Study Scores
Sheet music compilations and songbooks are essential for learning and performing music, but there is one drawback: they're pretty big to carry around with you. That's why, when you simply need the music on hand to study and not to perform from, a book that emphasizes portability can be a much more practical way to go. You'll find those kinds of songbooks here in this selection of study scores. With a reduced size and featuring added notes and interpretations specifically tailored to helping you understand the music as you read it, they're not only easier to carry around - they're also written from the ground up especially for studying.
If you're searching for some music straight off Broadway, you can start your search with the Hal Leonard Les Miserables or the Alfred Kiss Me, Kate - Full Orchestral Score. They're both great resources, and if you're not sure which show you like better, the choice between them might come down to what you're looking for in your study score. The Les Miserables book contains just the songs, making it a great choice if you want to focus on the music. Kiss Me, Kate, on the other hand, comes complete with the full script and stage directions, so it's as handy for studying the musical itself in addition to the songs within it.
Of course, not all great music comes from Broadway - far from it! If your tastes run more to the classical and contemporary, you might prefer something like the G. Henle Verlag Debussy String Quartet Study Score, the Carl Fischer Gyorgy Ligeti: Atmospheres Study or the Music Sales Histoire Du Soldat (The Soldier's Tale) Stravinsky Authorized Edition Study Score. It's up to you which ones you decide to add to your collection, so feel free to listen to your instincts and make the right choice for you.
No matter which study scores turn out to be up your alley, you'll definitely appreciate how much easier it is to take your sheet music along with you in this format than it is with a full-sized score or songbook. It's all about making the music easier to appreciate, while building on the educational insights you'd expect to find in any songbook. From convenience to information, study scores are printed to meet your needs on all fronts.