The UK album (on the Philips label) of Elmer Bernstein's GOLD (1974) had only the words "The Original Soundtrack Music and Artists" on the front cover, no mention of the composer. If you looked closely you could find his name in the liner notes...
This discussion reminds me of a puzzling little fact about Kritzerland CDs - there are no composer credits on the spine. Very surprising for a specialty label, in my opinion.
I doubt that it is contractually required that composers name appears on the cover, perhaps it is nowadays, I doubt that it was then. Also, big names like John Williams or Jerry Goldsmith could carry titles just because of the name. In 1982 Horner was not well known, so it was not important to either Paramount or GNP probably. There is something to do be said for a pure art cover without text of course. By the time of Star Trek 3, apparently he ranked, and his name was on the cover.
The CD for Donaggio's DER MANN NEBENAN gives a big credit to conductor Natale Massara but not to the composer. Perhaps Massara has a big cult following in Germany (maybe he's the David Hasselhoff of conductors).
