Guide to Call Numbers

Books and scores in the University of Michigan Music Library are organized according to the Library of Congress (LC) classification system. LC classification divides the branches of knowledge into broad classes that are represented by capital letters:

A -- GENERAL WORKS
B -- PHILOSOPHY, PSYCHOLOGY, RELIGION
C -- AUXILIARY SCIENCES OF HISTORY
D -- HISTORY (GENERAL) AND HISTORY OF EUROPE,
       ASIA, AFRICA, ETC.
E-F -- HISTORY: AMERICA
G -- GEOGRAPHY, ANTHROPOLOGY, RECREATION
H -- SOCIAL SCIENCES
J -- POLITICAL SCIENCE
K -- LAW
L -- EDUCATION
M -- MUSIC
N -- FINE ARTS
P -- LANGUAGE AND LITERATURE
Q -- SCIENCE
R -- MEDICINE
S -- AGRICULTURE
T -- TECHNOLOGY
U -- MILITARY SCIENCE
V -- NAVAL SCIENCE
Z -- BIBLIOGRAPHY, LIBRARY SCIENCE

These main classes are further divided into subclasses designated by an additional capital letter. M (Music) has two subclasses. Thus, music materials are organized into three broad classification areas:

M	music (scores)
ML	literature on music (music history and criticism)
MT	musical instruction and study (theory, analysis, music education, pedagogy, instrumental technique, etc.)

How To Read a Call Number

Each item in the library has its own unique call number. A call number may consist of as few as two elements, but call numbers often have four or more elements.

M1500	The first element, the "class," consists of one or two letters and a number.
.M9	The next element, the "Cutter," consists of a letter followed by one or more digits. Cutters are read first alphabetically, and then in decimal numeric order. For instance, M875 precedes M9.
D7	Some call numbers have another Cutter as the next element.
1991	The final element of many call numbers is a date, representing the year of publication.

Each element of the call number indicates something about the item, as with this full score of Mozart's opera Don Giovanni:

M1500	the classification for full opera scores
.M9	represents the composer's last name (Mozart)
D7	represents the title of the work (Don Giovanni)
1991	the publication date

To find an item on the shelf, you must properly read each element of the call number. The following call numbers are in the proper order:

M 452 .D26 Q3 1962

M 1001 .P13 S82 1996

ML 410 .B355 F72 1988

ML 410 .B36 S25

ML 3561 .J3 H733

ML 3561 .J3 K26 1966

Outline of Library of Congress Music Classification

M 1-5000 Music

• M 2-2.3 Collections of musical sources
• M 3-3.3 Collected works of individual composers
• M 5-1490 Instrumental music
• M 6-175.5 Solo instruments
• M 6-14 Organ
• M 20-39 Piano
• M 40-44 Violin
• M 45-49 Viola
• M 50-54 Violoncello
• M 55-58 Double bass
• M 59 Other string instruments
• M 60-64 Flute. Alto flute
• M 65-69 Oboe
• M 70-74 Clarinet. Bass (alto, etc.) clarinet. Basset clarinet
• M 75-79 Bassoon. Contrabassoon
• M 80-84 Horn
• M 85-89 Trumpet. Cornet
• M 90-94 Trombone. Bass trombone
• M 95-99 Tuba
• M 105-109 Saxophone
• M 110 Other wind instruments
• M 115-119 Harp
• M 125-129 Guitar
• M 140-141 Lute
• M 142 Other plucked instruments
• M 146 Drum(s)
• M 172 Carillon
• M 175 Other percussion instruments
• M 177-990 Two or more solo instruments
• M 180-298.5 Duets
• M 300-386 Trios
• M 400-486 Quartets
• M 500-586 Quintets
• M 600-686 Sextets
• M 700-786 Septets
• M 800-886 Octets
• M 900-986 Nonets and larger combinations of purely chamber music
• M 990 Chamber music for instruments of the 18th century and earlier
• M 1000-1075 Orchestra
• M 1001 Symphonies
• M 1002 Symphonic poems
• M 1003 Suites. Variations
• M 1004 Overtures
• M 1005-1041 Solo instrument(s) with orchestra
• M 1042 Concertos for orchestra
• M 1045-1075 Orchestra pieces
• M 1100-1160 String orchestra
• M 1200-1269 Band
• M 1270 Fife (bugle) and drum music, field music, etc.
• M 1350-1353 Reduced orchestra
• M 1356-1356.2 Dance orchestra and instrumental ensembles
• M 1360 Mandolin and similar orchestras of plucked instruments
• M 1362 Accordion band
• M 1363 Steel band
• M 1365 Minstrel music
• M 1366 Jazz ensembles
• M 1375-1420 Instrumental music for children
• M 1450 Dance music
• M 1470 Chance compositions
• M 1473 Electronic music
• M 1480 Music with color or light apparatus
• M 1490 Music printed before 1700 or copied in manuscript before 1700
• M 1495-5000 Vocal music
• M 1497-1998 Secular vocal music
• M 1500-1527.8 Dramatic music (operas, musicals, incidental music, ballets)
• M 1528-1529.5 Duets, trios, etc., for solo voices
• M 1530-1546.5 Choruses with orchestra or other ensemble
• M 1547-1600 Choruses, part-songs, etc., with accompaniment of keyboard or other solo instrument, or unaccompanied
• M 1608 Choruses, etc., in tonic sol-fa notation
• M 1609 Unison choruses
• M 1610 Cantatas, choral symphonies, etc., for unaccompanied chorus with or without solo voices
• M 1611-1624.8 Songs
• M 1625-1626 Recitations with music
• M 1627-1853 National music
• M 1900-1978 Songs (part and solo) of special character
• M 1985 Musical games
• M 1990-1998 Secular music for children
• M 1999-2199 Sacred vocal music
• M 1999 Collections
• M 2000-2007 Oratorios
• M 2010-2017.6 Services (masses, etc.)
• M 2018-2019.5 Duets, trios, etc. for solo voices
• M 2020-2036 Choruses, cantatas, etc.
• M 2060-2101.5 Choruses, part-songs, etc., with accompaniment of keyboard or other solo instrument, or unaccompanied
• M 2102-2114.8 Songs
• M 2115-2146 Hymnals. Hymn collections
• M 2147-2188 Liturgy and ritual
• M 2147-2155.6 Roman Catholic Church
• M 2156-2160.87 Orthodox churches
• M 2161-2183 Protestant churches
• M 2184 Other Christian churches
• M 2186-2187 Jewish
• M 2188 Other non-Christian religions
• M 2190-2196 Sacred vocal music for children
• M 2198-2199 Gospel, revival, temperance, etc. songs

