Score Call Numbers - Alphabetical By Instrument

Here is a simplified list of call numbers used for instrumental music at San Francisco Public Library in alphabetical order.

For wind and string instruments the call number below is the area for studies, instruction, and methods.

Adding an extra "1" to the call number is the area for solo works, unaccompanied or with piano accompaniment.

Adding an extra "2" to the call number is the area for duets of like instruments, with or without piano accompaniment.

Adding an extra "3" to the call number is the area for trios of like instruments, with or without piano accompaniment.

Accordion music 788.9

Autoharp music787.9
 
Bagpipe music 788.9

Banjo music 787.8

Bell music 789.5

Bass Guitar music 787.65

Bassoon music 788.8
 
Cello music 787.3

Clarinet and bass clarinet music 788.6

Crumhorn music 788.3
 
Double bass music 787.4

Drum and percussion music 799.1

Flute music 788.5
 
Guitar music 787.6

Harmonica music 788.9

Harp music 787.5
 
Horn music 788.4

Mallet percussion music 789.6

Mandolin music 787.7

Non-western String Instruments 787.9

Oboe and English horn music 788.7

Organ music 786.8
 
Piano and harpsichord music 786.4
 
Saxophone music 788.45
 
Trombone music and baritone/euphonium 788.2

Trumpet and cornet music 788.1

Tuba and baritone/euphonium music 788.46

Ukulele music 787.7

Viola music 787.2

Violin music 787.1

Zither music 787.9

 Illustration of Oakland Technical High School Musicians (image source: Public School Orchestras and Bands by Glenn H. Woods (Oliver Ditson Company, 1920).

Know Your SFPL Call Numbers - Scores for Instrumentalists

The Dewey Decimal System at the Library organizes musical scores through numerical series within the decade of 780.  782 is the number for dramatic music, 783 is for religious vocal music, 784 is for sacred vocal music, 785 is for orchestral and chamber music, 786 is for keyboard music, 787 is for string music, 788 is for wind music and 789 is for percussion and electronic music.

The 785 range is the most varied and complicated section for scores owing to the vast variety of possibilities of instrumental combinations.  785.7 is wide area for chamber music.  The following number in the hundredths place specifies the number of instrumentalists in the ensemble.  Thus 785.75 is the general Dewey Decimal area for quintets (with no further added decimal it is the number for the standard piano quintet - string quartet plus piano).  Adding an 8 to the hundreds place making 785.758 designates quintets for wind instruments, the most standard combinations being the woodwind quintet and the brass quintet.

Within the 787 and 788 ranges, the most common instruments get their own distinct call numbers.  As a rule of thumb a three digit number plus a single decimal is the number for studies and methods.  This same number with the number 1 in the following decimal place is for solo works, with our without piano accompaniment.  If 2 follows, the work is a duet for two players of the same instrument, and likewise trios use an added number 3.  For example is 787.1 the number for violin methods, 787.11 is the number for violin solos, 787.12 is the number for violin duets, 788.13 is the number for trios for three violinists.

Works in the chamber and instrumental solo sections should include parts whenever it is appropriate.  Here is a complete run-down of call numbers of music for instrumentalists.

