Musical Works and Expressions

Preferred Titles of Works

Consult Community Resources. Community Refinements. Work refinements: preferred title of musical work: Anglo-American legacy instructions.

1. If the work is from after 1500, choose the basis for the title by applying the instructions in the conditions and options immediately under Recording an unstructured description. Otherwise choose the basis for the title by following the instructions under Musical work that is created before 1501.
2. Apply the instructions for individual works, parts of works, or compilations.

   For an individual work, or for parts of an individual work, first apply the omissions under Individual musical work. For a part or parts of a single larger work, apply the omissions to the parent work, ignoring the parts for now.

   • If the resulting title is distinctive, apply any appropriate omissions as instructed at Work: preferred title of work. Omissions and changes to a title.
   • If the resulting title is a generic or type title (that is, it consists only of the name of a type of composition), select the final form of the title based on the additional instructions under Individual musical work. Title consisting solely of the name of one type of composition.
     Note: For guidance in determining if a title is distinctive or a type of composition, consult Types of Composition for Use in Authorized Access Points for Music: A Manual for Use with RDA.
   • If the work is a part or parts of a single larger work, additionally apply the instructions under Part of a musical work to the part(s).

   For a compilation:

   • If the works are all by a single composer, apply the instructions at Compilation of complete musical works by one composer or its subsections as appropriate.
   • If the compilation is not by a single composer or if none of the above conditions apply, in most cases apply the general instructions at Work: preferred title of work. See Authorized Access Points for Aggregating Works and Expressions for detailed guidance.
   Note: Instructions involving the use of conventional collective titles for musical aggregates may be reevaluated in the future.

Constructing an Authorized Access Point for a Musical Work

1. Determine the preferred title by applying the instructions at CR: preferred title of musical work: Anglo-American legacy instructions.
2. Determine the elements additional to the preferred title, if any, needed for the access point.
   1. If the musical work is an officially prescribed part of a liturgy, refer to CR: authorized access point for religious work: Anglo-American legacy instructions.
   2. Otherwise consult CR: authorized access point for musical work: Anglo-American legacy instructions.
      1. Determine the agent (if any) to use as a qualifier for the access point.
         • If the work falls under any of the specific categories listed under Base authorized access point for musical works. Specific options for specific kinds of musical works, apply those instructions.
         • If none of the above categories are appropriate, apply the general instructions at Work: authorized access point for work: Anglo-American legacy instructions. Additional elements and designations in authorized access points for work. Additional elements for creator of work (and subsections).
      2. Determine any additions to the access point as instructed at CR: authorized access point for musical work: Anglo-American legacy instructions. Additional elements and designations in authorized access points for musical works.
3. Combine the AAP for the agent (if any), the preferred title, and any additional elements following the string encoding scheme specified in the LC-PCC policy statements for CR: authorized access point for musical work: Anglo-American legacy instructions.

Constructing an Authorized Access Point for an Expression of a Musical Work

For Western art music or other musical traditions where most users, for most purposes, are first and foremost concerned with access to works and creators of works:

1. Determine the authorized access point for the work as described at musical_we.html#aap_work_expression__section_ryb_xb4_trb. Use the work AAP as the basis for the expression AAP.
2. Determine any necessary additions to the AAP.
   • If the expression may broadly be considered a representative expression—that is, if it possesses characteristics that, taken as a whole, may be considered to represent an original or canonical expression of a work—use the AAP for the work with no additions or alterations. See Treatment of Representative Expressions for guidance on deciding if an expression qualifies.
   • If the expression does not broadly constitute a representative expression, add to the base AAP one or more of the following, as appropriate, in the order prescribed in LC-PCC PS:
     • The term arranged
     • The term Sketches
     • The term Vocal score or Vocal scores
     • The term Chorus score or Chorus scores
     • A value of Expression: language of expression for the translation expressed
     • Another appropriate element or designation as specified at Expression: access point for expression if none of the above adequately describe the resource
3. Optionally: If there is a desire to identify a unique expression specifically via an access point, add a value of Expression: designation of version using one or more of the following:
   • A name of an arranger following the term arranged, Vocal score, Chorus score, etc.
   • A name of a translator following the language of expression
   • Another appropriate element or designation if the above are not applicable, not readily ascertainable, or not sufficient to distinguish the expression from another expression
   Note: In deciding whether to make these optional additions, consider whether the utility of the "undifferentiated" access point as a collocation tool outweighs the benefit of added precision in identifying specific expressions or vice versa.

For popular music or other musical traditions where most users, for most purposes, are first and foremost concerned with access to expressions and creators of expressions:

Guidance is pending, awaiting further discussion and availability of LC music section policy decisions.