For music present in other series, use the term “music” in a folder title or folder note, to identify music notation and support keyword searching.
If music is organized in a single series, title this series Music, or use the word music in a more specific title, such as Annotated Music or Manuscript Music. If medium of performance or type of composition is included in a series, subseries, folder title, or note, use standard terms (see below). If work titles are included, use an established uniform title, or either supply a uniform title or transcribe a distinctive title according to RDA. For dates, keep in mind that the date of creation of a manuscript may differ from the date of composition of the work, especially for copyist’s manuscripts.
For standard terms or uniform titles, consult the following sources, or request assistance from a staff member with knowledge of music:
General
- Orbis Cataloging Manual: Manuscript Music (Beinecke Manuscript Unit)
- Music Cataloging at Yale (Yale Music Library)
Standard medium of performance terms
- Names of Instruments and Voices in English, French, German, Italian, Russian, and Spanish (Yale Music Library)
List of standard types of composition
- Final Report of the MLA Working Group on Types of Compositions (Yale Music Library)
Work titles: search LCNAF by name/title, or see list of works at the end of most composer entries in Oxford Music Online. See RDA, for rules for identifying types of composition and distinctive titles, and for supplying uniform titles.
Item-level description for music
Consider noting some or all of the following:
Work title, if not already present as a subseries or folder title.
Type of composition and medium of performance, if not already clear from the work title.
Incomplete work, such as excerpt, fragment, quotation.
Version of work, such as arrangement, transposition, adaptation.
Format of notation, such as full score, vocal score, music for solo instrument.
Stage of the creative process, such as sketch, short score, draft, fair copy.
Purpose, ownership, and use, such as printer’s annotations, performance annotations, ownership inscription.
Generally, consult a staff member with music knowledge for assistance.
Langston Hughes Papers is an example of music present in a larger series. Series VII, Song Lyrics, is further arranged by work title, qualified by “(music)” when music notation is present. Folder titles include type of composition and stage of creative process.
Frederick R. Koch Collection is an example of detailed description. The collection is organized by composer name, most with a music subseries, and most music described at the item level.