Sheet Music in Paris and London
 

Hi all,

I'm new to Fodor's, but my dad has used these forums with great success in the past, so I thought I would give it a try! I have a very specific request; hopefully there will be some other musicians out there who can help me. I am going to Paris and London in June, and I am looking for the best places to buy sheet music in both places. It can be new or used, but I am mainly looking for classical piano and vocal/opera repertoire, especially music that is not commonly available in the USA or must be imported (i.e. French editions such as Leduc, Heugel, Durand, etc. and music by composers like Poulenc, Duruflé, and York Bowen in England). I have been to both cities in the past, but haven't had much luck. Any help you can give me would be greatly appreciated!

For Paris, have you tried La Fûte de Pan? I believe it's the most well known but just google sheet music stores paris and separately London. Denmark Street in Soho is noted for its music stores.

An Etsy.com search brings up some selection on line but not the same as poking around yourself. When you get to Paris check out Pariscope or Paris Semaine. I've lucked out twice and have been in Paris when large ephemera markets have been on, was mostly looking for vintage post cards, greeting cards and stamps but sheet music might be included.

Have you contacted Boosey & Hawkes?

http://www.boosey.com/pages/shop/hel...nts.asp?loc=UK

I don't think (but I'm not sure) they have a brick and mortar retail shop but no one knows more about sheet music.

London - Chappells on Bond Street (now owned by Yamaha I believe), possibly some of the shops on Denmark Street too.

In Paris the Booquinistes stalls along the Seine up in the Notre-Dame area sells old sheet music along with old books - I've seen it there a lot but no nothing about what they have.

http://next.paris.fr/pro/commercants...184_port_23512

Makes interesting perusing in any case - not a flea market but books and printed stuff only.

I just wrote a post about this not that long ago for someone else who was looking for a practice room in Paris (I believe cathinjoetown is referrring to Flute de Pan).

here's the link
http://www.fodors.com/community/euro...room-piano.cfm

As in most cities, sheet music stores are closing down, unfortunately.

Thanks, Christina, for catching that. Here's the url:

http://www.laflutedepan.com

Thank you all for the quick response! I will definitely check out La Flûte de Pan and Chappells, and try contacting Boosey. I remember briefly browsing some of the boudouiniste stalls the last time I was in Paris, but I will look closer this time. Thanks again to all!

Sheet music is called "partitions" in French.

http://www.pagesjaunes.fr/annuaire/c...is&proximite=0

You could also try Schott's on Great Marlborough St, or Travis and Emery in Cecil Court (off Charing Cross Road).

Foyles on Charing Cross Road (just round the corner from Denmark St) has some sheet music, but it may not be as broad a range as you're looking for.

http://www.schott-music.co.uk
http://www.travis-and-emery.com/
http://www.foyles.co.uk/music-dance/sheet-music

I had to go back into the archives to my first trip report from Paris in 2003 to find the name of the store in Paris where I spent a happy hour sifting through file cabinets looking for music for my chamber group to play. It was Paul Beuscher. I see that the store I visited in 2003 has closed but there is another branch on rue Beaumarchais. I haven't been inside so don't know whether they have a good selection of sheet music there. Most of their website is dedicated to sales on line.

Such stores are indeed becoming hard to find, and I used to haunt such places in New York and Boston, most if not all of which have closed.

Even longer ago I went to several stores in London. It is altogether possible that one of them was Schott, listed above by PatrickLondon. Sounds familiar. But we are talking 1990 here.

It may well have been Schott's, Nikki. I remember going there much further back than the 1990s - indeed, there's an old documentary about Jacqueline du Pré in her early prime in which she and Barenboim are seen shopping for chamber music and I'm almost certain that was in Schott's.

I think that was the place I sat cross-legged on the floor rummaging through file cabinets and I came away with a pretty good haul of music. I don't remember seeing either you or Jacqueline du Pre there though.

Thank you again to all for the help- I think I have plenty to go on now!