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Scores are groups of staves...
How different? Isn't that what Boby said? [confused]
Interesting story about Joyce and Bach! I love anecdotes like that.
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Not different from what Boby said--just trying to make the point that there are many kinds of scores and that they all look different from each other depending upon purpose.
It find it funny, really, that choral scores include the other parts, but orchestral scores rarely include other parts for the individual voices of instruments, except, of course the conductor's score. Oh, occasionally on a violin score you'll see the measure that the flute plays before you're supposed to begin playing again, but choirs seem to need to see the parts--entrances, all that at the same time. Without meaning to give offense to choir members (I sure as heck am one), I suspect that it's because a lot of choral members aren't very good readers, so they need to see the scoring of parts on pages to see words, not as much as notes, to get their complicated entrances right. My daughter used to get very aggravated with kids in madgrigals who couldn't read worth a squat, but sang like angels--once they had it, they had it solid, but it wasn't from comprehension of notation. Lots of exceptions here, of course, but, let's face it, there's many a choir member out there who sortof sees what notation is about, but really depends upon practice, ear-training, and following mostly the words of a score.
Instrumental musicians, however, have to be able to read to play in orchestras. I'm completely discounting the whole by-ear group here instrumentally. Those by-ear people just blow me away as being privy to genius.
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choral scores include the other parts, but orchestral scores rarely include other parts
For one thing, there are rarely more than eight choral parts and usually only four. If the orchestral scores had everybody's parts it would be dang near impossible for anyone to pick out the individual part, not to mention terribly unwieldy for someone whose hands are not free as are a singer's. It is common practice among singers to highlight one's own line, particularly if there are divisi scattered about here and there. Early practice in choral scoring was to include only the part being sung. The present practice may be as much for the convenience of the publisher as for the convenience of the singer; they only have to print one version.
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WW,
I understand what you mean now. The word "score" indeed has different definitions, depending on one's viewpoint.
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I understand what you mean now. The word "score" indeed has different definitions, depending on one's viewpoint. The 'staff' is equated with each horizontal line of music, as it is usually short for a pianists "grand staff" (the coupling of a treble and a bass cleff). I've heard 'score' used occasionally by people to generalize "the piece of paper that the music is written on". Specifically, a score is most often the aforementioned 'conductor's score' (or as I call it the 'composer's score') and it includes all of the parts. A 'chorus score' will occasionally include a grand staff with an orchestral reduction (so singers don't get lost  ). I just call it "line X, bar X", but only if we are reading the same piece of music (as most 'jazzers' do). The word system is used (again, if we are all reading the same piece of music) as a linear reference. Bar numbers eliminate all confusion here. Some of my favorite music happens when everyone reads "the same piece of music". 
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Let me pose another question: What do you call the printed sheets that comprise a choral piece? Or, in other words, if you are singing I Was Glad, what do you call the printed music you sing it from? We call it an 'octavo', I think because of the usual size.
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Without meaning to give offense to choir members (I sure as heck am one), I suspect that it's because a lot of choral members aren't very good readers, so they need to see the scoring of parts on pages to see words, not as much as notes, to get their complicated entrances right.
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It's also got a lot to do with voice versus instrument. If you're playing the violin, then you know you count 8 bars of rest and then put your fingers in a certain position on the frets, draw the bow across the strings and you've got a C (for example).
As a singer, counting the 8 bars of rest is not an issue but, unless you have perfect pitch, coming in on the C can be. However, if you know that alto's are singing a C just before you, or that the violins play one three notes before you come in then you can pitch the note much more easily.
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Good point, rkay. I hadn't thought of that at all, and I think you've hit the nail on the head, which rings with a perfect 440 concert A!
Thanks for that!
WW
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Brilliant, rkay! Countless times, I have depended upon preceding notes to help me come in on the right pitch. Kudos!
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perfect 440 concert A Not meaning to pick nits (it's the influence, you understand) hasn't A edged up to 441?  Meanwhile, back in Brazil, we would often tune our string instruments to the telephone's dial tone, which was an A.
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