DATE: May 27, 2005
REVISED:
NAME: Changes to accommodate IAML coded data in bibliographic fields 008/18-19, 047 and 048
SOURCE: Music Library Association, International Association of Music Libraries, Archives, and Documentation Centers
SUMMARY: This proposal discusses the changes needed to incorporate IAML form and genre, and medium of performance codes in MARC 21
KEYWORDS: Field 047 (BD), Field 048 (BD), Field 008/18-19 (BD), Form of Musical Composition (BD), Number of Musical Instruments or Voices (BD), IAML codes
STATUS/COMMENTS:
05/27/05 - Made available to the MARC 21 community for discussion.
06/25/05 - Results of the MARC Advisory Committee discussion - Approved in part. Changes to field 048 were approved except that the second indicator is defined instead of the first as indicated in the proposal because the first was previously defined. Field 047 changes will be reexamined in another proposal, particularly in terms of adopting the IAML codes. The use of fill characters in 008 positions when additional information is in variable fields will be further investigated (008/18-19 and 047; 008/35-37 and 041).
10/12/05 - Results of LC/LAC/BL review - Approved
The music cataloging community has been divided for many years over the utility of using coded data to represent musical forms and genres, and medium of performance in the MARC 21 catalog record. Some view the coded data as providing a level of precision and ease of retrieval not possible with subject and genre terms, especially in multilingual environments. Others view the small number of systems that have implemented indexing and retrieval of these codes as an indication that they are "more trouble than they're worth." As a consequence of the lack of consensus, there has been little effort to revise or expand this repertoire of codes since the early 1990s. Recently, however, the development of alternative encoding schemes for form/genre and medium of performance has led to a renewed interest in coded data.
The International Association of Music Libraries, Archives, and Documentation Centers (IAML) is currently maintaining an extensive list of form and genre codes, and codes for medium of performance, which are far more extensive than the relatively limited and Eurocentric code sets currently available in MARC 21. For instance, despite the ever-increasing number of popular musical genres, catalogers are still limited to a single code, "rc" (rock music), to represent a great deal of music that is not rock, including reggae and many types of world music. With the IAML code list, catalogers would have 16 codes from which to choose. The single code for folk music, "fm," is likewise problematic, as it can be applied to anyone from Bob Dylan to folk bagpipers. Also, the forms reflect a strong ethnocentric bias, in that they derive primarily from the Western art music tradition and often cannot be applied with any precision or relevance to other traditions that are increasingly being represented in library collections.
The MARC 21 codes for medium of performance, although somewhat more flexible than their form/genre counterparts, reflect many similar limitations. They were clearly conceived primarily for the description of common-practice classical music.
Use of the IAML-maintained code lists would allow for much greater precision and granularity in coding for both form/genre and medium of performance. This could have considerable implications for search retrieval if systems implement indexing and retrieval on them. Both of these lists are appropriately maintained by IAML.
IAML codes for form/genre and for medium of performance are structured differently than their MARC 21 counterparts. MARC 21 music form/genre codes are two characters versus three characters for IAML codes. MARC 21 medium of performance codes are two characters for instruments followed by two numerics for number of instruments. IAML medium of performance codes are three characters for instruments followed by two numerics for number of instruments. It is not possible to supplement the MARC 21 lists with the IAML lists. This paper suggests changes to the MARC 21 Format for Bibliographic Data that would allow use of the IAML codes as an alternative to the standard MARC 21 codes.
2.1 Form of Musical Composition
2.1.1. Current definitions for music format 008/18-19 and field 047
Music field 008/18-19 (Form of composition):
A two-character alphabetic code indicates the form of composition. The form of composition code is based on the terminology in the work itself and is intended to provide a coded approach to the content of the work. In addition to codes for forms, the list also includes codes for musical genres (e.g., Ragtime music). The codes are based on Library of Congress subject headings. Codes should be assigned when they apply to the item as a whole (e.g., if the item is a symphony and one of the movements is in sonata form, only the code for symphonies is recorded). If more than one code is appropriate, the code mu (Multiple forms) is used in this element, with appropriate specific codes given optionally in field 047 (Form of Composition Code). Non music sound recordings do not have a form of composition and are coded nn (Not applicable). Two fill characters (||) are used when no attempt has been made to code these character positions.
Field 047 - Form of Musical Composition Code (NR)
Field 047 (Form of Musical Composition Code) contains two-character alphabetic codes for the form of musical composition and is used when character position 18 and 19 (Form of composition) of field 008 (Fixed-Length Data Elements) for music contains the code mu for multiple forms. The codes used in this field are listed in field 008/18-19.
