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: Piano
Music score, online audio
Item no.: 187196
K. 412/514, K. 417, K. 447, K. 495
In Cooperation with G. Henle Verlag
for: Horn, orchestra
Study score (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 773179
for: Flute, piano
Piano score, solo part
Item no.: 318719
Critical edition of the score
Edizione critica della partitura (komplett) (complete)
for: Violin, strings, basso continuo
Set of parts
Item no.: 260536
for: Piano, orchestra
Study score (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 182917
for: Clarinet, string orchestra, harp, piano
Score
Item no.: 486129
for: Piano, orchestra
Score (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 116568
for: Trombone, piano
Item no.: 392848
for: 3 cellos
Score, Set of parts
Item no.: 579228
for: Cello, piano
Piano score, solo part
Item no.: 108813
arrangiert für Oboe und Klavier
for: Oboe, piano
Piano score, solo part
Item no.: 198268
for: Alto saxophone (E-flat), chamber orchestra
Study score
Item no.: 290310
for: Oboe, strings, basso continuo
Set of parts
Item no.: 295450
for: Cello, orchestra
Score (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 116445
for: Piano, orchestra
Score (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 480254
for: Horn, orchestra
Score (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 459291
for: Violin, piano
Piano reduction
Item no.: 485153
for: Orchestra and Piano
Score
Item no.: 361698
for: 2 flutes, piano
Piano score, 2 playing scores
Item no.: 165596
for: Violin, piano
Piano score, solo part
Item no.: 560146
for: Violin, piano, orchestra
Score
Item no.: 314847
for: Flute, orchestra
Score (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 166097
for: Treble recorder [flute], strings, basso continuo
Score, Set of parts
Item no.: 414238
for: Violin, orchestra
Piano reduction, solo part
Item no.: 197843
for: Violin, orchestra
Study score
Item no.: 391919
Urtext based on the Brahms Complete Edition of the Gesellschaft der Musikfreunde in Vienna
EB 6043 is printed in score form; two copies are needed for performance.
for: Piano, orchestra
Piano reduction (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 284894
for: Flute, orchestra
Piano reduction, solo part
Item no.: 298465
for: Piano, orchestra
Piano reduction
Item no.: 347687
Volume 2 (Nos. 4-6)
for: Flute, violin, melody instrument (C/ripieno), basso continuo
Score, Parts
Item no.: 697722
for: Violin, piano
Piano reduction, solo part
Item no.: 180040
for: Cello solo, string orchestra
Score (spiral binding)
Item no.: 1009172
for: Clarinet (B-flat), piano
Piano score, solo part
Item no.: 393050
for: Flute, orchestra
Piano score, solo part (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 280225
for: Cello, orchestra
Study score (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 662908
piano reduction in C major and D major
Part in "Viennese tuning" (A-d-f#-a): free download
for: Double bass, orchestra
Piano score, solo part (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 630400
for: Horn, piano
Piano score, solo part (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 696047
for: Flute, orchestra
Piano reduction, solo part
Item no.: 163585
Concerto for Bassoon and Orchestra
Urtext
for: Bassoon, orchestra
Study score (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 456189
for: Oboe, piano
Piano reduction, solo part
Item no.: 284653
for: Tuba, orchestra
Piano reduction, solo part
Item no.: 276319
für Oboe und Klavier
for: Oboe, piano
Piano score, solo part
Item no.: 582939
for: Tuba, piano
Sheet music
Item no.: 1272406
Complete Works Vol.II:19
for: Cello, piano
Piano reduction
Item no.: 1556166
for: Tuba, orchestra
Piano reduction, solo part
Item no.: 602856
“Egyptian”
Repertoire Explorer
for: Piano, orchestra
Study score
Item no.: 633097
Bärenreiter Urtext
for: Horn, orchestra
Score (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 209438
for: Horn, orchestra
Piano reduction, solo part
Item no.: 616714
for: Oboe, piano
Piano score, solo part
Item no.: 630028
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