionable.
- Specific problems
- Language complexities (Suggestions)
Since the correct form of entry for a work is established in the language
in which the composer worked the cataloger must be prepared to catalog in a
ultitude of foreign languages. This can become a problem for the cataloger who has
little or no foreign language training, or the language of the work's title has
been translated into a language that is different from the one in which the
work's title was originally written, or the script of the original language is not
the same as the script used for the English language. All of these difficulties have
to be conquered in order to establish the correct form of entry for a work. The following
is a list of suggestions that hopefully will help the cataloger to overcome them.
- Paraphrases
Translations are really paraphrases. If the paraphrase on the work in hand is
close to or matches a paraphrase in Groves then it is usually the same work.
- Use a dictionary
- Utilize the language skills of a native speaker
- The work in hand is a translation of the work, but not into English. The
translation of a work from one language into the language (for example: German
but the original language is Danish) that it was originally written is
difficult to resolve. There are translation web sites on the Internet.
- For works written in a script that is not the same script as English
the Library of Congress has, online, romanization tables.
- Search for works by another composer who worked in the same language.
If he/she has written a work by the same title then the translation can be used for other composers.
- Check Amazon.com. Some of their music CDs have the music tracks listed. The paraphrase for the original language is sometimes included. The paraphrases
are astoundingly good.
- Mis-attributions are the cases when experts attributed
a work to one composer only to decide later that it really was composed by
another. This has happened several times, for example, with Johann Sebastian
Bach and his sons. If the cataloger has some indication from sources that the
mis-attribution is documented then the correct form of entry includes the
correct composer's name. The incorrect composer's name is an X-ref on the authority record.
Example:
100 1 Bach, Johann Sebastian, $d 1685-1750. $t [title of work]
400 1 Bach, Wilhelm Friedmann, $d 1710-1784. $t [title of work]
- Two pieces of music with the same title. Assume that the musical notes are different.
Don't assume that the words are different . This problem can be difficult, if not impossible,
to prove without EITHER the musical notes or the words to the piece of music.
- Utilize the thematic index for this problem. Thematic indices often include
the first few notes and sometimes the first few words to a piece of music.
Compare the musical notes on the music in hand with the musical notes in the thematic index.
Compare the words on the music in hand with the words (if any are included) in the thematic index.
- Remember that while the musical notes must appear in the thematic index exactly
as it is in the work in hand for it to be the same piece of music transcription
of notes in the thematic index or on the sheet music may have taken place.
Transcription is when the notes for a work are moved up or down one line on the staff.
This arranges the work into another key than the one in which the work was originally written.
- Search the title of the work in Voyager. This is a good way to discover if the library
already has the work. Go upstairs and pull the work from the third floor shelves.
Compare the two scores' words and musical notes.
- Often there are two names written at the top of the music's caption particularly with sheet music.
One of the names represents the lyricist. The other name is the composer (he/she) wrote the musical notes)).
Establish an authority record for the composer. The composer is the main entry on the bibliographic record.
Additionally do a name/title authority for the lyricist/poet if possible. If not make an added entry for the
lyricist/poet.
Example: Evita
100 1 Lloyd Webber, Andrew, $d 1948-
700 1 Rice, Tim, $d 1944-
- Tim Rice wrote the words. Andrew Lloyd Webber wrote the actual musical notes.
- The piece of music is taken from a poem. Give the following credit to the poet.
The composer is the main entry.
100 1 Garwood, Margaret
240 12 A wind has blown the rain away
600 10 $a Cummings, E. E. $v Musical settings.
700 1 $a Cummings, E. E.
Here Margaret Garwood has composed musical notes that have made
E. E. Cummings poem "Wind has blown the rain away" a musical work.
So Margaret Garwood is the main entry. E. E. Cummings appears as a subject heading and as an added entry.
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