Conductor's Score

I am looking to get my hands on some film and classical scores for personal study. Trouble is, music stores don't have a wide selection. I have looked at Amazon etc. and the prices are extravagant. I am wondering if anyone can give me some tips, direct me to some good resources (new or used), or else tell me extravagance is the norm and I should suck it up. I should also mention I am wanting the conductor's score only - since I don't own an orchestra I'd rather avoid paying for sheet music for the rest of the band if at all possible. Thanks!

Take a look at sheetmusicplus.com, they have a pretty good selection of concert scores, and even some John Williams (though you'll be shelling out $75 or so for the Williams stuff [totally worth it]). You'll be able to find a wide selection of conductors scores for concert music wherever you look, but as far as most scores for film, you'll have to know the composer personally to get your hands on those.

Rite of Spring for 10-15 GBP? The Planets for about the same? How is amazon expensive?

+1 on the Williams ones! Got one. Be sure not to get one that is 'arranged for...' since it won't be the original

I guess I didn't give sheetmusicplus a fair shot so I will go and do that. In the meantime, thanks yall for the feedback!

Btw: just ordered my copy of Rite of Spring :)

I know that The Planets Suite by Gustav Holst might be a good choice. It will remind you of alot of Works by John williams. Also, Dvorak's Symphony No.9 in E minor might be a good choice. I buy most of my music at www.sheetmusicplus.com. You can buy the counductor's scores to many works here. Alos try http://imslp.org/wiki/Main_Page because they have a many works (+scores!!!) all for free! All of the works are in the public domain, so it is LEGAL!!!

Hope this Helps!

Davison

Dover has a lot of really reasonably priced scores. They sell all of the Beethoven and Mozart Symphonies for dirt cheap. They have a lot of the classic pieces, the Rite, Planets, Kindertotenlieder, Scheherazade (Rimsky-Korsakov), Also Sprach, 1812 Ouverture, The messiah...

Shall I continue?

http://store.doverpublications.com/by-subject-music-miniature-scores.html

I must add that Boosey and Hawkes generally have much better engravings! Dover looks like it has been photocopied whereas B&H looks like it was printed. Both useful and I have read a lot of Dover scores, but if I have to choose a piece between the two, I would choose the B&H anytime

I must add that Boosey and Hawkes generally have much better engravings! Dover looks like it has been photocopied whereas B&H looks like it was printed. Both useful and I have read a lot of Dover scores, but if I have to choose a piece between the two, I would choose the B&H anytime

True, Boosey does have a lot more, but I find you spend a much prettier penny to get their books. I must also add that while they do have a larger array of texts, I've not noticed a huge difference. Maybe I'm just not as picky.

Thanks a lot Davison and Yasamune for the links!

Thanks a lot Davison and Yasamune for the links!

Musicnotes.com is great and has many cheap scores available, even though the company's specialty is digital sheet music. However I'd check out imslp first since it's free!

I think Dover is mainly reprinting old (cheap) scores. The Beethoven stringquartets and the Debussy/Ravel quartets as well is just a copy.

But to use it as a cheap score to study its really fine.

I have little interest in Sikorsky, but that is because the sell Shostakovich Symphony scores. I like those...