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: Oboe, strings, basso continuo
Violin 2 (orchestral part)
Item no.: 1355047
for: 2 oboes, strings, basso continuo
Cello, double bass (orchestral part)
Item no.: 1355043
for: Oboe, chamber orchestra
Violin 1 (orchestral part)
Item no.: 1355030
for: String orchestra, basso continuo
Violin 1 (orchestral part)
Item no.: 1355007
for: 2 clarinets, chamber orchestra
Violin 1 (orchestral part)
Item no.: 1354980
for: Violin, strings, basso continuo
Viola 2 (orchestral part)
Item no.: 1354978
for: Flute, oboe, bassoon, chamber orchestra
Violin 1 (orchestral part)
Item no.: 1354948
Single part Violin 2
Item no.: 205596
for: Flute, strings, basso continuo
Cello, double bass (orchestral part)
Item no.: 362713
for: Flute, strings, basso continuo
Viola (orchestral part)
Item no.: 362711
for: Flute, strings, basso continuo
Viola (orchestral part)
Item no.: 1355562
for: 2 trumpets, strings, basso continuo
Cello, double bass (orchestral part)
Item no.: 1355497
for: Violin, string orchestra
Violin 2 (orchestral part)
Item no.: 1355469
for: Oboe [flute], string orchestra
Violin 2 (orchestral part)
Item no.: 1355389
for: Oboe, orchestra
Violin 1 (orchestral part)
Item no.: 1355360
for: 2 violins, orchestra
Violin 1 (orchestral part)
Item no.: 1355354
for: 2 violins, strings, basso continuo
Viola (orchestral part)
Item no.: 645757
for: Oboe, orchestra
Viola (orchestral part)
Item no.: 692066
for: Violin, recorder, oboe, trumpet, strings, basso continuo
Violin 2 (orchestral part)
Item no.: 497623
for: Oboe, strings, basso continuo
Violin 2 (orchestral part)
Item no.: 1479723
for: Oboe, strings, basso continuo
Viola (orchestral part)
Item no.: 1479722
for: Clarinet, orchestra
Viola (orchestral part)
Item no.: 665778
for: Symphonic orchestra
Cello, double bass (orchestral part)
Item no.: 373269
Violin 2 (orchestral part)
Item no.: 373268
Single part(n)
Item no.: 202690
for: Oboe, orchestra
Single part oboe solo
Item no.: 779206
for: Symphonic orchestra
Violin 1 (orchestral part)
Item no.: 1535166
Violin 1 (orchestral part)
Item no.: 363438
Single part(n)
Item no.: 298791
for: Symphonic orchestra
Cello, double bass (orchestral part)
Item no.: 278218
for: Oboe, strings, basso continuo
Viola (orchestral part)
Item no.: 622706
for: Flute, oboe, violin, cello, theorbo, strings, basso continuo
Single part Flute
Item no.: 421776
for: Flute, strings, basso continuo
Viola (orchestral part)
Item no.: 421729
for: Flute, orchestra
Violin 1 (orchestral part)
Item no.: 421624
for: Flute, strings, basso continuo
Cello, double bass (orchestral part)
Item no.: 225284
for: Viola, chamber orchestra
Violin 2 (orchestral part)
Item no.: 1114058
RV428/F.VI: 14 "Il Cardellino"
for: Flute, strings
Single part
Item no.: 1645832
for: Organ, orchestra
Violin 1 (orchestral part)
Item no.: 1549329
for: Oboe, orchestra
Viola (orchestral part)
Item no.: 662975
for: Organ, orchestra
Oboe 1, 2 (orchestral part)
Item no.: 429206
for: Descant recorder, strings, basso continuo
Viola (orchestral part)
Item no.: 424964
op. 104
Einzelstimme Vl. 1
for: Flute, oboe, strings, organ
Violin 1 (orchestral part)
Item no.: 424517
for: Cello, orchestra
Single part Viola
Item no.: 1346562
for: Cello, orchestra
Single part Double bass
Item no.: 1346560
for: Flute solo, 2 violins, viola, basso continuo
Violin 2 (orchestral part)
Item no.: 424830
for: Flute, strings, basso continuo
Viola (orchestral part)
Item no.: 1704105
for: Treble recorder, flute, strings, basso continuo
Single part Violone [Double bass]
Item no.: 683456
nach Robert Schumann. Neue Ausgabe sämtlicher Werke, Band I/2,1
for: Piano, orchestra
Single part Violin 1
Item no.: 750747
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