History:Classical Release Artist Style
Style for determining Release Artists on *classical* Releases
Status: This is a ProposedStyleGuideline, which has not been sanctioned yet. 
This StyleGuideline applies to classical music only. For popular music see the ReleaseArtistStyle.
The ClassicalStyleGuide states that the ReleaseArtist of a classical Release should always be the composer. We make an exception with recitals by a single performer:
In cases where a release contains only work(s) performed primarily by a single group or individual, e.g
- it is "about the performer" rather than "about the composer", or
- it can be attributed to a single performer or group, or
- the performer is credited prominently on the release,
that artist may be used as the ReleaseArtist if any one of the following conditions is met:
- The works are composed by different composers, and the album would otherwise be attributed to VariousArtists
- The tracks on the release, while all composed by one composer, are parts of multiple works, several of which are not present in their complete form or are drawn from different groups ("selections" or "highlights")
- This condition is explicitily disputed. See discussion on mb-style whether these should remian under the composer.
- The work(s) have all been arranged, remixed, or otherwise substantially modified by the primary performer
In the first case, the album should be entered with
- the composers as the TrackArtist
s for each of the tracks (unless the third case applies) - the performer as the ReleaseArtist.
In the second case, the album should be entered with
- the composer as the TrackArtist for each of the tracks (unless the third case applies)
- the performer as the ReleaseArtist.
In the third case, the ClassicalStyleGuide does not really apply. The album should be entered as a single artist release with
- the performer as the ReleaseArtist
- the composer(s) should be attributed only by AdvancedRelationships of the ComposerRelationshipType either to the whole album (if there is only one composer), or the individual tracks (if there are several composers).
Details
Do not create new Artists for collaborations that are not otherwise referred to (e.g. by other releases or AdvancedRelationships) such as "Herbert von Karajan & The Berlin Philharmonic."!
Examples
Rather than these various and somewhat difficult to interpret conditions, perhaps we would be better off illustrating the distinction with a batch of examples. With any luck looking at those would let people calibrate their intuitive notion of whether the disc is "about the composer" or "about the performer".
- http://musicbrainz.org/album/0736d1a9-d49d-49c5-bd9b-9ccbe9fc296e.html would not qualify, because it is not "about the performer". This collection of Masses should correctly remain under VariousArtists.
- http://musicbrainz.org/album/0736d1a9-d49d-49c5-bd9b-9ccbe9fc296e.html should be Various Artists
- http://musicbrainz.org/album/ffe54355-eaa6-4bf2-ae26-52ff652a4b03.html should be listed under the performer
- http://musicbrainz.org/album/29bec347-00f6-405c-978e-bd4d65f1b89c.html is a border case which we should decide one way or another before this becomes an official guideline.
- http://musicbrainz.org/album/0212b044-3497-426e-9afd-52bc5e76bbae.html is an example of case (3). The music is untouched but Peter Schickele adds a narration.
