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Percussion Instruments Guide

Searching the Library Catalog for Scores

To locate printed music for a specific instrumentation, you may use the subject search in the OPAL Catalog.   Each resource has been tagged with specific subject headings that describe its content.   For comprehensive repertoire lists for ensembles, see the Repertoire guides tab. 

Subject headings for printed music typically use the name of the instrument(s) followed by the word music (e.g. piano music, flute music)  To find duets for two distinct instruments, use the the following form:

Ensembles of more than two percussion instruments, will typically be under the subect Percussion Ensemble.

Classical Scores Online

There are a wide variety of public domain scores available on the Internet.   The Loeb Music Library at Harvard University provides a more comprehensive list of digital scores collections available on the web.    This is a list of more substantial collections.

The Orchestra Musician's CD Library

Complete sets of original orchestral parts and full scores from the great symphonic and operatic repertoire are available on CD-ROM in the Jones Music Library.  Sheet music pages may be printed out or downloaded.   For a complete list of parts,  see the OPAL Library catalog record for the The orchestra musician's CD-ROM library.

Important Call Numbers

The following tables outline important call numbers for solo and ensemble repertoire for percussion instruments.

Genre Call Number
Orchestral excerpts M 146.5
Solos and etudes M 146-175
Solo with piano M 284-285
Duos M 298
Trios with piano M 340-344
Trios without piano* M 385
Quartets with piano M 445-449
Quartets without piano* M 485
Quintets with piano M 545-549
Quintets without piano* M 585
Sextets with piano M 645-649
Sextets without piano M 685
Concertos/full orchestra M 1038-1039
Concertos/string orchestra M 1138-1139
* Includes one or more percussion players

Catalogs