One of the most important forms of classical music is without a doubt the sonata. The meaning of the term “sonata”, which is derived from the Italian word “sonare” which means “to sound” or “to play”, has changed considerably over time. Browse our sheet music and scores, grab your all your favourites, and find out more about the sonata here today!
The term “sonata” derives from the second half of the 16th century, and refers to different types of instrumental compositions for two or more instruments. The term came about to distinguish the sonata from solo pieces for keyboard instruments, and from pieces with singing, such as cantatas.
The main difference between the baroque sonata and the classical sonata is the number of movements, the baroque sonata has at least four or more, in which slow and fast tempos alternate regularly. The baroque sonata is divided into two basic types:
Sonata da camera (“Chamber Sonata”) – which has a light dance character and is the predecessor of the baroque dance suite.
Sonata da chiesa (“Church sonata”) – which is usually in four movements and has a more serious character.
Depending on the size of the line-up, Baroque sonatas can be further subdivided into Solo Sonata for one instrument (usually violin) and basso continuo, and Trio Sonata for two solo instruments and basso continuo.
One of the most well-known composers of the Baroque sonata is the Italian composer Arcangelo Corelli (1653-1713). Both the Church Sonatas by Corelli and the Chamber Sonatas by Corelli are still very popular with instrumentalists and listeners today.
At the turn of the 17th and 18th centuries, the sonata da chiesa gradually evolved into what is known as the Neapolitan overture, where the introductory slow movement has been removed. The result was a three-movement form, with the tempo structure fast-slow-fast within each movement, which became the model not only for the classical sonata, but also for many other musical forms.
The Italian composer Domenico Scarlatti (1685-1757) contributed a great deal to the development of the sonata. The Sonatas by Scarlatti were usually composed in the traditional sonata form, a one-movement work with two contrasting themes.
During the Classical period, the sonata continued to develop and evolve. At that time, the term “sonata” was mainly understood to mean Piano Sonatas, or sonatas for another solo instrument with piano accompaniment. In its basic form, a classical sonata consists of three, or occasionally four movements, where the first fast movement is written in ’sonata form’, the second movement is slower, and the third movement is usually fast again, and can take various forms.
In a four-movement sonata, a dance movement in the form of a minuet or a scherzo is usually inserted before the last movement. The greatest exponents of the sonata were arguably three composers of the first Viennese school, Joseph Haydn, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart " 1972" text="Ludwig van Beethoven. Beethoven’s most famous sonata is without a doubt the Moonlight Sonata.
for: 2 saxophones
2 Performance scores
Item no.: 101048
for: 2 violins, basso continuo
Score
Item no.: 212937
for: Classical guitar
Music score
Item no.: 648851
(Pastoral)
for: Piano
Music score (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 477749
Volume 2
Bärenreiter Urtext
for: Violin, basso continuo
Score, Parts (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 614778
for: Flute
Music score
Item no.: 129967
for: Piano
Music score (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 659385
Wiener Urtext Edition
for: Piano
2 music scores
Item no.: 208119
for: Organ manuals [harpsichord/piano]
Music score
Item no.: 583653
for: Clarinet, piano
Piano score, solo part
Item no.: 123569
Arrangement for violin and piano by Anton Diabelli
Wiener Urtext Edition
for: Violin, piano
Piano score, solo part (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 666119
for: Violin, piano
Piano score, solo part (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 1043050
for: Violin
Music score
Item no.: 465657
for: Classical guitar
Music score
Item no.: 338067
Bd 4: Sonaten 10-12
for: Flute
Music score, CD
Item no.: 203289
for: ABFL OB 2 VL BC
Item no.: 200533
für Flöte (Altblockflöte) und Bc
for: Flute, basso continuo
Score, Parts
Item no.: 200354
aus: Musicalische Divertissements, Teil IV
for: Flute, violin, basso continuo
Score, Parts
Item no.: 628029
für Blockflöte und Bc (Cembalo)
Spielpartituren mit Faksimile (Bc nicht ausgesetzt)
for: Descant (soprano) recorder, piano
2 Performance scores
Item no.: 627170
Chacone by Mr. D Purcell für
Altblockflöte und Bc
for: HOLZBLASINSTRUMENTE BLOCKFLÖTE MIT TASTENINSTRUMENT ALT-BLOCKFLÖTE UND KLAVIER
Item no.: 280715
Thema, Variationen, Menuett, Alla Turca
for: Violin [flute/mandolin], guitar
Ensemble score
Item no.: 433965
for: Bassoon, piano
Piano score, solo part
Item no.: 603151
Heft 4
for: Treble recorder [violin], basso continuo
Score, Parts
Item no.: 418210
for: Violin, basso continuo
Score, Parts
Item no.: 177280
Archivum Musicum 91
for: Cello, harpsichord
Music score
Item no.: 675259
for: Flute, basso continuo
Item no.: 562244
pour le viollon et pour le clavecin
Volume III: Sonata V (a), Sonata VI (A)
for: Violin, harpsichord
Score, Parts
Item no.: 141614
for flute and piano
for: Flute, piano
Piano score, solo part
Item no.: 404287
...I piaceri del violino...
for: Violin, basso continuo
Score, part
Item no.: 459444
for: Flute, piano
Item no.: 579125
Eliot Fisk Master Series
for: Classical guitar
Music score
Item no.: 341135
Bearbeitet für Flöte und Gitarre
for: Flute, guitar
Parts (2)
Item no.: 130983
for: Treble recorder, basso continuo
Score, Parts
Item no.: 200548
for: Clarinet, piano
Piano score, solo part
Item no.: 176217
for: Treble recorder [violin], basso continuo
Score, Parts
Item no.: 418209
for: Flute, basso continuo
Item no.: 475539
for: Flute, piano
Piano score, solo part (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 1026689
for: Clarinet, piano
Piano score, solo part
Item no.: 394874
for: Violin, piano
Piano score, solo part
Item no.: 379742
for: Piano
Music score
Item no.: 324436
for: Flute, basso continuo
Score, parts, audio files
Item no.: 6456
for: Cello, basso continuo
Score, parts, audio files
Item no.: 6421
for: Flute
Music score, Playback-CD
Item no.: 127227
for: 2 violins [recorders/cornets], basso continuo
Score, parts (pdf download)
Item no.: 4746
for: Cello or 2 Celli and Piano
Score
Item no.: 338425
for: 2 oboes, bassoon, basso continuo
Score, Parts
Item no.: 171618
Six Sonatas for Viola d'amore (Viola) and Basso continuo
Volume 2
Hortus Musicus 223
for: Viola d'amore, basso continuo
Score, Parts
Item no.: 122174
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