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:
D. 839
for: Cello [trombone/bassoon], piano
Piano score, solo part, audio file
Item no.: 1489
aus der Schauspielmusik zu Ibsens "Peer Gynt" (Klavierfassung des Komponisten, op. 46, Nr.2)
for: Piano
Sheet music
Item no.: 1251
Meditation über das erste Präludium aus dem Wohltemperierten Klavier von Johann Sebastian Bach
for: Voice (medium), piano
Sheet music, audio files
Item no.: 1231
pour Voix et Orgue
for: Voice (low), organ [piano]
Sheet music
Item no.: 1988
op. posth. (1871)
für Männerchor und Orgel
for: Male choir, organ
Score
Item no.: 5745
für gemischten Chor
for: Mixed choir (SATTBB) a cappella
Score
Item no.: 2181
Meditation über das erste Präludium aus dem Wohltemperierten Klavier von Johann Sebastian Bach
bearbeitet für Chor und Klavier
for: Mixed choir (SATB), piano
Score
Item no.: 2667
aus: "École d'Orgue, Deuxième Partie" (Nr. 10)
for: Organ
Sheet music
Item no.: 4532
Meditation über das erste Präludium aus dem Wohltemperierten Klavier von Johann Sebastian Bach
bearbeitet für Violoncello und Klavier
for: Cello, piano
Piano score, solo part, audio file
Item no.: 1237
für Singstimme und Klavier (Orgel)
for: Voice (medium), piano [organ]
Sheet music
Item no.: 2326
Offertorium
for: Mixed choir a cappella
Sheet music
Item no.: 4653
for: Voice (low), piano
Sheet music
Item no.: 1847
aus den "Kinderszenen", op. 15
bearbeitet für Flöte (Oboe, Violine) und Klavier
for: Flute [oboe/violin], piano
Piano score, solo part, audio file
Item no.: 2145
Piccola melodia
for: Voice (medium/high), piano
Sheet music, audio files
Item no.: 1479
Meditation über das erste Präludium aus dem Wohltemperierten Klavier von Johann Sebastian Bach
bearbeitet für Flöte und Klavier
for: Flute, piano
Sheet music, audio file
Item no.: 2062
aus "Harmonies poétiques et religieuses"
for: Piano
Sheet music
Item no.: 1371
op. 176, Nr. 9
for: Mixed choir (SATB) a cappella
Score
Item no.: 1372
Piccola melodia
for: Voice (medium/low), piano
Sheet music, audio files
Item no.: 1480
D. 839
for: Clarinet (B-flat) [trumpet], piano
Piano score, Solo part (pdf download)
Item no.: 1641
op. 22, Nr. 2
for: Organ
Sheet music
Item no.: 4014
D. 839
for: Flute [violin], piano
Piano score, solo part, audio file
Item no.: 1490
aus "Il sesto libro de madrigali" (1615)
for: Mixed choir (SSATB) a cappella
Score
Item no.: 1874
for: Alto saxophone, piano
Piano score, Solo part (pdf download)
Item no.: 1850
Meditation über das erste Präludium aus dem Wohltemperierten Klavier von Johann Sebastian Bach
for: Voice (low), piano
Sheet music
Item no.: 1994
op. 19b
für Singstimme und Orgel
for: Voice (medium), organ
Sheet music
Item no.: 2454
op. 100, Nr. 19
bearbeotet für Streichquartett
for: 2 violins, viola, cello (string quartet)
Score, parts (pdf download)
Item no.: 2362
Meditation über das erste Präludium aus dem Wohltemperierten Klavier von Johann Sebastian Bach
bearbeitet für Trompete und Klavier
for: Trumpet (C/B-flat), piano
Piano score, solo part, audio file
Item no.: 1239
D. 839
for: Trumpet (B-flat) [clarinet/tenor saxophone], organ
Score, part (pdf download)
Item no.: 1488
bearbeitet für Violine und Viola
for: Violin, viola
Ensemble score (pdf download)
Item no.: 3361
bearbeitet für Klarinette oder Trompete in B und Orgel (Klavier)
for: Clarinet (B-flat) [trumpet], organ [piano]
Score, part (pdf download)
Item no.: 1903
Ausgabe für Chor und Orgel
for: Mixed choir (SATB), organ
Score, choir score (pdf download)
Item no.: 2936
für Singstimme und Basso continuo
for: Voice (high), basso continuo
Sheet music, audio files
Item no.: 2382
aus "Vier Lieder des Gedächtnisses", op. 24 (Nr. 3)
for: Mixed choir (SATB) a cappella
Sheet music
Item no.: 1142
aus "Sechs religiöse Gesänge", op. 157 (Nr. 6)
for: Voice (high), organ
Sheet music
Item no.: 2413
for: Violin [oboe/trumpet (C)], piano
Piano score, Solo part (pdf download)
Item no.: 1848
Marche funebre del Sig. Maestro Contrapunto, KV 453a
for: Piano
Sheet music
Item no.: 3606
for: Horn (E-flat) [tenor horn], piano
Score, part (pdf download)
Item no.: 1851
Meditation über das erste Präludium aus dem Wohltemperierten Klavier von Johann Sebastian Bach
for: Voice (high), piano
Sheet music, audio files
Item no.: 1229
Meditation über das erste Präludium aus dem Wohltemperierten Klavier von Johann Sebastian Bach
for: Voice (medium/low), piano
Sheet music, audio files
Item no.: 1232
Scala enigmatica armonizzata a 4 voci miste dai "Quattro Pezzi Sacri"
for: Mixed choir (SATB) a cappella
Sheet music
Item no.: 1160
from: Funeral Music for Queen Mary
for: Mixed choir (SATB), basso continuo
Score
Item no.: 4184
for: Piano
Sheet music
Item no.: 2569
Ellens dritter Gesang (Hymne an die Jungfrau), aus Walter Scotts "Fräulein vom See"
D. 839 (op. 52, Nr. 6)
for: Voice (low), piano
Sheet music
Item no.: 2220
for: 3 violins, basso continuo
Score, parts (pdf download)
Item no.: 1333
for: Clarinet (B-flat) [tenor saxophone/trumpet], piano
Score, part (pdf download)
Item no.: 1849
Transkription des 3. Satzes der Klaviersonate As-Dur (op. 26) von L. van Beethoven
for: Guitar
Sheet music
Item no.: 1742
Meditation über das erste Präludium aus dem Wohltemperierten Klavier von Johann Sebastian Bach
for: Voice (medium/high), piano
Sheet music, audio files
Item no.: 1230
from: Funeral Music for Queen Mary
for: Mixed choir (SATB), basso continuo
Score
Item no.: 4554