Report on the meeting of the Joint Steering Committee, 3/19/09

Chapter 6: Identifying works and expressions

Thursday morning began with a discussion of proposals dealing with the additional instructions for musical works and expressions (5JSC/LC/12 and related documents).  In spite of limited time and a large number of complex, contentious issues, the JSC managed to agree on a significant number of changes to the text in the RDA full draft. 

Barbara Tillett and Judy Kuhagen had worked very hard to compile a list of the areas of agreement. Kathy Glennan and Mark Scharff joined me in presenting the ALA position.

The report below is often lacking in detail; don't expect to find detailed wording of the instructions involved; a more detailed report on these revisions will be given later, when I have had a chance to check my notes with Kathy and Mark.

• An exception that allows the preferred titles of a numbered sequence of works in a particular form (e.g., the 9 Beethoven symphonies) to be consistently formulated was moved from the instructions on recording the preferred title (6.15.2.4) to the instructions on choosing the preferred title (6.15.2.3) and reworded.
  

• The instruction to delete initial articles from the preferred title were deleted in 6.15.2.4 because an earlier instruction had already specified that omission.
  

• The special instruction for trio sonatas was deleted, as this is covered by other instructions.
  

• The instructions on recording the preferred title of a part of a musical work were revised.
  

• The scope of Medium of performance was revised: "instrument, instruments, voice, voices, etc."
  

• The instructions and table under Standard combination of instruments (6.16.1.5) was reworded to make the instructions clearer.
  

• The instructions for one or more solo instrument (6.16.1.9) was reworded to combine the two paragraphs in the full draft.
  

• The instructions for recording terms such as "mixed solo voices" were revised to be applicable "if no specific voice types or ranges can be ascertained".
  

• Minor revisions were made to the instructions on Choruses (6.16.1.11).
  

• The instructions on Indeterminate medium of performance (6.16.1.13) were revised.
  

• The caption at 6.17.1.1 was changed to Numeric designation of a musical work; a new second paragraph was added to 6.17.1.3.1, dealing with inconsistent numbering of a series of compositions; 6.17.1.3.3 was revised to allow all types of numeric designations to be recorded in this element, not just the one (or more) that will be included in the preferred access point.
  

• The definition and instructions on recording the key (6.18) was revised to clarify that "Key is designated by its pitch name and its mode, when it is major or minor".

• In 6.28.1.3, the phrase "single song" was changed to "single excerpt".
  

• 6.28.1.4 was deleted because it deals with non-musical works and is covered by the general instructions.
  

• The scope of 6.28.1.4 was reworded: "For a musical work composed for choreographic movement, such as a ballet, pantomime, etc."
  

• The caption at 6.28.1.4 was changed to "Operas and other dramatic works with new text and title".
  

• Additional instructions were added to the section on cadenzas (6.28.1.8) to deal with cadenzas that do not have titles.
  

• A catch-all instruction will be added to allow for the creating of variant titles when the cataloger feels they are appropriate.
  

• A new section will be added to specify a variant access point for a libretto based on the preferred access point for the musical work.
  

• The caption and scope of the instructions for Music or incidental music composed for a dramatic work will be expanded to cover "dramatic work, film, etc."
  

• The instructions to base the preferred access point for a libretto on the preferred access point for the musical work were deleted; access points for librettos will be formulated according to the general instructions, but a variant access point (new section reported above) will be provided based on the preferred access point for the musical work.
  

• A new section will be added to specify a variant access point for a cadenza based on the preferred access point for the musical work for which the cadenza was composed.
  

• The caption and scope of 6.28.1.12 was changed to "Additions to access points for musical works with distinctive titles".
  

• The instruction for musical sketches (6.28.3.4) was revised.
  

• The instructions on librettos as musical expressions (6.28.3.6) were deleted; librettos are being treated as related works.
  

• "Variant" was added to "access point" in a few instructions in which it was missing.
  

There were a number of comments on other parts of RDA that were related to this discussion:

• It was agreed to remove the limitation on the number of instruments, voices, etc., that may be recorded as Medium of performance.  [7.21.1.3; line 714]
  

• In the Glossary, a definition of "Distinctive title" was added; "Non-distinctive title" will not be added; the term "Type of musical composition" (with "musical" deleted) will be retained and revised.  [lines 1154, 1163, and 1167]
  

There was agreement that any issues in the LC/12 documents not discussed will be deferred until after the first release of RDA.

After the discussion on musical works and expressions, the JSC resumed its consideration of priority issues in the constituency responses to the full draft.

Chapter 25: Related works

• It was decided that publishers' numbers and plate numbers should not be used as identifiers for use in indicating relationships; examples will be removed from Chapter 25 and 27.  Examples of ISBNs as relationship identifiers are only appropriate in Chapter 27, Related manifestations; examples will be removed from Chapter 25.  The examples of identifiers in Chapters 24-28 will only show the identifier.  [line 954]

Appendix A: Capitalization

• It was agreed to add a paragraph allowing agencies to use internal guidelines on capitalization of transcribed data; this will be limited to the recording of attributes of manifestations and items.  [line 989]
  

• Key will be deleted from the exception at A.3.2; the first "word" of a key statement will be capitalized.  [line 990]
  

• The capitalization instructions for "Serbo-Croatian" (A.48) will be split into three sections for Bosnian, Croatian, and Serbian.  [line 996]

Appendix E: Record syntaxes for access point control data

• E.2, which gives the current AACR2 presentation instructions for access points, will remain limited to AACR2 rules.  If any additional access point control elements are added to RDA, the JSC will need to decide whether to maintain this section or to allow it to become obsolete.  [line 1028]

The final day will deal with Appendices I, J, & K; with the Glossary; and with a few priority comments for which we did not have time earlier in the week.  We expect to end the meeting early, with all of the priority comments having been discussed.