Indicators: Both undefined
Subfields:
$a - Form of musical composition code (R)
$8 - Field link and sequence number (R)
2.1.2 Revised definition for music 008/18-19
To allow IAML codes to be recorded in a MARC 21 bibliographic record, the following paragraph should be added to the definition of music field 008/18-19 (Form of composition):
If an alternative code list is used other than that defined in this field, two fill characters (||) is used in these positions, with the appropriate specific codes given in field 047.
The following changes should be made to the definition of field 047 (Form of Musical Composition Code) to allow IAML codes to be recorded in a MARC 21 bibliographic record.
The first indicator position should be defined as "Source of code" to specify from which code list the code in subfield $a (Form of musical composition code) came. It will include the following values:
| #: | MARC 21 form/genre code: | The source of the code is listed in music field 008/18-19 (Form of composition). |
| 7: | Source specified in $2: | The source of the code is listed in subfield $2 (Source of code). |
A non-repeatable subfield $2 (Source of code) should also be defined to contain the source of the code in subfield $a (Form of musical composition code) when the code is not included in the list in music 008/18-19. The code in subfield $2 will be listed in the MARC 21 Code List for Relators, Sources, Description Conventions.
The Field Definition and Scope must be revised to record IAML codes in field 047 (Form of Musical Composition Code). It is currently defined as:
This field contains two-character alphabetic codes for the form of musical composition and is used when character positions 18 and 19 (Form of composition) of field 008 for music contains the code mu for multiple forms. The individual codes are given in field 047 in separate $a subfields. The codes used in this field are listed in field 008/18-19.
To record IAML codes in field 047, the Field Definition and Scope should be redefined as:
This field contains codes for the form of musical composition. The individual codes are given in field 047 in separate $a subfields. The codes used in this field come from lists indicated by the first indicator position, along with the source in subfield $2. If value blank is used in the first indicator position, codes listed in music field 008/18-19 (Form of composition) are used.
Currently, the field is not repeatable. In order to distinguish between different code lists used, the field should be made repeatable.
2.1.4 Examples
008/18-19 ||
047 7# $ablc$ablo$acly$arum$argg$2iam
[For an album containing a historical overview of Caribbean musics: Cuban bolero,
bolero, calypso, rumba, and reggae]
008/18-19 ||
047 7# $ahum$2iam
047 ## $asy$aov
[For an album containing a symphony, an overture, and a humoresque]
2.2 Number of Musical Instruments or Voices Code
Field 048 - Number of musical instruments or voices code (R)
This field contains, in coded form, information that specifies the medium of performance for a musical composition. Codes for the various types of instrumental and vocal combinations are listed in this section. Field 048 also contains the number of parts, indicated by a two-digit number immediately following the code for the musical instruments or voices (e.g., va02, a two-part composition for Voices - Soprano). The number of parts may be omitted if not specified. The function of the instrumentalist or vocalist is represented by the choice of subfield code.
The field is repeated when the instrumentation of separate compositions in publications or manuscripts of music or sound recordings is recorded.
Indicators: Both undefined
Subfields:
$a - Form of musical composition code (R)
$b - Soloist (R)
$8 - Field link and sequence number (R)
2.2.2 Revised definition for field 048
The following changes must be made to the definition of field 048 (Number of musical instruments or voices code) to use IAML codes in it.
The first indicator position should be defined as "Source of code" to specify from which code list the codes in subfield $a (Performer or ensemble) or $b (Soloist) came. It will include the following values:
| #: | MARC 21 code: | The source of the code that is listed in MARC 21. |
| 7: | Source specified in $2: | The source of the code is listed in subfield $2 (Source of code). |
A non-repeatable subfield $2 (Source of code) should also be defined to contain the source of the code in subfield $a (Performer or ensemble) or $b (Soloist) when the first indicator value is "7". The code found in subfield $2 will be listed in the MARC 21 Code List for Relators, Sources, Description Conventions.
The sentence, "Codes for the various types of instrumental and vocal combinations are listed in this section" should be stricken from the Field Definition and Scope to record IAML codes in field 048 (Form of Musical Composition Code). The sentence, "Codes for the various types of instrumental and vocal combinations come from lists indicated by the first indicator position, along with the source in subfield $2." should replace it.
2.2.3 Examples
048 ## $apy03$apb02
048 7# $apcg01$apct01$apxy02$apta01$2iam
[For an ensemble of congas, crotales, two xylophones, and tables]
048 ## $bva01$ake
048 7# $bvso01$atth01$atch01$akor01$2iam
[For soprano and continuo group comprised of theorbo, chittarone and positive
organ].
In music field 008/18-19 in the MARC 21 Format for Bibliographic Data,
Library of Congress