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)