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
Item no.: 302987
Heft 2 (Sonaten 4 - 6)
for: 2 flutes (duet)
Item no.: 131008
Sibley Nr. 22 & Nr. 26
for: Treble recorder, basso continuo
Score, Parts
Item no.: 603730
für 2 Violinen, Bassgambe und Bc
4 Spielpartituren
for: 2 VL VDG CEMB
Item no.: 140147
Arrangement of the Sonata for Violoncello and Piano
Russische Musik der Moderne
for: Viola, piano
Piano score, solo part
Item no.: 328830
Aus den "Recueil de Douze Sonates" (1712)
Collection Thierry Mathis
for: 2 violins, viola da gamba, basso continuo
Score, Parts
Item no.: 128041
for: Violin, basso continuo
Score, Parts (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 549172
for: Piano
Music score
Item no.: 182646
for: Flöte und Cembalo (Klavier)
Music score
Item no.: 754427
Edition Schott
for: Oboe
Music score
Item no.: 749585
for violin or flute and basso continuo
Urtext
for: Flute [violin], basso continuo
Ensemble score, solo parts
Item no.: 115321
for: Alto saxophone, cello
2 Performance scores
Item no.: 680972
for: Descant (soprano) recorder [flute/oboe/violin], basso continuo
Score, Parts
Item no.: 174366
for: Flute, basso continuo
Score, Parts
Item no.: 179185
for: 2 violins, basso continuo
Score, Parts
Item no.: 304591
for: Flöte / Violine, Klavier
Music score, CD
Item no.: 432934
for: 2 violins, viola (trio)
Item no.: 134500
for: Clarinet, piano
Piano score, solo part (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 770766
for: Treble recorder, basso continuo
Piano score, solo part, online audio (playback)
Item no.: 1019212
for: Flute
Solo part, Playback-CD
Item no.: 290240
for: Flute
Music score
Item no.: 331787
for: 2 trumpets (C), 2 violins, organ, cello [double bass/bassoon]
Score, parts (pdf download)
Item no.: 5775
for: Piano
Sheet music
Item no.: 4110
for: Violin [flute], basso continuo
Score, parts, audio files
Item no.: 3353
London, B1 Ms. Add. 31501, I
Tastata – Opere d'intavolatura d'organo e cimbalo
for: Harpsichord [organ]
Music score
Item no.: 764559
for: Violin
Music score
Item no.: 395296
for: STREICH- UND ZUPFINSTRUMENTE HISTORISCHE INSTRUMENTE ZWEI GLEICHE UND KLAVIER
Item no.: 637845
for: 2 pianos
Score
Item no.: 132128
for: Cello [double bass], piano
Piano score, 2 solo parts
Item no.: 395216
for: Violin, cello
Spielpartituren (2), Urtextausgabe
Item no.: 586173
for: Descant (soprano) recorder [violin], piano
Ensemble score, solo part
Item no.: 418886
for: 2 pianos
Score
Item no.: 174116
from "Der getreue Musikmeister"
Hortus Musicus
for: Cello, basso continuo
Score, Parts
Item no.: 122047
for: Oboe, piano
Piano score, solo part
Item no.: 360554
for: Flute, violin, piano
Piano score, parts
Item no.: 583176
for: Cello or 2 Celli and Piano
Score
Item no.: 411454
for: Flute, viola, harp
Score, Parts (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 605969
for: Flute, piano
Piano score, solo part
Item no.: 359798
D minor
Dowani 3 Tempi Play Along
for: Treble recorder, basso continuo
Piano score, solo part, playback-CD
Item no.: 368212
for: Clarinet (B-flat), piano
Piano score, solo part
Item no.: 689579
for: Bassoon, piano
Piano score, solo part
Item no.: 256572
for: Recorder, basso continuo
Score, Parts (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 256512
for: Cello, piano
Piano score, solo part
Item no.: 194511
for: Treble recorder, basso continuo
Piano score, parts
Item no.: 419241
for: Piano
Music score (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 633511
for: Piano
Music score (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 551963
for: Sopran-Blockflöte (Violine) und Basso continuo
Item no.: 223765
Edition Peters Green Series
for: Piano
Music score (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 382455
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