Quoting Jonathan Rochkind <[email protected]>:
On 3/9/2011 2:50 PM, Gene Fieg wrote:
RDA takes the parts of description and in this case the
construction of uniform titles and separates them out as though
they were of equal value, but the the work is not identified by a
preferred access point until /all/ the elements are in one string.
I am _definitely_ no music cataloger.
Nor I; like Gene, I've had to deal with a few when they've arrived on
my work trolley.
But depends on what you mean by "the work" and "the whole string".
Mozart, Leopold, 1719-1787. Cassation, orchestra, G major. Selections; arr.
Not being an expert in classical music, I'm not even sure what
"cassation" means, if it's a particular symphony or a descriptive
word. What is "the work" being identified, and is "arr." really part
of it? Or is the work just the particular symphony regardless of
whether it's "arr." or not? How about the "Selections" part, is
that identifying "the work"?
Well, like many AACR2 uniform titles, these are *expression* headings
(as are most Bible uniform titles).
This may not be a great example, because I'm not entirely sure what
I'm talking about. But I think the important point here is that
these uniform titles aren't exactly meant to "identify the work",
they are meant to take the user to a certain point in an
alphabetical listing in a card catalog or bound catalog. Which works
great when you have a card catalog or bound catalog or other
interface that is only alphabetical listings of headings.
The alphabetical sequence (or possibly another systematic sequence,
but I can't think of another principle of organization) is essential
for maintenance of the catalogue, to secure the necessary likeness and
differentiation among entities that are either the same or distinct.
Nothing confuses end-users of data as much as pointless distinction or
incorrect assimilation. I guess (in the light of the current
discussions of recording of series data) that it confuses computers
and programmers too.
Hal Cain
Melbourne, Australia
[email protected]
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