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: Piano
Music score (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 401142
for: Cello, piano
Piano score, solo part
Item no.: 197989
for: Trombone, piano
Piano score, solo part
Item no.: 288597
for: 4 bass recorders
Score, Parts
Item no.: 225056
for: Piano
Item no.: 356037
for: 2 violas
Ensemble score
Item no.: 163246
for: Descant recorder [violin/cornett], basso continuo
Sheet music
Item no.: 3827
for: Flute [violin], harpsichord [piano]
Piano score, Solo part (pdf download)
Item no.: 3817
for: Piano
Music score (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 131495
for: Classical guitar
Music score
Item no.: 294005
for: 3 flutes [oboes/violins]
Score, parts (pdf download)
Item no.: 4911
for: Violin [treble recorder/flute/oboe], basso continuo
Score, parts, audio files
Item no.: 1276
for: Violin, basso continuo
Score, parts, audio files
Item no.: 6045
for: Trumpet (B-flat) [horn (B-flat)], piano [organ]
Piano score, solo part
Item no.: 198893
for: Flute, piano
Piano score, solo part
Item no.: 158551
for: Cello
Music score
Item no.: 564816
for Flute and Basso continuo
DOWANI 3 Tempi Play Along
for: Flute, basso continuo
Piano score, solo part, playback-CD
Item no.: 477253
for: Cello, piano
Score, part
Item no.: 640757
for: Piano
Music score
Item no.: 229484
for: Trumpet, piano [organ]
Piano score, solo part
Item no.: 143817
Three Sonatas for Flute and Harpsichord (Piano)
Edition Peters Urtext
for: Flute, harpsichord [piano]
Piano score, solo part
Item no.: 379001
for: Piano
Music score (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 656573
(Piano Sonata)
for: Piano
Music score (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 693420
revised edition
replaces HN 357
for: Piano
Music score (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 1351876
Volume I
Bärenreiter Urtext
for: Violin, piano
Piano score, solo part (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 764097
for: Piano
Music score (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 401311
for: Organ
Music score
Item no.: 1316867
for: Descant (soprano) recorder, piano
Piano score, solo part
Item no.: 418905
for: Cello, piano
Piano score, solo part
Item no.: 608756
for: Treble recorder, basso continuo
Score, Parts
Item no.: 361798
for: Flöte, Basso continuo, Cembalo
Spielpartitur, Stimmensatz, Urtextausgabe, Sammelband
Item no.: 273762
for: Flute, basso continuo
Score, Parts (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 314050
for: Piano
Music score (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 401379
for: Flute, basso continuo
Item no.: 393345
for: Oboe, piano
Piano score, solo part
Item no.: 247813
Studien-Edition
for: Violin
Study score
Item no.: 223363
for: 2 cellos
Item no.: 155281
Edited from the sources
Wiener Urtext Edition
for: Piano
Music score
Item no.: 558901
for: Violin
Music score
Item no.: 404601
for: Piano
Music score (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 401144
for: Piano
Music score (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 492998
for: Flute, piano
Piano score, solo part
Item no.: 490722
"Il Pastor Fido"
Volume I
for: Flute, piano
Piano score, solo part
Item no.: 165377
with marked and unmarked string parts
for: Cello, piano
Piano score, solo part (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 160710
for: Flute, basso continuo
Piano score, parts
Item no.: 393302
for: Cello, piano
Piano score, solo part
Item no.: 108824
for: Cello, basso continuo
Score, Parts
Item no.: 158510
"Aurnhammer"-Sonatas
with marked and unmarked string part
for: Violin, piano
Piano score, solo part (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 401524
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