ML 1-3930 Literature on music

• ML 1-5 Periodicals. Serials
• ML 12-21 Directories
• ML 25-28 Societies and organizations
• ML 32-33 Institutions
• ML 35-38 Festivals. Congresses
• ML 40-44 Programs
• ML 47-54.8 Librettos. Scenarios
• ML 62-90 Special aspects, including writings of musicians
• ML 93-96.5 Manuscripts, autographs, etc.
• ML 100-109 Dictionaries. Encyclopedias
• ML 110-111.5 Music librarianship
• ML 112-112.5 Music printing and publishing
• ML 112.8-158.8 Bibliography
• ML 113-118 International
• ML 120 National
• ML 132 Graded lists. By medium
• ML 135 Manuscripts
• ML 136-158 Catalogs. Discography
• ML 158.4-158.6 Video recordings
• ML 158.8 Computer software
• ML 159-3775 History and criticism
• ML 162-197 Special periods
• ML 162-169 Ancient
• ML 169.8-190 Medieval. Renaissance
• ML 193-197 1601-
• ML 198-360 By region or country
• ML 198-239 America
• ML 240-325 Europe
• ML 330-345 Asia
• ML 348 Arab countries
• ML 350 Africa
• ML 360 Australia, Oceania
• ML 385-429 Biography
• ML 430-455 Composition
• ML 459-1380 Instruments and instrumental music
• ML 465-471 By period
• ML 475-547 By region or country
• ML 475-486 America
• ML 489-522 Europe
• ML 525-541 Asia
• ML 544 Africa
• ML 547 Australia, Oceania
• ML 548 Jews
• ML 549-1093 Instruments
• ML 549.8-649 Organ
• ML 649.8-747 Piano, clavichord, harpsichord, etc.
• ML 749.5-927 Bowed string instruments
• ML 929-990 Wind instruments
• ML 999-1015 Plucked instruments
• ML 1030-1049 Percussion instruments
• ML 1049.8-1091 Mechanical and other instruments
• ML 1091.8-1093 Electronic instruments
• ML 1100-1165 Chamber music
• ML 1200-1270 Orchestra
• ML 1299-1354 Band
• ML 1379-1380 Electronic music. Computer music
• ML 1400-3275 Vocal music
• ML 1499-1554 Choral music
• ML 1600-2881 Secular vocal music
• ML 2900-3275 Sacred vocal music
• ML 3300-3354 Program music
• ML 3400-3465 Dance music
• ML 3469-3541 Popular music
• ML 3544-3775 National music
• ML 3800-3923 Philosophy and physics of music
• ML 3845-3877 Aesthetics
• ML 3880-3915 Criticism
• ML 3928-3930 Literature for children

MT 1-960 Musical instruction and study

• MT 1-5 History and criticism
• MT 5.5-7 Music theory
• MT 20-32 Special methods
• MT 40-67 Composition. Elements and techniques of music
• MT 58-67 Forms
• MT 68 Improvisation. Accompaniment. Transposition
• MT 70-74 Instrumentation and orchestration
• MT 73 Band
• MT 90-146 Analysis and appreciation of musical works
• MT 95-100 Opera, ballet, etc.
• MT 110-115 Oratorios, cantatas, etc.
• MT 125-130 Orchestral music
• MT 140-145 Chamber and solo instrumental music
• MT 146 Popular music
• MT 170-810 Instrumental techniques
• MT 180-198 Organ
• MT 192 Electronic keyboard instruments
• MT 200-208 Reed organ
• MT 220-255 Piano
• MT 259-338 String instruments
• MT 260-279.7 Violin
• MT 280-298 Viola
• MT 300-318 Violoncello
• MT 320-334 Double bass
• MT 339-533 Wind instruments
• MT 340-359 Flute
• MT 360-379 Oboe
• MT 380-392 Clarinet (A, Bb, C, Eb, etc.)
• MT 400-415 Bassoon
• MT 418 Brass instruments
• MT 420-432 Horn
• MT 440-456 Trumpet
• MT 460-472 Trombone
• MT 480-488 Tuba
• MT 500-510 Saxophone
• MT 539-654 Plucked instruments
• MT 540-557 Harp
• MT 560-570 Banjo
• MT 580-599 Guitar
• MT 600-612 Mandolin
• MT 620-634 Zither
• MT 640-654 Lute, balalaika, etc.
• MT 655-725 Percussion and other instruments
• MT 728-728.3 Chamber music
• MT 730 Orchestra
• MT 733-733.6 Band
• MT 740-810 Instrumental techniques for children
• MT 820-915 Singing and vocal technique
• MT 825-850 Systems and methods
• MT 855-883 Special techniques
• MT 898-915 Techniques for children
• MT 918-948 School music
• MT 955-956 Musical theater

---

University of Michigan Music Library
Last updated 9/03