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Instrument and Voice Guides

This guide is designed to help you find scores and resources in the Performing Arts Collection, Campbell Library, and online for and about your instrument or voice

How to Use this Guide

This research guide helps you search and browse for books and scores for your main instrument (listed on list on the left)

Each page for your individual instrument starts with the Library of Congress classification system for books and scores relevant to each instrument, allowing you to browse the shelves of the library.

  • The classification system uses call numbers to place items on a physical shelf, and items are also given multiple subject headings, a controlled language that describes the contents of items.
  • For printed music, each call number describes a musical genre or performing ensemble, which is then organized alphabetically by the composer's last name. 
  • Subject headings are used for searching in catalogs and databases, while call numbers are useful for finding materials and browsing physical shelves.

 

The Performing Arts Collection can be found on the Second Floor of Campbell Library.

  • Here, you will find all of the scores, CDs, and most of the reference books (encyclopedias, special music dictionaries, catalogs, and introductory research books), and some of the books on music education and performance.
  • The Performing Arts Collections houses all of the items with call numbers starting with just the letter M, all of the scores and most of the books starting with MT, and some books starting with ML.

 

The Fourth Floor of Campbell Library contains the majority of our books on music history, music performance, music education, the music industry, and music therapy. These include almost all of the books starting with ML and some books starting with MT. Check with a librarian or a library assistant to see where your resources might be located.

 

(Sub-pages under each tab also offer selected primary and secondary source bibliographies.)

Call Numbers for Organ Music

Use these call numbers to browse for music for your instrument!

M6–M14  Organ alone:
     M6      Collections, mixed (original works and arrangements; more than one composer)
     M7      General collections (one composer)
     M8      Sonatas
     M8.5      Symphonies
     M9      Suites, Variations, and Cyclical Works
     M10      Fugues (with or without preludes)
     M11      Pieces
     M11.2      Pedal pieces
     M12      Arrangements: collections
     M13      Arrangements: separate works
     M14      Books (accompaniments to collections of psalms and hymns)
     M14.3-.5      Liturgical music (special seasons and occasions)
     M14.8      Electronic Organ music
 M180-186  Duets
 M180-181  One or more organs, two or more players
 M182-186  Organ and one other instrument
 M300–M304  Trios, organ and two other instruments
 M400–M404  Quartets, organ and three other instruments

 

Quartets, quintets, sextets, septets, octets, and nonets follow similar patterns (in the M400s, 500s, 600s, 700s, 800s, and 900s, respectively).For more details, see the full classification schedule.

Concertos and similar pieces:

 M1005  Organ with orchestra, full scores
 M1005.5  Cadenzas for such works
 M1006  Organ with orchestra, piano reductions
 M1108  Organ with string orchestra, full scores
 M1108.5  Cadenzas for such works
 M1109  Organ with string orchestra, piano reductions

 

Studies and methods:

 MT180  General works
 MT182  Systems and methods; Studies and exercises
 MT185  General works: special techniques
 MT187  Special techniques: pedal
 MT189  Special techniques: registration
 MT190  Special techniques: accompaniment of liturgical music
 MT193  Teaching pieces; Instructive editions
 MT198  Self-instructors

Subject Headings for Organ Music

These subject headings help you search our collections by precise genres and instrument combinations. Use these in advanced searches using subject headings in Library Search to see our holdings or WorldCat to see what is available through other libraries.

Solo organ music: organ music; sonatas (organ)suites (organ)fugues (organ); passacaglias (organ); etc.
Duets: organ music (organs (2)); organ music (4 hands)
Organ with other instruments: organ with orchestra; [instrument(s)] and organ music, e.g. trumpet and organ music; trios (organ, [instrument], [instrument]) e.g. trios (organ, trumpet, trombone); quartets (organ, [various combinations]); etc.

Similar for quintets, sextets, septets, octets, and nonets.

Search Music Scores

Selected Bibliography

Arnold, Corliss Richard. Organ Literature: A Comprehensive Survey. 3rd ed. Metuchen, NJ: Scarecrow Press, 1995. Ref. ML600 .A76 1995

Lovelace, Austin C. The Anatomy of Hymnody. New York: Abingdon Press, 1965. BV335.L6

Lukas, Viktor. A Guide to Organ Music. Translated by Anne Wyburd from the fifth edition; with addenda by Lee Garrett; Reinhard G. Pauly, general editor. Portland, OR: Amadeus Press, 1989. PAC MT 140 L954R2 1989

Ochse, Orpha Caroline. Organists and Organ Playing in Nineteenth-Century France and Belgium. Bloomington: Indiana University Press, 1994. ML624 .O25 1994

Sonnaillon, Bernard. King of Instruments: A History of the Organ, trans. Stewart Spencer. New York: Rizzoli, 1985. ML550.S713 1985

Thistlethwaite, Nicholas, and Geoffrey Webber (eds.). The Cambridge Companion to the OrganCambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1998. ML550 .C35 1998

Call Numbers for Books about the Organ

 Ref. ML128 .O6  Organ bibliographies
 ML550  General works
 ML552-597  Construction: general works; by time period; by region or country; individual instruments; special parts
 ML600-649  Music and playing: general works; by time period; by region or country; forms and types of music

Selected Periodicals

Choir and Organ (1993-2008)

The Hymn (2006-present)

The Organ (1996-present)

Selected Websites

American Guild of Organists  www.agohq.org
Organ Historical Society  https://organhistoricalsociety.org/