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Library Subject Guides

Music: Music Scores

Collected Works

These are the multivolume collected works of the major composers held by the Library

The Table of Contents on the Library catalogue record summarises the works in each volume; Grove Music Online under 'Works' of the particular composer gives the exact volume and page number location of every piece

SOUNZ Centre for New Zealand Music

Borrowing Music Scores

Music scores located on Level 6 of the Central Library may be borrowed for standard loan periods, just like books. Make sure to return all the parts.

Search for Music Scores

No single search will find all scores, so try a variety of search options. For example you might try a search such as
beethoven AND ("moonlight sonata" OR 27)

MultiSearch
Already selected in this search box are All filters > Source Types = “Music Scores”

 

Library catalogue – After entering any type of Keyword search, it is often useful to Refine Results to ‘Musical Score’. The catalogue has alphabetical browse options unavailable in MultiSearch.

Search by composer

Select the Author search and enter the composer’s full name. Click the Find button and when results appear, Refine Results to ‘Musical Score’.
e.g. Bach, Johann Sebastian and optionally choose a type of composition under Suggested Topics, for example ‘Concerti grossi’

For prolific composers, using Advanced search can work well, for example:
Bach, Johann Sebastian AND ​​​​​(concerto* OR concerti)
concerto* uses truncation (* symbol) to match concerto, concertos and so on.

Search by instrument and type of composition

Select the Subject search and enter the plural form of the composition type plus one or more instruments, for example
       quintets oboe and Refine Results to ‘Musical Score’.
       sonatas violin piano and Refine Results to ‘Musical Score’.

Music for a single instrument can be found using Subject and entering the search statement "[instrument] music" – the double quotation marks make it a phrase search, for example
       "flute music" and Refine Results to ‘Musical Score’.
Not all results will be for solo instrument, and some may be for more than one type of instrument.

Composer and title together

To find well-known pieces, use a simple Keyword search and enter the composer’s name and the title, for example
      beethoven moonlight sonata and Refine Results to ‘Musical Score’.
This initial search may provide a thematic catalogue number or opus number (in this example, op. 27); this number can be used to give a more comprehensive search using the OR operator along with parentheses ( ) to nest the equivalent terms together, for example
     beethoven ("moonlight sonata" OR 27) and Refine Results to ‘Musical Score’.

Search non-English keywords

If you cannot find the score you want using English, try the language of the composer, for example
     schumann klavier konzert instead of schumann piano concerto; and Refine Results to ‘Musical Score’.

Music scores in facsimile editions

To find these select the Subject search and enter manuscripts facsimiles and Refine Results to ‘Musical Score’.

More tips how to find music scores

Browse the Shelves for Music Scores

Miniature Scores

  • Shelved on Level 6 of the Central Library , at the beginning of the Music Collection (before the sequence of Music Scores at M begins)
  • Arranged A–Z by composer
    • Within each composer group, they are in no particular order—scan the section for the score you want

Music Scores

The music scores are shelved on Level 6 of the Central Library  according to this outline

   
M 1-2 Collections
M 3 Collected Works
M 5–1490 Instrumental Music
M 6–180   Solo Instrument
M 6–19     Organ
M 20–39     Piano  > Piano sonatas (M 23)
M 40–59     String Instruments: Violin (M 40–44) | Viola (M 45–49) | Cello (M 50–54)
M 60–79     Woodwind Instruments: Flute (M 60–64) | Clarinet (M 70–74)
M 80–109     Brass Instruments: Trumpet (M 85–89) | Trombone (M 90–94) | Saxophone (M 105–109)
M 115–142     Plectoral Instruments: Guitar (M 125–129)
M 177–990 Music for 2 or more solo instruments
M 180–298   Duets
M 300–386   Trios
M 400–486   Quartets > String quartets (M 452)
M 500–596   Quintets
M 600–686   Sextets
M 700–786   Septets
M 800–886   Octets
M 1000–1075 Music for orchestra > Symphonies (M 1001) | Piano concertos (M 1010–1011) | Violin concertos (M 1012–1013)
M 1100–1160 Music for string orchestra
M 1495–2199 Vocal Music
M 1497–1998    Secular vocal music
M 1500–1508 Operas
M 1530–1609 Choruses
M 1611–1626 Songs (including lieder)
M 1627–1853 National Music
M 1740   England
M 1742   Wales
M 1744   Ireland
M 1746   Scotland
M 1842–1843   New Zealand
M 1999–2199 Sacred vocal music
M 2000–2007   Oratorios
M 2010–2017   Services
M 2010–2014   Masses
M 2016–2017   Anglican
M 2020–2101   Choruses, cantatas, partsongs etc.
M 2115–2146   Hymnals
M 2147–2188   Liturgy and ritual
M 2147–2154   Roman Catholic
M 2167–2171   Anglican Communion
M 2186–2188   Jewish

 

Other Collections of Scores

UC Library has several Special Collections of music

Digital Scores

The following sites offer free, printable scores

 

More sites can be found via