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Music Research - finding the score

How to locate music scores for research and performance at Trexler Library.

Ensemble music

Instrumental ensemble music includes two distinct types:

  • music for ensembles where there is more than one instrument per part, for example a Symphony orchestra, where there is a violin 'section' with many violins playing the same part. We typically refer to this type as 'Orchestral music' and locate it in SCO 784
  • music for ensembles with only one instrument per part, for example a String quartet, where each instrument (in this case 2 violins, viola, and cello) are playing a different part. This is referred to as 'Chamber music' and located in SCO 785

Sometimes the terminology can be confusing, because we often speak of a string quartet being "chamber" music, but there is also such a thing as a "chamber orchestra" (which is smaller than a symphony orchestra, but will still have more than one instrument per part!)

Instrumental Ensemble music

Orchestral music: SCO  784-784.99

works with more than 1 instrument per part

SCO 784.2 Full orchestra music (i.e. Symphony orchestra)
SCO 784.3 Chamber orchestra music
SCO 784.7 String orchestra music
SCO 784.8 Wind ensemble music
SCO 784.9 Brass band music

Chamber ensemble music: SCO  785-785.99

works with only 1 instrument per part

 

  Chamber music for instruments of the 18th century and earlier
SCO 785.1

'Consort' music, chamber music for medieval, renaissance, or baroque instruments

  Chamber music for modern ensembles:
SCO 785.2

Ensembles for mixed or unspecified combinations

SCO 785.7

String ensembles (chamber)

SCO 785.8

Woodwind ensembles (chamber)

SCO 785.9

Brass ensembles (chamber)