Uniform Titles for Music

In a library catalog, uniform titles function to bring together, under one unique heading, all variant manifestations of a musical work. They help to collocate various forms of music, such as printed music, sound recordings, arrangements, and translations, and aid in distinguishing between different musical works with similar or identical titles. Establishing music uniform titles may be the most complex and difficult aspect of music cataloging, even for the cataloger with a strong background in music.

Uniform Titles for Music explains the concept and practice of uniform titles for musical works by a single composer and works of unknown or collective authorship, and it provides a step-by-step approach to establishing uniform titles. Michelle Koth explains the concept of a “type of composition,” the process by which a title is determined to be generic or distinctive, and what further elements may be needed to uniquely identify a work represented by a uniform title. Several chapters are devoted to defining and explaining these further elements, such as medium of performance, identifying numbers, and key. The chapters closely follow the structure of Anglo American Cataloguing Rules, 2nd ed. (AACR2), Chapter 25, with some re-ordering to allow the reader to progress from generic uniform titles to distinctive titles. Three appendixes provide a list of composers’ thematic index numbers, a comparison of uniform titles for music and Library of Congress subject headings, and a bibliography of resources for authority work. Uniform Titles for Music is aimed at all levels of music cataloger, from the fresh out of library school beginner to the experienced cataloger who wants a refresher.

Author Biography

Michelle Koth is catalog librarian at the Irving S. Gilmore Music Library at Yale University and is a contributor to Retrospective Conversion: History, Approaches, Considerations (Brian Schottlaender, ed., 1992).