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MARC PROPOSAL NO. 2012-07

DATE: May 21, 2012
REVISED:

NAME: Defining New Code for Vocal Score in Field 008/20 (Format of music) in the MARC 21 Bibliographic Format

SOURCE: Music Library Association

SUMMARY: This paper proposes the creation of the code value k for vocal score in field 008/20 (Format of music) and the redefinition of code values c and d in field 008/20 (Format of music) in the MARC 21 Bibliographic Format.

KEYWORDS: Field 008/20 (BD); Format of music (BD); Vocal score (BD); Accompaniment reduced for keyboard (BD); Voice score (BD)

RELATED: 2009-01/2

STATUS/COMMENTS:
05/21/12 - Made available to the MARC community for discussion.

06/23/12 – Results of MARC Advisory Committee discussion: Approved.  It was noted that the MARC documentation would not specify "discouraged use" but MLA-produced music guidelines would be specifying that use of c, d, and e was discouraged for RDA records. The mapping table included in the proposal is for illustrative purposes only, i.e. it will not be included in the MARC documentation.

07/25/12 - Results of LC/LAC/BL review - Agreed with the MARBI decision.

Proposal No. 2012-07: Defining New Code for Vocal Score in Field 008/20

1. BACKGROUND

In 2009, as recommended in MARC Proposal No. 2009-01/2, three new code values for extent of notated music were defined in MARC 21 008/20 (Format of music) to provide direct equivalents for the RDA terms chorus score, condensed score, piano conductor part and violin conductor part. These values were the following:

h - chorus score

i - condensed score

j - performer-conductor part

When these values were added, a vocal score was defined in RDA as “a score showing all vocal parts, with accompaniment arranged for one or two keyboard instruments.” The definition didn’t provide for the possibility of the accompaniment being omitted. A direct equivalence therefore existed between the RDA extent term vocal score and value c (Accompaniment reduced for keyboard) in field 008/20 and no new code needed to be created. It should be noted that value c is not restricted to vocal works with accompaniment reduced for keyboard but is also used for works with solo instrumental parts when the accompaniment is arranged for keyboard.

With the April 2012 update of RDA, the definition of “Vocal score” was revised to read “A score showing all vocal parts, with the instrumental accompaniment either arranged for keyboard(s) or other chordal instrument(s) or omitted.” Now that vocal scores with accompaniment omitted are included in the RDA definition, either value c or d (Voice score) is applicable to vocal scores since d is for “a score for a vocal work with the accompaniment omitted.” As shown in the following table, the RDA term “vocal score” therefore no longer has a direct equivalent in MARC21 008/20.

2. DISCUSSION

2.1. Define code value k

To provide a direct equivalent in MARC21 008/20 to the term vocal score as it is now defined in RDA, a new value is proposed. k – Vocal score:

A score showing all vocal parts, with the instrumental accompaniment either arranged for keyboard(s) or other chordal instrument(s) or omitted. Note: Scores of works for solo voices and chorus showing only the parts for chorus, at least in those portions of the work in which the chorus sings, with the instrumental accompaniment either arranged for keyboard(s) or other chordal instruments(s) or omitted are assigned value h (Chorus score).

2.2. Redefine code values c and d

In addition to the afore-mentioned creation of codes h, i, and j, MARC Proposal No. 2009-01/2 also stated that “the use of code e is discouraged in RDA cataloging” because it no longer has a direct equivalency in RDA. With the proposed creation of code k, codes c and d will also no longer have a direct equivalency in RDA. Furthermore, there is a precedent to map each RDA extent term to a single code, which no longer applies for codes c and d. Therefore, we feel that their use in RDA should also be discouraged.

We propose that these codes be redefined as follows:

Current Language:

c - Accompaniment reduced for keyboard
Accompaniment is reduced for keyboard instrument(s) and the vocal parts and/or solo instrumental parts remain the same. Scores of works for solo voices and chorus showing only the parts for chorus, at least in those portions of the work in which the chorus sings, with the instrumental accompaniment arranged for one or two keyboard instruments are assigned code h (Chorus score).

Proposed Language:

c - Accompaniment reduced for keyboard
Accompaniment is reduced for keyboard instrument(s) and the vocal parts and/or solo instrumental parts remain the same. For chorus scores and vocal scores cataloged using RDA, prefer codes h (Chorus score) and k (Vocal score).

Current Language:

d - Voice score
A score for a vocal work with the accompaniment omitted. Vocal works originally unaccompanied are assigned other codes as appropriate. Note: Codes c and d are assigned to vocal works on the basis of the absence of or type of accompaniment. Scores of works for solo voices and chorus showing only the parts for chorus, at least in those portions of the work in which the chorus sings, with the instrumental accompaniment omitted are assigned code h (Chorus score).

Proposed Language:

d - Voice score
A score for a vocal work with the accompaniment omitted. Vocal works originally unaccompanied are assigned other codes as appropriate. Note: Codes c and d are assigned to vocal works on the basis of the absence of or type of accompaniment. For chorus scores and vocal scores cataloged using RDA, prefer codes h (Chorus score) and k (Vocal score).

3. PROPOSED CHANGES

In the Music 008/20 field (Format of music) in the MARC 21 Bibliographic Format:

• Add new code value k for Vocal score and define as above.

• Redefine code values c (Accompaniment reduced for keyboard) and d (Voice score) as above.

The MARC 008/20 table (shown earlier) would also appear as follows:

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