785	Full Scores (no parts)

785.72 - Duets for Violin and Viola
785.721 - Duets for Violin and 'Cello
785.722 - Duets for Viola and 'Cello
785.723 - Duets for String and Wind
785.724 - Duets for Winds
785.725 - Duets for Bowed and Plucked Strings
785.726 - Duets for Wind and Plucked String
785.727 - Duets for Piano and Organ
785.728 - Duets for Plucked Strings
785.73 - Piano Trios. Trios for Piano, Violin, and 'Cello
785.731 - Trios for Piano and any other String combinations
785.732 - Trios for Piano, String, and Wind
785.733 - Trios for Piano and Winds
785.734 - Trios for Piano and other instruments
785.735 - Trios for Violin, Viola, and 'Cello
785.736 - Trios for any other String combinations
785.737 -Trios for Strings and Winds
785.738 - Trios for Winds
785.739 - Trios for other combinations
785.74 - String Quartets. Quartets for Two Violins, Viola, and 'Cello
785.741 - Quartets for other String combinations
785.742 - Quartets for Strings and Winds
785.743 - Quartets for Winds
785.744 - Quartets for other combinations, excluding Piano
785.745 - Piano Quartets. Quartets for Piano, Violin, Viola, and 'Cello
785.746 - Quartets for Piano and other String combinations
785.747 - Quartets for Piano, Strings and Winds
785.748 - Quartets for Piano and Winds
785.749 - Quartets for Piano and other combinations
785.75 - Piano Quintets. Quintets for Two Violins, Two Violas, and 'Cello
785.751 - Quintets for Piano and other String combinations
785.752 - Quintets for Piano, Strings, and Winds
785.753 - Quintets for Piano and Winds
785.754 - Quintets for Piano and other combinations
785.755 - String Quintets. Quintets for Two Violins, Two Violas, and 'Cello
785.756 - Quintets for other String combinations
785.757 - Quintets for Strings and Winds
785.758 - Woodwind Quintets. Brass Quintets. Quintets for Winds
785.759 - Quintets for other combinations
785.76 - String Sextets. Sextets for Two Violins, Two Violas and Two 'Cellos
785.761 - Sextets for other String combinations
785.762 - Sextets for Strings and Winds
785.763 - Sextets for Winds
785.764 - Sextets for other combinations (without Piano)
785.766 - Sextets for Piano and Strings
785.767 - Sextets for Piano, Strings and Winds
785.768 - Sextets for Piano and Winds
785.769 - Sextets for other combinations
785.77 - Septets
785.78 - Octets for Strings, with or without Piano
785.783 - Octets for Winds, with or without Piano
785.785 - Octets for Strings and Winds, with or without Piano
785.79 - Nonets
785.791 - Chamber Orchestra; Ten or more parts
786.22 - Harpsichord Music (20th century compositions only)
786.3 - Piano methods, technical studies
786.4 - Piano Music
786.41 -Children's Piano music. Recreational Piano music
786.43 - Music for Three Pianos
786.455 - Ballet music arranged for Piano
786.46 - Popular music for Piano. Light music for Piano
786.47 - Piano, 4 hands music
786.471 - Children's Piano music, 4 hands
786.48 - Two Pianos, 8 hands music
786.481 - Children's Two Piano, 8 hands music
786.49 - Two Pianos, 4 hands music
786.7 - Organ methods, technical studies
786.8 - Organ Music
786.9 - Harmonium music. Calliope music
786.92 - Electronic Keyboard music
787 - Bowed Instruments
787.1 - Violin methods, technical studies
787.11 - Violin music, with or without keyboard
787.12 - Two Violins, with or without keyboard
787.13 - Three Violins, with or without keyboard
787.14 - Four Violins, with or without keyboard
787.2 - Viola methods, technical studies
787.21 - Viola music, with or without keyboard
787.22 - Two Violas, with or without keyboard
787.3 - 'Cello methods, technical studies
787.31 - 'Cello music, with or without keyboard
787.32 - Two 'Cellos, with or without keyboard
787.4 - Double Bass methods, technical studies
787.41 - Double Bass music, with or without keyboard
787.42 - Two Double Basses, with or without keyboards
787.5 - Harp methods, technical studies
787.51 - Harp music
787.6 - Guitar methods, technical studies
787.61 - Guitar music
787.62 - Guitar ensemble (2 or more)
787.63 - Lute music
787.64 - Bass Guitar
787.65 - Mandolin music. Ukulele (ukelele) music
787.7 - Banjo music
787.8 - Zither music. Autoharp music
787.9 - Other String instruments, including non-Western
788 - Wind music
788.1 - Trumpet or Cornet methods, technical studies
788.11 - Trumpet or Cornet music, with or without keyboard
788.12 - Two Trumpets or Cornets, with or without keyboard
788.2 - Trombone methods, technical studies
788.21 - Trombone music, with or without keyboard
788.22 - Two Trombones, with or without keyboard
788.3 - Crumhorn methods, technical studies
788.4 - Horn methods, technical studies
788.41 - Horn music, with or without keyboard
788.42 - Two Horns, with or without keyboard
788.45 - Saxophone methods, technical studies
788.451 - Saxophone music, with or without keyboard
788.452 - Two saxophones, with or without keyboard
788.46 - Tuba, Baritone, Euphonium, Bugle, Flugelhorn methods, technical studies
788.461 - Tuba, Bugle, Baritone, Euphonium, Flugelhorn music, with or without keyboard
788.5 - Flute methods, technical studies
788.51 - Flute music, with or without keyboard
788.52 - Two flutes, with or without keyboard
788.56 - Recorder music, with or without keyboard
788.6 - Clarinet methods, technical studies
788.61 - Clarinet music, with or without keyboard
788.62 - Two Clarinets, with or without keyboard
788.7 - Oboe, English Horn methods, technical studies
788.71 - Oboe, English Horn music, with or without keyboard
788.72 - Two Oboes or English Horns, with or without keyboard
788.8 - Bassoon methods, technical studies
788.81 - Bassoon music, with or without keyboard
788.9 - Bagpipe, Accordion, Concertina, Harmonica Methods, Music
789 - Percussion, Mechanical Music
789.1 - Drum Methods, Music
789.2 - Percussion Ensembles, Bands
789.4 - Cymbal, Castanet Music
789.5 - Bell, Carillon Music
789.6 - Mallet Percussion methods, music

