Principal Performer:

In applying the rules and these interpretations, understand "performer" in 21.23C1 to mean a person or corporate body whose performance is heard on the sound recording.  When a person performs as a member of a corporate body, do not consider him or her as a separate person to be a performer.  Do not consider a conductor or accompanist to be a member of the body he or she conducts or accompanies.  If the person’s name appears in conjunction with the name of a group, apply LCRI 24.1A to determine whether the corporate name includes this personal name.  If the conclusion is that the corporate name does not include the person’s name, do not consider the person a member of the group; if the conclusion is that it does include the person’s name, consider the person to be a member of the group.

For recordings containing musical works by different composers or writers, follow the guidelines below in 1. deciding whether or not there are principal performers and 2. identifying the principal performers, if any.

The use of the term "principal performer" in 21.23C1 and 21.23D1 can lead to confusion since the term implies a performer who is more important (or, in the words of footnote 5 on p. 344, given greater prominence) than other performers.  This interpretation, however, would often produce undesirable results:  it would make main entry under the heading for a performer impossible under 23.23C1 when there is only one performer or when there are only two or three performers who are given equal prominence.  To avoid this difficulty, apply the following:

1.   When two or more performers are named in the chief source of information, consider to be principal performers those given the greatest prominence there.  If all the performers named in the chief source of information are given equal prominence there, consider all of them to be principal performers.

2.   When only one performer is named in the chief source of information, consider that performer to be a principal performer.

3.   When no performers are named in the chief source of information, consider that there are no principal performers.

In judging relative prominence on the basis of wording, layout, and typography, consider names printed in the same size and style of lettering and in association with one another to have equal prominence.  When names appear in the same size and style of lettering but in different areas of the same source of information, consider those in a location implying superiority (e.g., a higher position) to have greater prominence.  Do not consider names near the beginning of a list or sequence to have greater prominence than those near the end.

chief source:

JESS WALTERS SINGS

CLASSIC FOLK SONGS

Jess Walters, baritone

Hector García, guitar

Main entry under the heading for Walters as principal performer

 

chief source:

Joan Sutherland

SONGS MY MOTHER TAUGHT ME

Songs by Dvořák, Mendelssohn, Massenet, Gounod

Delibes, Grieg, Liszt, and others

Richard Bonynge

The New Philharmonic Orchestra

Main entry under the heading for Sutherland as principal performer

 

chief source:

SONATAS OF J.S. BACH & SONS

JEAN-PIERRE RAMPAL, Flute

ISAAC STERN, Violin

JOHN STEELE RITTER,

Harpsichord and Fortepiano

LESLIE PARNAS, Cello

Main entry under title; Rampal, Stern, Ritter, and Parnas are principal performers

 

chief source:

MUSIC OF CHABRIER AND MASSENET

Detroit Symphony Orchestra

Paul Paray

Main entry under the heading for the orchestra

Added entry under the heading for Paray

(The orchestra and Paray are principal performers)

 

chief source:

LAS VOCES DE LOS CAMPESINOS

Francisco García and Pablo and Juanita Saludado

sing corridos about the farm workers and their union

Main entry under the heading for García

Added entries under the headings for P. Saludado and J. Saludado

(García and the Saludados are principal performers)

 

chief source:

SARAH BERNHARDT & THE COQUELIN BROTHERS

(Dramatic readings performed by Sarah Bernhardt, Constant Coquelin, and Ernest Coquelin)

Main entry under the heading for Bernhardt

Added entries under the headings for C. Coquelin and E. Coquelin

(Bernhardt, C. Coquelin, and E Coquelin are principal performers)

 

chief source:

SONGS OF THE WOBBLIES

with

Joe Glazer

(Sung by Glazer, with instrumental ensemble)

Main entry under the heading for Glazer as principal performer

 

chief source:

Serge Cassel

POESIES ET PROSES FRANÇAISES

(Various poems and prose selections read by Serge Cassel)

Main entry under the heading for Cassel as principal performer

 

chief source:

SOUTHERN CLAWHAMMER BANJO

(No performers named)

Main entry under title

(No principal performers)

Music Videos & Popular Music Folios:

Apply rules 21.23C1 and 21.23D1 to the following:

1.   Videorecordings that contain collections of music performed by a principal performer.

2.   Popular music folios derived from sound recordings that contain collections of music performed by a principal performer and have essentially the same title and content.

See also:

21.23.  Sound Recordings  (Formerly 21.23A) Table of Contents