Authorized Access Points for Aggregating Works and Expressions

Complete works created by a single agent

Follow LC-PCC PS for Community Resources: preferred title of musical work: Anglo-American legacy instructions. For detailed guidance, see Access Points for Musical Works and Expressions.

Complete works in one form or for one broad or specific medium created by a single agent

Follow LC-PCC PS for Community Resources: preferred title of musical work: Anglo-American legacy instructions. For detailed guidance, see Access Points for Musical Works and Expressions.

Selected works created by a single agent

If an aggregate manifests works by the same creator but they are neither complete in total, nor complete within a single form or medium of performance, apply the general instructions at Work: access point for work and Work: authorized access point for work.

Include Agent: authorized access point for agent as part of the authorized access point for the aggregating work. For the preferred title, generally follow the general instructions at Work: preferred title of work. Recording an unstructured description unless all of the LC-PCC PS conditions under "Additional instructions for aggregating works" are met.

Note: This is LC-PCC practice as of time of writing; note this is a change from past practice, where typically the preferred title would be recorded as a conventional collective title followed by a period, space, and the term Selections even if the aggregating work is commonly identified by title in manifestations or reference sources. Practice in the Music Division at LC is to retain a CCT/Selections preferred title if there is no collective title or if the preferred title would be generic—that is, it would consist only of a type of composition, number, medium of performance, etc. (e.g., Six guitar preludes; Works for piano 4-hands).

Works created by multiple agents

Apply the general instructions at Work: authorized access point for work. Compilation of works by two or more agents. Do not qualify the access point for the work with the authorized access point for a creator agent. However, if a single agent is responsible for the creation of all of the expressions manifested, also see Expressions created by a single agent.

Expressions created by a single agent, where the creators of the works expressed are unknown or of reduced bibliographic interest

In some cases where an aggregate features a creator agent of expression common to all the expressions aggregated, the authorized access point for that common creator agent of expression (instead of a common creator agent of work) may be used to qualify the authorized access point for an aggregating work. This option may be applied under the following conditions:

  1. Both of the following apply:
    • The works aggregated do not share a readily identifiable common creator agent of work and do not belong to a creator-centric art music tradition

      AND

    • The aggregate specifically highlights one particular performer, conductor, performing group, music producer, etc., including but not necessarily limited to
      • A manifestation with a generic preferred title such as "Greatest hits" that makes little or no sense without the context of the performer's name
      • A self-titled album
      • An album in which the name of the featured performer, ensemble, etc., is emphasized and the creators of the works aggregated are significantly downplayed or wholly omitted
      • A manifestation that purports to transcribe in notated music format a specific performance or set of performances of one agent1

    OR

  2. The creator agent of expression common to all expressions aggregated also functions, or can reasonably be assumed to function, as the creator of the aggregating work through the selection, arrangement, etc. of works aggregated

    OR

  3. The expressions manifested by the aggregate share a common creator agent of expression and belong to a musical genre or tradition in which boundaries between composition and performance are blurred or absent (e.g.: free jazz; raga)

Note that these conditions may significantly overlap.

Do not use the name of a creator agent of expression to qualify the authorized access point for an aggregating work if the aggregate represents
  • a manifestation that highlights multiple performers, ensembles, etc. with approximately equal prominence
  • a notated music manifestation that merely aggregates works associated with a particular performer, without significant evidence that it represents an attempt to transcribe or replicate specific performances
  • a "recital album" of music by prominently credited creators, even if all expressions aggregated prominently feature a single performer or group

In all other cases, or in case of doubt, apply the instructions at Works created by multiple agents.

Example access points for collection aggregates of works by multiple creators

100 0# $a Dido, $d 1971- $t Greatest hits
And
100 0# $a Dido, $d 1971- $t Greatest hits (Deluxe edition)
An album (collection aggregate) of popular music expressions by the same agent released in a standard and an extended version (containing nearly twice as much content). Examples shown in authority format.
100 1# $a Shankar, Anoushka. $t Land of gold
An album (collection aggregate) described as "Anoushka Shankar's response to the humanitarian trauma of displaced people fleeing conflict and poverty," implying creative responsibility for the selection of works aggregated as well as the creation of the expressions manifested; also credited with partial responsibility for each work aggregated. Example shown in authority format.
110 2# $a Dread Zeppelin (Musical group). $t Fun sessions
A compilation album (collection aggregate) recorded by Led Zeppelin cover band Dread Zeppelin, logically necessitating creative responsibility for the selection of works aggregated. Example shown in authority format.
100 1# $a Kelly, Wynton. $t Wynton Kelly collection
A compilation score (collection aggregate) of jazz piano solos transcribed from recorded performances of Wynton Kelly originally issued 1958-1967. Example shown in authority format.
130 0# $a Elvis Presley (Amsco Publications (Firm))
A piano vocal score (collection aggregate) described on the cover as "Twenty-two great songs recorded by The King. Arranged for piano/vocal with complete lyrics and chord symbols." A personal name only heading for a related agent may be appropriate. The publisher is included as a qualifier as multiple resources with the same preferred title exist. Example valid in authority or bibliographic format.
130 0# $a Songs of joy & peace (Audio recording)
An album (collection aggregate), also released as a concert videorecording, credited to "Yo-Yo Ma & friends," but without any particular emphasis on a single performer or group. Example valid in authority or bibliographic format.
130 0# $a Watercolors (Album : Von Otter)
An album (collection aggregate) of songs by named Swedish composers, all sung by Anne Sofie von Otter; preferred title is found associated with many types of aggregates and albums by that title also recorded by numerous other performers. Example valid in authority or bibliographic format.
1 Note that the phrase "as performed by" is commonly found in sheet music and popular music anthologies, but is not necessarily indicative of an attempt to faithfully transcribe specific performances of the named performer. Generally interpret such statements as an advertising tactic rather than an editorial mission statement unless there is evidence to the contrary presented in the resource or secondary sources.