Angel With Krumhorn, detail from "The Presentation in the Temple" by Carpaccio (image source: Orchestral Wind Instruments, Ancient and Modern / by Ulric Daubeny (W. Reeves, 1920)

Using Subject Headings To Find Solo And Chamber Music (New Catalog)

The Library's New Catalog (also known as Bibliocommons) functions best as a discovery tool and works best for browsing.  One example of this is the subject search.  A subject search in the new catalog does not only give results for the exact subject, but treats the terms in the search as keywords within all of the subject fields.  A lack of precision makes it more forgiving and expansive in the results produced.

One convenient feature of the new search is auto-completion in the search box.  Begin typing a search for viola and cello and you will get suggested headings.

The heading Viola and Cello Music usually applies to recordings.  Viola and Cello Music -- Scores will be scores.

The over-expansive subject search Viola and Cello produces more than 900 results.  The filter selections on the left hand column of the results are an essential tool to narrow down the result.  I have highlighted the filtering triangles with a red box below.

Selecting Books and Music & Sound you can limit only to eBook (online scores) or Printed Music (printed scores).

430 results for Printed Music is still very large and unfortunately includes many items other than viola and cello duets.  Nevertheless, the top-ranked results are the best matches.

The 4 Tangos for String Quartet are there because the instrumentation includes a viola and cello.  The Progressive Duets for Cello can be used for a viola / cello duet if used in conjunction with Progressive Duets for Viola.  Even this less than precise search has shown us the call number for viola and cello duets (785.722).

Once a title is selected, the right hand column has a heading for "Exploring Further" where a link to the subject heading is provided.

Selecting that link gives a more exact listing of titles.  At any stage of your search can call also search Link+.

This will take you to a catalog that includes the San Francisco Public Library plus several other public and university library systems in California and Nevada.

The most helpful features of the New Catalog are the autocomplete and the ability to filter searches by material type.  But the autocomplete feature can, nevertheless, lead you astray.

Standard Woodwind Quintets are written for bassoon, clarinet, flute, horn and oboe.  But this combination does not appear in the autocomplete options for Woodwind Quintets.  This is because this standard instrumentation includes a brass wind instrument, the French horn.

