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.: 401317
for: VC (VA) KLAV
Score, Parts
Item no.: 366610
for: Piano
Music score
Item no.: 124499
Concerto de' varii stromenti
for: 2–4 melodic instruments, basso continuo
Score, Parts
Item no.: 482976
for: Violin, basso continuo
Score, Parts
Item no.: 351283
for: Piano
Music score (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 613305
Volume 1 (Sonata 4-6)
for: Flute, basso continuo
Piano score, parts
Item no.: 200343
for: Flute, basso continuo
Score, 2 ensemble scores
Item no.: 286068
for: Piano
Music score (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 673610
for: 2 pianos
Score
Item no.: 169541
for: Violin, piano
Item no.: 156107
for: Alto saxophone, organ
Organ reduction, Solo part
Item no.: 475835
for: Harp
Music score
Item no.: 100868
for: Harpsichord
Music score
Item no.: 177112
for: Violin, piano
Piano score, solo part
Item no.: 256081
for: Cello, piano
Piano score, solo part, playback-CD
Item no.: 142123
for: Violin, piano
Piano score, solo part
Item no.: 108788
for: Piano
Music score (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 116552
for: Descant (soprano) recorder [violin], basso continuo
Score, solo part
Item no.: 176256
after Richard Strauss
for: Trumpet (B-flat/C), piano
Piano score, solo part
Item no.: 776690
Nach der Originalausgabe
Wiener Urtext Edition
for: Cello, piano
Piano score, solo part
Item no.: 125035
for: Violin, piano
Piano score, solo part
Item no.: 108869
for: Clarinet, piano
Piano score, solo part
Item no.: 388743
for: Piano
Music score (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 666935
edition with piano score, unmarked performance score (vc/bass) and marked part (vc)
for: Cello, double bass [piano]
Piano score, ensemble score, solo part (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 773563
for: Flute, piano
Item no.: 288099
for: Trumpet, organ
Organ score, solo part
Item no.: 276144
for: Piano
Music score
Item no.: 155315
for: Treble recorder, basso continuo
Piano score, 2 solo parts, online playback
Item no.: 1331515
for: Piano
Music score
Item no.: 229483
Grand sonata A major
Kammermusik
for: Flute [violin], guitar
Score, solo part
Item no.: 245640
Henle Urtext Editions
for: Clarinet (B-flat), piano
Piano score, solo part (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 617093
for: Flute, piano
Piano score, solo part
Item no.: 395359
The Mannheim, Paris, Salzburg Sonatas
Bärenreiter Urtext
for: Violin, piano
Piano score, solo part (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 116515
for: Piano
Music score (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 796410
for: Piano
Music score (Hardcover, Urtext edition)
Item no.: 696690
Allowed reprint (1902, Gutheil, Moskau)
for: Cello, piano
Piano score, solo part
Item no.: 1202287
for: Clarinet (B-flat), piano
Piano score, solo part
Item no.: 198886
for: Cello, basso continuo
Score, Parts
Item no.: 351737
for: Piano
Music score
Item no.: 382457
for: Viola da gamba, basso continuo
2 Performance scores
Item no.: 684495
original für Violine und Klavier
for: Alto flute, piano
Piano score, solo part
Item no.: 1161566
for: Tuba, piano
Piano score, solo part
Item no.: 768268
Camera Flauto Amadeus 145
for: 3 ABFL BC / 2 ABFL VC BC
Item no.: 302835
Orpheus Caledonius 3
Triosonaten
for: 2 violins, basso continuo
Score, Parts
Item no.: 484703
Manuskript 2° Ms. Mus. 35 der Universitätsbibliothek Kassel
Georg Friedrich Händel, zugeschrieben
for: Treble recorder, basso continuo
2 Performance scores
Item no.: 643505
Chamber Music Of The Seventeenth Century 14
for: 2 violins [descant recorders/cornetts], basso continuo
Score, Parts
Item no.: 335081
for: Flute, basso continuo
Item no.: 129631
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