LibGuides: Conducting: Scores & Parts

Jump to: Find a specific piece of music | Find any piece of music with specific instruments

Find a specific piece of music

Find Scores and Recordings

In the Allen Library

Open the library catalog.
Search the title and composer's name.
Limit to the format you desire.
Find a result for the piece you need.
Use the location and call number to find the item.

Image: Catalog search with the format limited to Printed Music, and search result showing location and call number.

Online

Can't visit the library? Use our guides to Music Scores Online or Streaming Audio & Video to find online score & recording sites, then search for the piece you need.

Get help

Searching for music can be tricky! If you can't find what you need, ask a librarian for help.

Find any piece for a specific ensemble

Browse the Shelves

Music in the library is arranged by call numbers, which are assigned to each item based on instrumentation/genre. Browsing the shelves is a great way to discover music if you don't have a specific piece in mind!

Use these call numbers to browse ensemble music in the library:

Call Number	Genre
M6 – M990 M6 – M175 M180 – M299 M300s M400s, M500s... M900s	Solo and chamber ensembles Solos Duets Trios Quartets, quintets...through nonets
M1000 – M1075 M1001 M1005 – M1042	Orchestra Symphonies Concertos
M1100 – M1160 M1101 M1105 – M1142	String orchestra Symphonies Concertos
M1200 – M1270	Band
M1470 – M1473	Chance & electronic music
M1497 – M1998 M1500 – M1508 M1530 – M1610	Secular vocal Operas & musicals Choral
M1999 – M2199 M2000 – M2007 M2010 – M2017 M2020 – M2101	Sacred vocal Oratorios Church services (e.g. Masses) Choral

Use a Repertoire Guide

Repertoire Guide: A list of music for a specific instrument or group. Often describes style, difficulty, or musical features.
Here are a few selected guides in the Allen Library:

The Band Music Handbook by Christopher M. Cicconi
Call Number: ML128 B2 C53 2017 [Allen shelves]
A catalog of band music from the past 25 years for all ages and skill levels. Each listing includes date of origin, duration, instrumentation, and publisher. Includes a list of publishers, bibliography, and march list.
Choral Repertoire by Dennis Shrock
Call Number: ML128 C48 S47 [Allen shelves]
Publication Date: 2009
Covers the full canon of Western choral tradition. Contains a general description of each historical era, styles of various countries, composer biographies, and performance annotations of more than 5,000 works.
Choral-Orchestral Repertoire by Jonathan D. Green and David W. Oertel
Publication Date: 2019
E-book.
a comprehensive list of choral orchestral works. Compiles Green's earlier 6 volumes on this topic, with updates and additions.
A Conductor's Repertory of Chamber Music by William Scott
Call Number: ML128 C4 S36 1993 [Allen reference]
Lists over 1000 works for chamber ensembles with 9-15 solo instruments. Includes instrumentation, publisher, composer's birth date, and number of musicians.
Daniels' Orchestral Music, 6th ed. by David Daniels, David W. Oertel, David A. Rahbee
Publication Date: 2022
E-book.
The gold standard for orchestral programming. Over 14,000 entries with duration, instrumentation, and composition date. Includes appendices for browsing by ensemble type, instrumentation, duration, composer anniversaries, and more.

Find more repertoire guides

Browse the shelves or Reference section by call number:

Call Number	Topic
ML128 B2	Band music guides
ML128 C48	Choral music guides
ML128 N8	Orchestra music guides

Browse the catalog by subject:
Band music > Bibliography
Choral music > Bibliography
Choruses > Bibliography
Orchestral music > Bibliography

Browse the Catalog for Music

If you're not looking for a particular piece, browse the catalog using subjects, for example:

Band music
Choruses
Operas
Orchestral music
String orchestra music
Symphonies

You can find even more subjects in individual catalog records. Find a piece of your desired ensemble/genre, then click on a subject to find more materials with that subject:

How do I choose the right format?

Here are some of the most common formats for printed music:

Score
Shows all instruments

Miniscore/study score
Small version of the full score

Vocal score
Piano and vocal line(s) only

Parts
Individual pieces for each instrument

You can determine the format by looking at the catalog record, in the Subjects or Description section: