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Music Cataloging Procedures
Vocal/Choral Printed Music -- Special Considerations

Special considerations for cataloging printed music with text (as opposed to purely instrumental music) are outlined below.

041 Language code

$a Sung/spoken text
$e Libretto
$g Accompanying material other than libretto (i.e. prefaces, etc.)

Code the fixed field Lang the same as the first $a. If the only field in 041 would be one $a, do not use field 041; just code Lang.

048 Number of instruments/voices code

ca (or cb, cc, etc.) + number for number of parts (not necessarily same as number of singers), i.e. an SATB piece would be coded ca04

va (or vb, vc, etc.) + number for number of voices (i.e. the number of singers). Use the vocal ranges from the Harvard Dictionary of Music if the score does not specify the range.

Your choice of choral or vocal should match the subject headings.

546 Language of the text of the work (unless it is apparent from the title or other notes).

Some examples:

546 French words.
546 Spanish words, also printed as text: p. 3-5.
546 German words; also printed as text with English translations preceding each song.

Author of text:

May be found in various fields. The most common locations are the 245, the 546, or as its own 500 note. As long as the info is included somewhere in the bib record and is clear and accurate, it is OK.

Text authors: (if the composer writes the text, don't add these fields)

Poets:

600 10 Name $v Musical settings.
700 1_ Name.

Note no $4 in the 700. In the LC Name Authority File, $v Musical settings will not be included in the heading. This is OK.

Librettists:

700 1_ Name. $4 lbt

Lyricists:

700 1_ Name. $4 lyr

650 Subject headings. Check against the authority file to make sure they are correct. Some examples:

650 _0 Choruses, Sacred (Mixed voices, 2 parts)
650 _0 Choruses, Secular (Unison) with piano.
650 _0 Songs (High voice) with instrumental ensemble.
650 _0 Songs with continuo. This heading is for secular songs
650 _0 Sacred songs, Unaccompanied.
650 _0 Madrigals.
650 _0 Hymns, German.

Note that subdivisions like $v Scores or $v Scores and parts are not used.
In general, as long as the heading makes sense and is in the authority file, consider it to be correct.

NLN 2/28/2006, reviewed with no changes 11/23/2009

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