Introduction
This page will cover how to search for viola materials - including scores, recordings, and books - through the Library. The box below includes general search tips you can use to retrieve relevant results in the library catalog.
For a selection of call number recommendations to help you browse the shelves and suggested search terms to explore the catalog, check out our Tips for Exploring the Collection box at the bottom of this page. Make sure to browse the other pages in this guide for selected materials from the catalog to get you started exploring the many resources available to you at MPAL!
Search Tips
This box outlines the different ways you can search for viola music through the catalog. For more information on how to locate materials in the library and how to narrow your search for specific types of materials, please see our guide on Finding Music Materials.
Keyword Searching
When you do a keyword search (also known as a basic search), you are searching for words or phrases that can be found anywhere in the text of an item record. This is the easiest method of searching the catalog and is usually best to use for general searching and/or at the beginning of the research process.
Author Searching
You can use an author search in order to find materials by a specific author. However, a specific composer or performer of certain materials is not always listed as the author of those materials in the catalog. The name used for searching the catalog can be in any configuration during the search (e.g. first and last name or last name, first). However, an author search can yield different results based on different spellings for a name.
Subject Searching
By using a subject search, you can use a prescribed set of terms for library materials known as a controlled vocabulary in the form of subject headings in order to increase the precision of your search. By doing so, you can reduce the number of results that are potentially irrelevant to your search and find more materials that fit your research needs. For more details and recommended subject headings for searching the catalog, check out the next box!
Tips for Exploring the Collection
Browsing the shelves for materials related to your topic can be a great way to identify items that may be useful to you! If you find one or two items in the catalog that seem promising, look on the shelves at the items surrounding them.
If you want to read more about call numbers and how to decipher them, check our guide to Classification Systems. If you're not sure where to go in the Library to browse one of these call number ranges, please ask us at the service desk and we'll be happy to point you in the right direction or walk you to the shelves!
For search suggestions to browse the catalog, check out the next tab of this box!
Suggested Call Numbers
Scores and Recordings
- Solo Viola: M45 - M49 and M787.2
- Viola and Piano: M224 - M228 and M787.2
- String Duets: M286 - M287 and M787.04
- String Trios: M349 - M353 and M787.04
- String Quartets: M450 - M454 and M787.04
- String Quintets: M550 - M554 and M787.04
- Viola and Orchestra [String and Symphony]: M1014 and M787.2
- Viola and Orchestra [String and Symphony] (Piano Reduction): M1015 and M787.2
Books
- History and Criticism: ML927 and 787.2
- Biography: ML418 and 780.9
- Bibliography: ML128.V36 and 787.2
Methods, Etudes & Excerpts
- Viola Instruction and study: MT260 (violin and viola), MT280 - MT298, and M787.2
- String Instruction and study: MT440-MT445 and M788.107
- Methods/etudes: MT282 - MT285 and M787.2
Search by Subject
Each item in the library catalog is assigned one or more subject headings to tell you what it is about. You can search by subject heading using the catalog's Advanced Search feature.
To search by subject in the catalog:
- Open the library catalog and click on "Advanced Search" to the right of the search bar
- Underneath "Search filters", you'll see that the default is set to "Any Field"
- Click on the arrow next to "Any Field" and select "Subject" from the drop-down menu
- Try a search with one of the subject headings recommended below
- Once you've found a relevant book in the catalog, you can also use the subjects listed in the record to find additional related materials
Recommended Subject Headings
Scores & Recordings:
Limit by ensemble type, size, or composition:
- viola music (yields solo viola music)
- viola music (violas (2)) (yields music for 2 violas)
- viola with chamber orchestra
- viola with string orchestra
- viola and piano music
- violin and viola music
Limit your search by specifying the form or type of piece you're looking for:
- concertos (viola) / concertos (violin and viola)
- sonatas (viola) / sonatas (violin and viola)
- viola--methods