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: Frauenchor (SSAA) a cappella, 2 Soli (SA) ad libitum
Choir score
Item no.: 751713
Offertorium
for: Mixed choir a cappella
Sheet music
Item no.: 4653
Piccola melodia
for: Voice (medium/high), piano
Sheet music, audio files
Item no.: 1479
(Ton Original)
for: Singstimme (S/T) und Klavier
Music score
Item no.: 750538
for: tiefe Singstimme (Original, f - ges'') und Klavier
Music score
Item no.: 744309
für Singstimme und Orgel (Klavier)
for: Singstimme und Orgel (Klavier)
Score
Item no.: 725059
Pièces célèbres
for: Guitar
Music score
Item no.: 749902
(liturgisch)
for: Frauenchor (SSMezA)
Choir score
Item no.: 751716
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
for: Frauenchor (SSA oder SSAA) und Klavier
Choir score
Item no.: 737468
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
Meditation on the first Prelude C Major from the Well-tempered Piano by J. S. Bach
for: hohe Singstimme und Klavier; Violine (Violoncello) ad libitum
Music score
Item no.: 749047
Meditation über das erste Präludium aus dem Wohltemperierten Klavier von Johann Sebastian Bach
for: Voice (low), piano
Sheet music
Item no.: 1994
Meditation about the first Prelude C major from "The Well-Tempered Clavier" by J.S. Bach
for: Violine (Violoncello) und Klavier; Harmonium und Violoncello II ad. lib.
Music score
Item no.: 724672
A-flat major
for: Voice (medium), piano
Music score
Item no.: 727544
für gemischten Chor (SSAATTBB) a cappella
for: gemischter Chor (SSAATTBB) a cappella
Choir score
Item no.: 736406
op. 97e, 2
for: gemischter Chor (SSAATTBB) a cappella
Choir score
Item no.: 750661
op. 100, Nr. 19
bearbeotet für Streichquartett
for: 2 violins, viola, cello (string quartet)
Score, parts (pdf download)
Item no.: 2362
for: Mixed choir (SATB) a cappella
Choir score
Item no.: 733390
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
Meditation on the first Prelude C major from "The Well-Tempered Clavier"
for: Piano
Noten erleichtert
Item no.: 739469
Edition Schott
for: Alt (Bariton) und Klavier
Music score
Item no.: 741310
Motette
for: Mixed choir (SSATTB) a cappella
Choir score
Item no.: 751860
D. 839
for: Trumpet (B-flat) [clarinet/tenor saxophone], organ
Score, part (pdf download)
Item no.: 1488
for: 2 Soprane (Sopran/Alt) und Orgel
Music score
Item no.: 740400
Fantasy on a Lied by Franz Schubert
for: Organ
Music score
Item no.: 755332
3 Transcriptions for Guitar
for: Guitar
Music score
Item no.: 750069
für Singstimme und Basso continuo
for: Voice (high), basso continuo
Sheet music, audio files
Item no.: 2382
for: gleiche Stimmen (SMezA)
Choir score
Item no.: 742592
aus "Sechs religiöse Gesänge", op. 157 (Nr. 6)
for: Voice (high), organ
Sheet music
Item no.: 2413
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
Fantasy
for: Piano
Music score
Item no.: 749023
Vocal Album from the 16th to the 20th century
for: 1-4 Singstimmen (solistisch oder chorisch) und Klavier (Orgel)
Music score
Item no.: 779819
Scala enigmatica armonizzata a 4 voci miste dai "Quattro Pezzi Sacri"
for: Mixed choir (SATB) a cappella
Sheet music
Item no.: 1160
D major
for: tiefe Singstimme und Klavier; Violine (Violoncello) ad libitum
Music score
Item no.: 724110
for voice and string quartet
for: Singstimme und Streichquartett
Score, Parts
Item no.: 725060
(zus. mit Bach/Gounod: Ave Maria)
for: Alt (Bariton) und Klavier
Music score
Item no.: 760376
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
Meditation on the first Prelude C major from "The Well-Tempered Clavier"
for: Piano
Noten Original-Ausgabe
Item no.: 749046
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
Meditation über das erste Präludium aus dem Wohltemperierten Klavier von Johann Sebastian Bach
bearbeitet für Oboe und Klavier
for: Oboe, piano
Piano score, solo part, audio file
Item no.: 1238
für Singstimme und Klavier (Orgel)
for: Voice (high), piano [organ]
Sheet music
Item no.: 2325
Ellens dritter Gesang (Hymne an die Jungfrau), aus Walter Scotts "Fräulein vom See"
D. 839 (op. 52, Nr. 6)
for: Voice (medium), piano
Sheet music
Item no.: 2221
aus "Sechs religiöse Gesänge", op. 157 (Nr. 6)
for: Voice (medium), organ
Sheet music
Item no.: 2412
Edition Schott
for: Voice, piano [organ]
Music score
Item no.: 756362