Music has always played an important role in Funeral services. Browse our sheet music and scores, and let Stretta help you find the right music today.
Since the 13th century, clergymen have gathered in calendar brotherhoods on the calends, the first days of each month, to remember their deceased brothers. As at the funerals themselves, there was extensive singing. Later, choirs emerged from this ritual, to perform motets at funerals, in church or at the grave.
In addition to settings of Requiems, the Dutch composers of the 15th and 16th centuries wrote funeral motets to commemorate princes and rulers, which continued to spread across Europe in the 17th and 18th centuries, with settings such as Handel’s Funeral Music for Queen Caroline, Musical Exequies by Heinrich Schütz and Purcells’s Funeral Music for Queen Mary. This began to expand into the secular world with works like Monteverdi’s Lamento d‘Arianna.
In France, the Sarabande was the most popular lament before the funeral march developed in the late 18th century. In the last century, new works such as dirges and epitaphs have entered the repertoire as expressions of mourning and grief.
Nowadays, pop or rock songs are often played at funerals. Here is a list of popular modern songs for funeral ceremonies:
for: Male choir (TTBB) a cappella
Music score
Item no.: 725822
from "Scenes of Childhood"
for: Viola, piano
Music score
Item no.: 735709
Marche funebre del Sig. Maestro Contrapunto, KV 453a
for: Piano
Sheet music
Item no.: 3606
Edition Schott
for: Violin, string orchestra
Piano reduction, solo part
Item no.: 748272
for: Male choir (TTBB) a cappella
Music score
Item no.: 725812
(Friedrich von Schiller)
for: gemischter Chor und Instrumente
Piano reduction
Item no.: 756813
for: Piano
Sheet music
Item no.: 2569
from 'Scenes from Childhood'
for: 2 violins, viola, cello (string quartet); double bass ad lib.
Score, Parts
Item no.: 752550
for: 3 violins, basso continuo
Score, parts (pdf download)
Item no.: 1333
for: Women's choir (SMezA) a cappella
Music score
Item no.: 725852
Str. 1: aus den Psalmen 55, 108,25; Str. 2: Klaus Heizmann)
for: Women's choir (SMezA) a cappella
Music score
Item no.: 743645
Transkription des 3. Satzes der Klaviersonate As-Dur (op. 26) von L. van Beethoven
for: Guitar
Sheet music
Item no.: 1742
for: Mixed choir (SATB) a cappella
Music score
Item no.: 755718
for: Mixed choir (SATB) a cappella
Music score
Item no.: 755722
Edition Schott
for: Cello, piano
Music score
Item no.: 730965
Kanon zu 3 Stimmen
for: Male choir
Music score
Item no.: 725815
for: Mixed choir (SATB/SAB) a cappella
Music score
Item no.: 741129
Psalm 121,1-3
for: Women's choir (SMezA) a cappella
Music score
Item no.: 725849
Offenbarung 14,13
for: Mixed choir (SATB) a cappella
Music score
Item no.: 741136
with "Funeral march"
for: Piano
Music score
Item no.: 742055
bearbeitet für Klavier
for: Piano
Sheet music
Item no.: 2558
Edition Schott
for: Mixed choir (SATB), string orchestra [organ]
Choir score
Item no.: 728319
Edition Schott
for: Horn, piano
Music score
Item no.: 729585
for: Mixed choir (SATB/SAB) a cappella
Music score
Item no.: 725806
for: Women's choir (SMezA) a cappella
Music score
Item no.: 725839
from "Scenes of Childhood"
for: Clarinet (B-flat), piano
Music score
Item no.: 752832
for violin and organ
for: Violin, organ
Music score
Item no.: 755239
for: Male choir (TTBB) a cappella
Music score
Item no.: 725814
Edition Schott
for: 3 Violinen und Basso continuo oder Streichorchester
Score
Item no.: 736831
for viola and organ
for: Viola, organ
Music score
Item no.: 736376
En mémoire d'un jeune homme
for: Organ
Music score
Item no.: 737700
Music Of Our Time
for: Solo-Violine und Streichorchester
Study score
Item no.: 741509
Edition Schott
for: Organ
Music score
Item no.: 750312
Parergon zu "The Creation"
for: Organ
Music score
Item no.: 726695
aus der Sonate Nr. 2, op. 35
for: Piano
Sheet music
Item no.: 4593
for: Women's choir (SMezA) a cappella
Music score
Item no.: 725846
from 'Scenes from Childhood'
for: 4 cellos
Score, Parts
Item no.: 737699
aus der Sonate op. 35
bearbeitet für Klarinette und Klavier
for: Clarinet (B-flat), piano
Piano score, Solo part (pdf download)
Item no.: 4057
for: Mixed choir (SATB/SAB) a cappella
Music score
Item no.: 741132
for: Mixed choir (SATB/SAB) a cappella
Music score
Item no.: 741134
for: Male choir (TTBB) a cappella
Music score
Item no.: 725826
Offenbarung 14,13
for: Women's choir (SMezA) a cappella
Music score
Item no.: 725855
for: 3 Violinen und Basso continuo oder Streichorchester
Stimmensatz solistisch
Item no.: 756861
2. O my love Theseus
for: Mixed choir (SSATB) a cappella
Choir score
Item no.: 755302
for: 3 violins, basso continuo
Einzelstimme Basso continuo
Item no.: 749093
Choralsatz
for: Male choir
Choir score
Item no.: 742617
"Wenn wir auch dürftig hausen"
for: Male choir (TTBB) a cappella
Choir score
Item no.: 742689
for: Bläsersextett
Set of parts
Item no.: 747241