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Music Citation Guide: Music Scores

Turabian: Citing Music Scores

Citation Help

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Katie Buehner
she/hers
Contact: Website
Subjects: Dance, Music, Theatre Arts
Published music score - single title (Turabian 17.8.5.3)

Bibliography -----

Author Last Name, Author First Name. Title of score. Series Title,
     volume information. Publication location: Publisher, Date of Publication.

Handel, G. F. Trio Sonata No. 1. Arranged for 2 alto saxophones by Himie Voxman
     and Richard Hervig. San Antonio, TX: Southern Music, 1989.

Notes -----

     1. Author First Name Author Last Name, Title of Book, Series Titles, volume information 
(Publication location: Publisher, Date of Publication), page nos.

     1. G. F. Handel, Trio Sonata No. 1, Arranged for 2 alto saxophones by Himie Voxman
and Richard Hervig (San Antonio, TX: Southern Music, 1989), 3.

Published music score - collection (Turabian 17.8.5.3)

Bibliography -----

Author Last Name, Author First Name. Title of score. Publication location: Publisher,
   Date of Publication.

Smith, Joseph, ed. Four early 20th century piano suites by black composers
     New York: G. Schirmer, 1997.

Notes -----

     1. Composer First Name Composer Last Name, "Title of song or section," Title of Book, Series Titles, volume information (Publication location: Publisher, Date of Publication), page nos.

     1. R. Nathaniel Dett, "Prelude - Night," In the bottoms. In Four early 20th century piano suites by black composers, ed. by Joseph Smith (New York: G. Schirmer, 1997), 38.

Turabian Unpublished Music Score

Unpublished music score, such as a manuscript (Turabian 17.8.5.3)

Bibliography -----

Follow citation recommendations of the archive or special collection in question.

Arthur and Miriam Canter Rare Book Room, Rita Benton Music Library,
     University of Iowa.

Notes -----

     1. Composer First Name Composer Last Name, "Title of song or section," Title of Book, Series Titles, volume information (Publication location: Publisher, Date of Publication), page nos.

     1. Anthony Burgess, "Symphony," score, 1976, Arthur and Miriam Canter Rare Book Room, Rita Benton Music Library, University of Iowa.

Online music score

Turabian/Chicago doesn't provide a model for online score citation, so this template is largely based on the ebook citation template and best practices. 

Bibliography -----

Author Last Name, Author First Name. Title of score or "Title of score" 
     (as appropriate to title of the work) Publication location: Publisher,
     Date of Publication. Stable URL or Resource Title.

Chaminade, Cecile. Chaminade Pianoforte Album. Boston: White-Smith Music, 1898.
     International Music Score Library Project (IMSLP).

Notes -----

     1. Author First Name, Author Last Name, Title of score or "Title of score" (as appropriate to title of the  work) (Publication location: Publisher, Date of Publication), page or movement/section, URL or Resource Title.

      1. Cecile Chaminade, "Arabesque," Chaminade Pianoforte Album (Boston: White-Smith Music, 1898), 43, https://imslp.org/wiki/Chaminade_Pianoforte_Album_(Chaminade%2C_C%C3%A9cile).