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:
Bärenreiter Urtext
for: 2 horns, orchestra
Study score (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 196833
Bärenreiter Urtext
for: Violin, orchestra
Score (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 175127
Bärenreiter Urtext
for: Piano, orchestra
Piano reduction (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 116820
Study Score
for: Piano, orchestra
Study score
Item no.: 318261
for: Trombone, piano
Piano reduction, solo part
Item no.: 1021931
Two copies needed for performance
for: Piano, orchestra
Piano reduction (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 1558762
Fanna VIII,no.34 - PV 50
for: Bassoon, strings, basso continuo
Set of parts
Item no.: 1556119
Einfaches Konzert für Violine und Klavier
Easy Concertos and Concertinos
1st Position
for: Violin, piano
Piano score, solo part
Item no.: 199699
for: Cello, piano
Piano reduction, solo part
Item no.: 275417
for: Trumpet, concert band
Piano reduction, solo part
Item no.: 1129147
Eulenburg Studienpartituren
for: Violin, orchestra
Study score
Item no.: 391974
Eulenburg Miniature Scores
for: Piano, orchestra
Study score
Item no.: 391954
Ausgabe für Fagott und Klavier
for: Bassoon, orchestra
Piano reduction, solo part
Item no.: 392811
BÄRENREITER URTEXT
for: Piano, orchestra
Stimme, Urtextausgabe
Item no.: 496779
für Orchester
for: Symphonic orchestra
Study score
Item no.: 680648
Edition for Violin and Piano
for: Violin, strings, basso continuo
Piano reduction, solo part
Item no.: 360002
for: Violin, orchestra
Study score
Item no.: 116124
Hortus Musicus
for: Cello, piano
Piano reduction, solo part
Item no.: 116059
Edition for 2 Pianos
Edition Peters Green Series
for: Harpsichord [piano], string orchestra
Piano reduction, Playback-CD
Item no.: 211878
für Violine und Orchester
Urtext
for: Violin, orchestra
Study score
Item no.: 674323
for: Flute
Music score
Item no.: 194518
for: 2 violins, piano
Piano score, 2 solo parts
Item no.: 162809
for: Oboe, string orchestra
Piano reduction, solo part
Item no.: 298307
Francesco Geminiani Opera Omnia
for: String orchestra, basso continuo
Study score
Item no.: 637483
for: Trombone, concert band
Piano reduction, solo part
Item no.: 198452
+ CD-Rom mit Klavierstimme (PDF)
+ CD-Rom with piano reductions
Lyre Series
for: Flute, piano
Score, solo part, Piano reduction, Playback-CD
Item no.: 641481
op. 46/1 RV 537 F 9/1 T 97
for: 2 trumpets, strings, basso continuo
Score, 2 Solo part
Item no.: 664151
for: Bassoon, orchestra
Piano reduction, solo part
Item no.: 935288
for: Flute, orchestra
Study score (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 664562
Bb major
for: Piano, orchestra
Study score
Item no.: 736143
Aurea Amadeus 262
for: Treble recorder [flute], oboe [violin], basso continuo
Score, Parts
Item no.: 483930
for: Flute
Music score
Item no.: 285386
for: Violin, cello, orchestra
Score, Parts
Item no.: 303747
for: Violin, viola, cello, string orchestra
Set of parts
Item no.: 931792
for: Violin, orchestra
Study score, CD
Item no.: 662667
for: Violin, piano
Piano reduction, solo part
Item no.: 931645
Edition for Oboe and Piano
Musica Rara
for: Oboe, orchestra
Piano reduction, solo part
Item no.: 279309
for 2 trumpets
sommerhalder, max, arr.
for: 2 trumpets
Sheet music
Item no.: 598302
Reconstructed from BWV 1060
Bärenreiter Urtext
for: Oboe, violin, strings, basso continuo
Piano score, 2 solo parts (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 116745
für Flöte und Harfe
for: Flute, harp
Item no.: 129981
Eulenburg Audio + Score
for: Piano, orchestra
Study score, CD
Item no.: 566235
Kadenzen von Thomas Demenga
for: Cello, orchestra
Music score
Item no.: 660580
for: Viola
Stimme, Urtextausgabe
Item no.: 332436
for: Trumpet (C/B-flat), organ
Item no.: 204407
Bärenreiter Urtext
for: Piano, orchestra
Study score (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 196801
for: Viola, orchestra
Piano reduction, solo part
Item no.: 163208
Vivaldi Urtext Edition
for: Violin, piano
Piano score, solo part (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 666979
for: 2 clarinets, chamber orchestra
Piano reduction, solo parts
Item no.: 394908
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