Who said that there are no arguments in music? On the contrary, the never-ending “competition” is an inseparable part of music itself, be it between instruments, within the dynamics or through the phrasing. In a solo concerto, a virtuosic soloist duels with the accompanying orchestra, and all being well, in the end, everybody wins! Browse our sheet music and scores, and explore all concertos from all eras with Stretta today!
The word “Concerto” is derived from the Latin term “concertare”, which means to dispute, contend or fight, while the same word took on a completely opposite meaning in Italian, to harmonise. The term was initially used for sacred choral compositions with bass accompaniment. First the Italian baroque composers Alessandro Stradella, Giuseppe Torelli and Arcangelo Corelli began to compose in the instrumental form that we now call “Concerto Grosso”. It consists of a small group of solo instruments, a “Concertino”, and a larger accompanying orchestra, the “Ripieno”, with basso continuo.
In the high baroque period, the first solo instrumental concertos began to appear, with a classic three-movement structure, for one, but sometimes for two or more instruments. The master of this form was without a doubt Antonio Vivaldi, from whose pen, to this day, 447 concertos have survived, 226 of them for violin. Vivaldi’s best-known concerto is his violin concerto Four Seasons. Both Bach and Handel are also well known for their concertos.
The solo concerto was also very popular in the classical period. All great composers who were accomplished pianists or instrumentalists wrote solo concertos, often for themselves, but also for other contemporary virtuosos, here are a few great classical solo concertos:
In the romantic period, almost all major composers devoted themselves to solo or double concertos of all kinds. Here are a few romantic favourites:
An additional brochure is included with todays most performed cadenzas , ” Eingänge ” and fermata embellishments by Eugène Ysaÿe , Leopold Auer, Sam Franko and Martin Wulfhorst
Bärenreiter Urtext
presviously 16,95 € (save 71 %)
for: Violin, orchestra
Piano score, solo part (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 116559
Bärenreiter Urtext
for: Violin, orchestra
Piano score, solo part (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 116456
Bärenreiter Urtext
for: Clarinet (A) [basset clarinet], orchestra
Piano reduction, 2 solo parts (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 116514
for: 2 pianos
Piano reduction (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 561233
for: Cello solo, string orchestra
Piano reduction, solo part
Item no.: 1530198
Bärenreiter Urtext
for: Violin, piano
Piano reduction, solo part
Item no.: 116561
for organ solo arranged
for: Organ
Music score
Item no.: 602555
with a preface by Gidon Kremer
for: Violin
Music score
Item no.: 113613
for two pianos
for: 2 pianos
Piano reduction
Item no.: 197736
for: Violin, orchestra
Piano score, solo part (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 160713
Henle Urtext Editions
for: 2 violins, orchestra
Piano reduction, 2 solo parts (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 298883
Bärenreiter Urtext
for: Piano, orchestra
Piano reduction
Item no.: 116569
with marked and unmarked string parts
Breitkopf Urtext
for: Violin, orchestra
Piano score, solo part (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 141769
for: Viola, piano
Piano score, solo part
Item no.: 197961
for: String orchestra, basso continuo
Score
Item no.: 397704
Breitkopf Urtext Edition
for: Flute, harp, piano
Piano score, 2 solo parts (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 184382
with marked and unmarked string parts
for: Violin, orchestra
Piano score, solo part (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 337599
Konzert für Violine und Orchester
exempla nova 162
for: Violin, orchestra
Study score
Item no.: 108759
Bärenreiter Urtext
for: Piano, orchestra
Piano reduction (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 116479
for: Clarinet, orchestra
Piano reduction, solo part
Item no.: 358524
for: 2 pianos
Piano reduction (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 767294
for two pianos
for: Piano, orchestra
Piano reduction (2 piano's)
Item no.: 109179
2 Copies needed to perform
for: 2 pianos
Piano reduction
Item no.: 317094
Bärenreiter Urtext
for: Horn, orchestra
Piano reduction, 2 solo parts (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 116793
for: Piano, orchestra
Score (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 193055
Urtext based on the new Complete Edition (G. Henle Verlag)
for: Violin, cello, orchestra
Score (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 472618
for Double Bass and orchestra
(with Violin obbligato)
in C and D (with parts in solo- and orchestral tuning)
Download of part in Viennese tuning (A-d-f#-a)
for: Double bass, piano
Piano score, solo part (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 151813
ars instrumentalis 016
for: Oboe, strings, basso continuo
Score
Item no.: 180152
Bärenreiter Urtext
for: Piano, orchestra
Piano reduction (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 116798
Edition Peters Green Series
for: 2 pianos
Piano reduction (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 622436
for: Violin, orchestra
Piano reduction, solo part
Item no.: 197790
Bärenreiter Urtext
for: Flute, orchestra
Piano score, solo part (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 117451
with marked and unmarked string parts
for: Violin, orchestra
Piano score, solo part (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 401304
with marked and unmarked string parts
for: Violin, orchestra
Piano score, solo part (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 401429
arrangiert für Schulorchester
for: Symphonic school orchestra
Score
Item no.: 275602
Il Flauto traverso
for: Flute, string orchestra, basso continuo
Piano reduction, solo part
Item no.: 393379
Two copies needed for performance
for: 2 pianos
Piano reduction (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 229046
Versenymű oboára és zenekarra
for: Oboe, orchestra
Piano reduction, solo part
Item no.: 254952
with Beethoven's original cadenzas
– Two copies needed for performance –
for: Piano, orchestra
Piano reduction (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 401415
contains the unsigned solo part as well as the solo part arranged and annotated by Heinrich Schiff
Breitkopf Urtext Edition
for: Cello, orchestra
Piano score, solo part (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 180584
for: Trumpet (B-flat), piano
Piano score, solo part
Item no.: 146870
H.484.1 (Wq 22)
for: Flute, orchestra
Piano score, solo part (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 630315
Erstveröffentlichung
for: Harpsichord, strings
Score
Item no.: 335591
for: Clarinet, orchestra
Piano reduction, solo part
Item no.: 261439
for: Clarinet, orchestra
Piano score, solo part (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 796372
für Klarinette und Orchester
Ausgabe für Klarinette und Klavier
ars instrumentalis 028
for: Clarinet, piano
Piano score, solo part
Item no.: 109090
Edition for Clarinet and Piano
Edition Peters Green Series
for: Clarinet (B-flat), piano
Piano reduction, solo part
Item no.: 379411
with marked and unmarked string parts
for: Violin, orchestra
Piano score, solo part (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 362802