The autocompletion for Wind Quintets gives the desired instrumentation.

Searching for music scores can often be less than straightforward, so please call the Art, Music and Recreation Center at 415-557-4525 if you have questions.  You can also email us or chat with us.

Using Subject Headings to Find Solo and Chamber Music (Classic Catalog)

One of the most important standards for describing material in a library catalog is the subject heading.  Subject headings have their own distinct format that make it possible to search the catalog with greater speed and accuracy.  These same headings are also used in the much larger Link+ and WorldCat catalogs.

SOLO INSTRUMENT

The most basic subject search uses the instrument's name followed by music, for instance, Saxophone Music.  This will include music for solo saxophone (Saxophone Music), duets for two saxophones (Saxophone Music Saxophones 2) Here is a screenshot of results from the classic catalog (click on the image to see the full image):

Bear in mind this initial search includes material in all formats.  This search should be further refined by using the Limit/Sort Search option (underlined in red above) and limiting the search to musical scores. 

Scroll down the Material type box, highlight Music Score and click OK.  (You can also highlight eBook to limit to eScores).

This result includes nothing but scores, showing the title, composer, publisher, physical description (number of pages, size) and call number.  You can click on the title of any item to learn more about the item (its location and availability) and to request it.

Some other very typical searches include these for etudes and instructional material:

Saxophone Instruction and Study
Saxophone Studies and Exercises
Saxophone Studies and Exercises Jazz
Saxophone Methods

Another very common search is to look for solo music with piano accompaniment.  For example:

Saxophone and Piano Music Scores and Parts

If it is a work for an instrumental solo and large ensemble arranged for piano, here are a few more subject headings.

Concertos Saxophone Solo With Piano 

Unique to jazz instruments there is also the subject heading:

Saxophone With Jazz Ensemble Parts Solo 

*** Keep in mind that any instrument can be substituted substituted for saxophone in a similar search.

CHAMBER MUSIC

For duets employing two different instruments, often a simple conjunction of "and" will complete the subject heading.  Unfortunately such a search is hampered by a few constraints.  Wind instruments precede string instruments, which both precede percussion and plucked string instruments.  And within the wind instrument family, the instruments are listed in alphabetical order.  Within the string instrument family they are list in score order (violin, viola, cello, double bass).

For instance:

Flute And Cello Music Scores
Flute And Guitar Music Scores 
Clarinet and flute music 

Fortunately a search with an incorrect order usually brings up what librarians call a "see reference" direct the user to the create search string:

Follow the live link for Flute and Cello Music.

For larger ensembles, the subject heading begins with the size of the group (Trios, Quartets, Quintets, etc) and the instrumental family that the instruments belong to (for example, String Trios, Woodwin Quartets, Brass Quintets).  Here are some examples:

String Trios Violins 2 Cello Scores And Parts
String Trios Violin Cello Double Bass 
Woodwind Quartets Bassoon Clarinet Flute Oboe Scores And Parts 
Woodwind Quartets Clarinets 2 Flutes 2 Arranged Scores And Parts 
Brass Quintets Horn Trombone Trumpets 2 Tuba Arranged Scores And Parts
Brass Quintets Trombones 3 Trumpets 2 Scores And Parts

If instruments from more than one instrumental family join in an ensemble, then the generic ensemble size is used.

Trios Flute Viola Cello Scores And Parts 
Quartets Horn Oboe Viola Cello Scores And Parts
Quintets Bassoon Flute Oboe Violin Continuo Scores And Parts 
Sextets Horns 2 Violins 2 Viola Cello Scores And Parts 
Septets Bassoon Clarinet Horn Violin Viola Cello Double Bass Parts
 
Always remember you can use these same subject headings in Link+ and in WorldCat (for Inter-Library Loan).

For instance the heading Septets Bassoon Clarinet Horn Violin Viola Cello Double Bass Parts only results in two works at San Francisco Public Library, but there are several more works that could be borrowed through Inter-Library Loan.