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Are there any inexpensive places that anyone knows of either online or elsewhere to purchase new or used orchestral scores?

I'm looking for the actual physical scores, as opposed to pdf files and the like found online.

What about the small (7 in. x 10 in.) study scores?

bort wrote:What about the small (7 in. x 10 in.) study scores?

If this is the case, then I think the Dover study scores are the way to go. They are common on Amazon and many other online retailers. I remember I got my Mahler 1 and Rite of Spring scores for about $12 each a couple of years ago.

Lucks music
eBay

Shoot an email to Sheldon. He may be able to help.

Stefan

I would recommend visiting a music school's library (where you would qualify as a library customer), or the Library of Congress. Some libraries have photocopying services--but these will be for academic use only because of national and international copyright protections.

For more affordable scores, Dover, as mentioned, as well as Boosey & Hawkes. B&H publishes a number of collection-type scores, i.e., multiple pieces in a single publication. These are more affordable than buying each piece separately and are fairly reliable editions.

To my knowledge, you will not find "JB's Discount Scores" or any similar seller. Look for more affordable editions. 14 years ago, I paid $XXX for an Editions Russe score of Pictures (needed it for a conducting workshop). More affordable editions were available. However, most are filled with numerous errors, to the point that 1.5 hours were set aside during said workshop for working through the errata sheet. The instructor asked why I wasn't marking anything. Didn't need to. The score I had was correct, insofar as his errata sheet was concerned. Brahms symphonies from Breitkopf are pretty much what's in the Dover edition. But if you're going for Mahler and want accuracy, only get the Universal Edition scores. Mozart, get Barenreiter.

So it depends what you're after. Simple reference - Eulenburg mini scores. Bigger books - Dover, Boosey, Luck's reprints. Hardcore/accuracy/researched/informed - expect to pay more; they've paid someone to do the work on it, as opposed to simply reprinting an old edition, i.e., higher overhead = higher price.

Check out the used booksellers in your area. You might get lucky there. In the past, I've left my name & number with independent booksellers who will call if and when something comes in.

FWIW. My $.02.

Thanks to all for the helpful replies.

My usage for these scores is to finally do that very important step in preparation for an audition that I very unwisely always neglected....studying the tuba part in context to what is going on in the rest of the score.