Dickinson classification

The Dickinson classification is a library classification scheme used to catalogue and classify musical compositions. It was developed by George Sherman Dickinson (1886–1964), and published in 1938.^[1] It is used by many music libraries, primarily those at Vassar^[2] and Columbia Universities.

It is also recorded, albeit incompletely, by Carol June Bradley in The Dickinson Classification for Music, published in 1972.^[3]

Class 000 – Miscellaneous

000 Several or special classes

• 010 Manuscripts
• 020 Incunabula, rare editions
• 030 Facsimiles
• 040 Monuments (Denkmäler)
• 050 Collected works of one composer
  • 055 Thematic catalogues
• 060 Partial collections, several classes, of one composer
• 070 Methods, tutors, etc., with some text
• 080 Other miscellaneous
• 090 Historical collections compiled to illustrate the history of music or some phase of it

Classes 100–600 – Instrumental

100 Keyboard

• 110 Clavier, i.e. piano, harpsichord, clavichord, and virginal
• 120 Clavier duos, trios, etc.
• 150 Organ

200 Bowed strings

• 210 Violin and piano
• 220 Viola and piano
• 230 Violoncello and piano
• 240 Double bass and piano

300 Winds

• 310 Flute or recorder and piano
• 320 Oboe or English horn and piano
• 330 Clarinet and piano
• 340 Bassoon and piano
• 350 Horn and piano
• 360 Trumpet and piano
• 370 Trombone and piano

400 Plucked strings, percussion, mechanical and miscellaneous instruments

Plucked strings

• 410 Harp
• 421 Guitar
• 431 Mandolin
• 450 Lute

Percussion

• 460 Percussion

Mechanical and miscellaneous instruments

• 470 Solely electronic music, musique concrète
• 480 Electronic music in combination with conventional instruments

500 Chamber ensembles

• 520 Bowed string ensembles
• 530 Wind ensembles^[a]
• 540 Plucked string with percussion
• 550 Bowed string and wind ensembles

600 Orchestral ensembles

• 610 Full orchestra
• 620 String orchestra
• 630 Band or wind orchestra
• 650 Chamber orchestra
• 680 Concerti
  • 685 Double, triple, etc., concerti
  • 689 Concerti grossi

Classes 700–900 – Vocal (with or without instruments)

700 Vocal solo and solo ensembles

• 710 Voice solo and 1 instrument, secular
• 750 Voice solo and 1 instrument, sacred
• 780 Folk music

800 Choral ensembles

• 810 Secular choral works
• 850 Sacred choral works
• 880 Liturgic choral works

900 Dramatic ensembles

• 910 Operas
• 950 Ballets
• 980 Incidental music

Notes

1. Such as woodwind quartets or wind quintets; not to be confused with 630 Band or wind orchestra, which may also be referred to as wind ensembles.