Who said that there are no arguments in music? On the contrary, the never-ending “competition” is an inseparable part of music itself, be it between instruments, within the dynamics or through the phrasing. In a solo concerto, a virtuosic soloist duels with the accompanying orchestra, and all being well, in the end, everybody wins! Browse our sheet music and scores, and explore all concertos from all eras with Stretta today!
The word “Concerto” is derived from the Latin term “concertare”, which means to dispute, contend or fight, while the same word took on a completely opposite meaning in Italian, to harmonise. The term was initially used for sacred choral compositions with bass accompaniment. First the Italian baroque composers Alessandro Stradella, Giuseppe Torelli and Arcangelo Corelli began to compose in the instrumental form that we now call “Concerto Grosso”. It consists of a small group of solo instruments, a “Concertino”, and a larger accompanying orchestra, the “Ripieno”, with basso continuo.
In the high baroque period, the first solo instrumental concertos began to appear, with a classic three-movement structure, for one, but sometimes for two or more instruments. The master of this form was without a doubt Antonio Vivaldi, from whose pen, to this day, 447 concertos have survived, 226 of them for violin. Vivaldi’s best-known concerto is his violin concerto Four Seasons. Both Bach and Handel are also well known for their concertos.
The solo concerto was also very popular in the classical period. All great composers who were accomplished pianists or instrumentalists wrote solo concertos, often for themselves, but also for other contemporary virtuosos, here are a few great classical solo concertos:
In the romantic period, almost all major composers devoted themselves to solo or double concertos of all kinds. Here are a few romantic favourites:
Bärenreiter Urtext
for: Violin, strings, basso continuo
Score (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 330070
for: Harpsichord, orchestra
Study score (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 149204
for: Organ, orchestra
Score, Parts
Item no.: 113551
Urtext based on the Leipzig Mendelssohn Complete Edition
for: Violin, piano, orchestra
Study score (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 674407
for: Flute, piano
Piano score, solo part
Item no.: 393307
for: Flute, piano
Piano reduction, solo part
Item no.: 1592086
for: Clarinet, piano
Piano reduction, 2 solo parts (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 207941
for: Flute, piano
Piano score, solo part
Item no.: 404479
for: Double bass, orchestra
Piano reduction, solo part
Item no.: 164312
für Oboe und Klavier
for: Oboe, piano
Score, part
Item no.: 630660
for: 4 bassoons
Score, Set of parts
Item no.: 1351776
for: Trumpet, piano
Music score
Item no.: 1552751
Auskoppelung aus der Praktischen Orgelschule op. 55, Band 5, Nr.8
Nachdruck Ausgabe W. Volckmar
for: Organ
Music score
Item no.: 461865
for: 4 horns (F), orchestra
Piano reduction, solo parts
Item no.: 475096
Fassung für Oboe und Klavier
Musica Antiqua Bohemica 27
for: Oboe, piano
Piano reduction, solo part
Item no.: 341163
for: Voice (soprano), orchestra
Piano reduction
Item no.: 194283
for: Clarinet, orchestra
Study score (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 287784
for: Cello solo, string orchestra
Score
Item no.: 769256
for: 2 violins, cello, strings, basso continuo
Score
Item no.: 563754
for: Bassoon, orchestra
Score
Item no.: 665373
for: Violin, viola, cello, string orchestra
Score
Item no.: 931808
for: Violin, String Ensemble and B.C.
Score
Item no.: 376432
for: Cello, piano
Piano score, solo part, playback-CD
Item no.: 576428
for flute and piano
Great Performer's Edition
for: Flute, piano
Piano score, solo part
Item no.: 318720
for: Violin, orchestra
Score
Item no.: 638194
for: Piano
Music score
Item no.: 316453
for: Piano, orchestra
Study score
Item no.: 109211
for: Trumpet, piano, string orchestra
Study score
Item no.: 224597
for: Symphonic orchestra
Score
Item no.: 263099
for: Piano, orchestra
Piano reduction (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 116796
for: Alto saxophone, string orchestra
Score (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 558203
for: Guitar, orchestra
Piano reduction, solo part
Item no.: 393942
for: Violin, piano
Piano score, solo part
Item no.: 283756
for: Clarinet, piano
Piano score, solo part (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 683714
for: Clarinet, piano
Piano reduction, solo part
Item no.: 394865
for: Violin, piano
Piano score, solo part
Item no.: 366626
for: Organ (solo), string orchestra
Score, Solo part, Single parts
Item no.: 1031702
for: Trombone, orchestra
Piano reduction, solo part
Item no.: 266906
for: Piano, orchestra
Score
Item no.: 549791
for: Piano, orchestra
Book
Item no.: 186169
for: Violin, orchestra
Score (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 276256
Twelve Concertos for Violin, Strings and Basso continuo
op. 4
Volume I/ I-VI
Bärenreiter Urtext
for: Violin, strings, basso continuo
Piano score, solo part (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 629792
for: Violin, cello, orchestra
Study score (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 156173
for: Double bass, orchestra
Piano reduction, solo part
Item no.: 762462
with marked and unmarked string parts
for: Cello, orchestra
Piano score, solo part (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 486517
after the Violin Concerto
Bärenreiter Urtext
– Complete performance material and Critical Commentary see BA 9019 –
for: Piano, orchestra
Score (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 558183
for: 2 pianos
Piano reduction
Item no.: 215207
for: Piano, orchestra
Score
Item no.: 187844
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