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:
for: Bassoon, piano
Piano reduction, Solo part(s)
Item no.: 116564
for: Percussion, orchestra
Piano reduction
Item no.: 682521
for: Clarinet, orchestra
Music score, Playback-CD
Item no.: 576449
for: Harpsichord, strings
Score
Item no.: 335591
for: Clarinet, piano
Piano score, solo part
Item no.: 109090
for: Clarinet (B-flat), piano
Piano score, solo part
Item no.: 292358
"The" piano concerto in Urtext – In Cooperation with G. Henle Verlag
for: Piano, orchestra
Score (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 289871
"Triple Concerto"
Bärenreiter Urtext
for: Violin, cello, 2 pianos
Piano reduction, 3 solo parts (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 603978
Original cadenza no. 1 also in a version by Eugène Ysaÿe
with marked and unmarked string part
Henle Urtext Editions
for: Violin, orchestra
Piano score, solo part (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 657863
for: Violin, orchestra
Piano score, solo part (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 551949
for: 2 harpsichords [2 pianos]
Piano reduction (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 692285
for: Piano, orchestra
Score (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 578549
for: Trombone, piano
Sheet music
Item no.: 1276439
for: Trombone, orchestra
Piano reduction, solo part
Item no.: 266352
for: Piano
Piano score, online audio (playback)
Item no.: 135677
Zwölf Konzerte für Violine, Streicher und Basso continuo
Band I: I-VI
Bärenreiter Urtext
for: Violin, strings, basso continuo
Score (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 746116
for: Organ (solo), string orchestra
Score
Item no.: 303986
for: Piano, orchestra
Score
Item no.: 1009551
for: Viola, piano
Piano reduction, solo part
Item no.: 678525
for: Trombone, orchestra
Score
Item no.: 430308
for: Trumpet (B-flat), piano
Piano score, solo part
Item no.: 767217
Eulenburg Miniature Scores
for: Piano, orchestra
Study score
Item no.: 740230
Edition Schott
for: 2 Violinen, Streicher und Cembalo (Klavier)
Partitur = Cembalo, Klavier, Orgel
Item no.: 734178
for: Oboe, 2 Hörner und Streicher
Piano reduction, solo part
Item no.: 732371
Concerto for Violin and Orchestra in D minor
for: Violin, orchestra
Piano reduction, solo part
Item no.: 730824
for: 2 trumpets, chamber orchestra
Piano reduction, 2 Parts
Item no.: 302929
for: Violin, piano
Piano score, solo part
Item no.: 484535
for: Marimba, orchestra
Piano reduction, solo part
Item no.: 1021748
for: Violin, string orchestra
Score (spiral binding)
Item no.: 1479709
for: 3 violins, strings, basso continuo
Piano reduction, solo parts
Item no.: 217498
for: Piano
Music score
Item no.: 316454
for: Cello, orchestra
Score
Item no.: 911131
for: Piano, orchestra
Score (facsimile hardcover)
Item no.: 1013150
for: Piano, orchestra
Piano reduction (2 piano's)
Item no.: 903341
for: Horn, orchestra
Score (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 1021507
for: Violin, orchestra
Score (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 1552006
for: 4 harpsichords
Score, Parts
Item no.: 1550300
Eulenburg Miniature Scores
for: Cello, orchestra
Study score
Item no.: 391995
for: Flute, orchestra
Study score
Item no.: 391966
for: Organ
Music score
Item no.: 136210
for: Bassoon, orchestra
Piano reduction, solo part
Item no.: 773591
for: Flute, piano
Piano reduction
Item no.: 418092
Reconstructed from BWV 169, 49, 1053
Bärenreiter Urtext
for: Viola, strings, basso continuo
Piano score, solo part (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 141553
for: Trumpet, trombone, piano
Piano reduction, solo parts
Item no.: 775143
for: 2 harpsichords [2 pianos]
Score (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 443930
for: Cello, orchestra
Score (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 586174
for: Cello, Orchester
Score (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 168806
for: Clarinet, orchestra
Piano score, solo part (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 630330
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