BCU are trialling a new Higher Education Music Licence that enables staff and students engaged on music courses to copy a limited amount of still-in-copyright sheet music.
The licence echoes, to some degree, the entitlement granted by the CLA Copyright Licensing Agency) licence for the copying of print text such as books and journal articles.
There is a new form at the bottom of the digitisation request page specifically for requesting digital copies of sheet music with more information about the licence.
Students should request copies via their Head of Department.
Here is a simple outline of this licence.
There are list available of:
Use the form here to suggest a piece of music or a musical score which you wish to perform or study but we do not have in stock - we will be happy to consider your suggestion
The easiest way to find music is via the Library Search.
Baroque Sonatas 785.752 |
Harp Music 787.5 |
Song Anthologies 784.8 |
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Bass Clarinet Music 788.61 |
Horn Music 788.4 |
Songs 784.3 |
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Bass Trombone Music 788.3 |
Jazz (No instrument specified) 781.65136 |
Songs for Children/Schools 784.6 |
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Bassoon Music 788.8 |
Mallet Instruments (Marimba, Vibraphone, Xylophone 789.6 |
String Chamber Music 785.772-9 |
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Mixed Chamber Ensembles 785.792-9 |
Study Scores 780.84 |
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Cantatas – Vocal Scores 783.4 |
Oboe Music 788.7 |
Tenor Horn Music 788.42 |
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Clarinet Music 788.6 |
Opera Vocal Scores 782.1 |
Timpani / Drum Music 789.1 |
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Collected Editions 780.81-2 |
Oratorio Vocal Scores 783.3 |
Trio Sonatas 785.753 |
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Contrabassoon Music 788.81 |
Organ Music 786.8 |
Trombone Music 788.2 |
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Cor Anglais Music 788.71 |
Percussion Music 789 |
Trumpet Music 788.1 |
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Piano & Strings Chamber Music 785.763-9 |
Tuba Music 788.48 |
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Piano Duets 786.4956 |
Viola Music 787.2 |
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Piano Duos (2 Pianos) 786.4957 |
Violin Music 787.1 |
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Piano Music 786.4 |
Violoncello (Cello) Music 787.3 |
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Flute Music 788.5 |
Piccolo Music 788.51 |
Vocal Music (secular accompanied) 784.2 |
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Full Scores (including jazz) Q780.84 |
Recorder Music 788.53 |
Vocal Music (secular unaccompanied) 784.1 |
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Guitar Music 787.6 |
Saxophone Music 788.66 |
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Sheet music in the Library is shelved in room C018
Searching the catalogue for sheet music is not as straightforward for books. Often the same piece will have different titles depending upon the language (Symphony, Symphonie, Sinfonia; Quartet, Quartette, Quatuor, etc. or its nickname (e.g. pastoral, Moonlight, Emperor, etc.). When we catalogue an item we try to give it a standardised title to make it easier to find but please ask for advice if you need help.
You can access our print and eBook collections through the Library Catalogue or via Library Search.
Scores: Full; Study; Facsimile Scores; Collected Works
Scores serve different functions and the Library tries to meet all of these needs.
The sets of parts for Orchestral, Vocal, Brass Band, Wind Orchestra and Jazz Band ensembles are primarily for official Conservatoire performances.
Individual parts not for performance may be used in the Library but not taken out of it.
Some sets may be available for non-official performances but this is at the discretion of the Collection Management Librarian for Music, Francis Firth. If permission is granted a request card must be completed at least 48 hours before the music is required. The borrower is responsible for the safe return of all materials and agrees to pay for replacements.
If a set is not purchasable it may be possible to borrow it from another Library. There is a useful catalogue of orchestral and vocal sets called Encore
If if is not purchasable it may be possible to hire an orchestral (or, occasionally) vocal set. A useful source for discovering from whom orchestral sets may be hired is Zinfonia. which requires (free) registration.
The Royal Birmingham Conservatoire pays for the hire of sets for official performances. If you are arranging your own performance then it may be possible to arrange a hire but you would have to pay for it. Contact your Librarian, Francis Firth, to discuss this.
Royal Birmingam Conservatoire Archival Material in Curzon Library
The Curzon Library contains in room C003 the archives of Birmingham City University which includes those of the Royal Birmingham Conservatoire.
More information about the Records and Archive Centre: University Archive
There is a general outline of the collections in the guide to the Records and Archive Centre.
There is an list of the Royal Birmingham Conservatoire archive holdings here.
Highlights of the Royal Birmingham Conservatoire archive include:
Birmingham Composers Manuscript Collection
The Royal Birmingham Conservatoire holds manuscripts by a number of Birmingham composers, notably Herbert Lumby.
There is a partial catalogue by Michael Jones of this collection
and here is an updated version
There is also a list of the Herbert Lumby manuscripts.
Sir Granville Bantock manuscripts and related material
The main collection of manuscripts by Sir Granville Bantock, Principal of the new School of Music in the Birmingham and Midland Institute 1900-1934, resides at University of Birmingham but the Royal Birmingham Conservatoire archive includes some manuscripts, related material donated by Lady Bantock and some of the books donated by Bantock to the Library of the School of Music.
Birmingham Flute Society Collection
The Birmingham Flute Society was founded in 1856 as the Birmingham Flute Trio and Quartet Society. After the Society was disbanded in 1954 the collection was passed to the then Birmingham School of Music By John Slade in 1965 when the Birmingham Midland Institute Building in Paradise Street was closed and demolished.
A more detailed history by Roz Trübger may be found on the website of Trübcher Music Publishing and it was also published:
Trübger, Roz (2013) : A historic predecessor to the BFS: The Birmingham Flute Society and its music. Pan: The journal of the British Flute Society, 32(2) 38-41
There is a print copy of the Birmingham Flute Society Catalogue of concerted music 1894 in the Curzon Library.
A PDF scan of that catalogue is available here You may also find a PDF version of the catalogue here Birmingham Flute Society Catalogue of concerted music 1894
Royal College of Organists
The Curzon Library includes a key collection of music and books from the collection of the Royal College of Organists.
These materials may be borrowed by all members of Birmingham City University Library.