One of the most important forms of classical music is without a doubt the sonata. The meaning of the term “sonata”, which is derived from the Italian word “sonare” which means “to sound” or “to play”, has changed considerably over time. Browse our sheet music and scores, grab your all your favourites, and find out more about the sonata here today!
The term “sonata” derives from the second half of the 16th century, and refers to different types of instrumental compositions for two or more instruments. The term came about to distinguish the sonata from solo pieces for keyboard instruments, and from pieces with singing, such as cantatas.
The main difference between the baroque sonata and the classical sonata is the number of movements, the baroque sonata has at least four or more, in which slow and fast tempos alternate regularly. The baroque sonata is divided into two basic types:
Sonata da camera (“Chamber Sonata”) – which has a light dance character and is the predecessor of the baroque dance suite.
Sonata da chiesa (“Church sonata”) – which is usually in four movements and has a more serious character.
Depending on the size of the line-up, Baroque sonatas can be further subdivided into Solo Sonata for one instrument (usually violin) and basso continuo, and Trio Sonata for two solo instruments and basso continuo.
One of the most well-known composers of the Baroque sonata is the Italian composer Arcangelo Corelli (1653-1713). Both the Church Sonatas by Corelli and the Chamber Sonatas by Corelli are still very popular with instrumentalists and listeners today.
At the turn of the 17th and 18th centuries, the sonata da chiesa gradually evolved into what is known as the Neapolitan overture, where the introductory slow movement has been removed. The result was a three-movement form, with the tempo structure fast-slow-fast within each movement, which became the model not only for the classical sonata, but also for many other musical forms.
The Italian composer Domenico Scarlatti (1685-1757) contributed a great deal to the development of the sonata. The Sonatas by Scarlatti were usually composed in the traditional sonata form, a one-movement work with two contrasting themes.
During the Classical period, the sonata continued to develop and evolve. At that time, the term “sonata” was mainly understood to mean Piano Sonatas, or sonatas for another solo instrument with piano accompaniment. In its basic form, a classical sonata consists of three, or occasionally four movements, where the first fast movement is written in ’sonata form’, the second movement is slower, and the third movement is usually fast again, and can take various forms.
In a four-movement sonata, a dance movement in the form of a minuet or a scherzo is usually inserted before the last movement. The greatest exponents of the sonata were arguably three composers of the first Viennese school, Joseph Haydn, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart " 1972" text="Ludwig van Beethoven. Beethoven’s most famous sonata is without a doubt the Moonlight Sonata.
for: Piano
Score
Item no.: 419298
L'arte del flauto
for: Flute, basso continuo
Score, Parts
Item no.: 419297
for: 3 treble recorders
Ensemble score
Item no.: 419270
for: Violin, basso continuo
Score, Parts
Item no.: 418105
for: Flute, piano
PEGASUS AUSGABE
Item no.: 417993
Edition Moeck 1030
for: Treble recorder [flute/oboe/violin], basso continuo
Score, Parts
Item no.: 413463
for: Flute, guitar
Item no.: 338199
for: Violin, piano
Piano score, solo part
Item no.: 340173
for: Violin, piano
Score, Parts
Item no.: 484283
for: Flute, piano
Score
Item no.: 602616
The Platinum Series
for: Flute, basso continuo
Piano score, solo part, playback-CD
Item no.: 446891
Band 2 (Nr. 4–6)
Universal Blockflöten Edition
for: 2 treble recorders, basso continuo
Score, Parts
Item no.: 113850
Denkmäler rheinischer Musik Bd. 39
for: Violin, piano
Score
Item no.: 636839
Nr. 12-13 und "Trombetta Sordina"
for: Violin [recorder], basso continuo
Piano score, solo part
Item no.: 372023
for: Flute, violin, basso continuo
Score, Parts
Item no.: 418382
nach dem Klarinettenquintett KV 581
for: Clarinet, piano
Ensemble score, solo part
Item no.: 146678
for: Piano 4 hands
Ensemble score
Item no.: 418786
for: 2 cellos
Set of parts
Item no.: 194632
Edition Schott
for: Violine und Basso continuo (Klavier, Cembalo); Violoncello ad libitum
Music score
Item no.: 748268
for: Oboe, piano
Item no.: 186316
for: Treble recorder, basso continuo
FAKSIMILE
Item no.: 469816
Heft 6: Nr. 12, Drei Sonaten
for: Violin, bassoon, basso continuo
Item no.: 241396
nach dem Dresdner Manuskript von J. G. Pisendel, Band I
for: Violine, Basso continuo
Score, part
Item no.: 462337
Schott Piano Classics
for: Piano
Music score
Item no.: 736036
for: Organ Duet
Book
Item no.: 1668670
from "Essercizii musici"
Bärenreiter Urtext
for: Oboe, basso continuo
Score, Parts (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 1687978
Sancta Maria, ora pro nobis
for: GES 3 INST BC
Score
Item no.: 301330
for: Flute, piano
Item no.: 129472
Pfingstsonate
for: Organ
Music score
Item no.: 663622
for: Clarinet, piano
Piano score, solo part
Item no.: 332638
for: 4 horns (quartet)
Study score
Item no.: 351317
for: Viola da gamba, Cembalo (KLAV)
Score, Parts
Item no.: 609489
für Violine und Bc
for: Violin, basso continuo
Item no.: 157172
for Flute [Oboe], Violin [Oboe], Violoncello [Bassoon] and Basso continuo
for: 3 melodic instruments, basso continuo
Score, Parts
Item no.: 192867
Faksimile nach dem Autograph der Paul Sacher Stiftung, Basel
Mit einem Kommentar (deutsch/englisch) von Stefan Drees
Meisterwerke der Musik im Faksimile 26
for: Violin
Score (facsimile hardcover)
Item no.: 772097
Hortus Musicus 274
for: 2 oboes, bassoon, basso continuo
Score, Parts
Item no.: 158422
Bärenreiter Urtext
for: Piano
Music score (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 659385
for: Flute, violin
Item no.: 285899
H. 103–108
Opera Omnia
for: Cello, basso continuo
Score, Parts
Item no.: 613000
for: Clarinet, piano
Item no.: 475542
for: Piano
Item no.: 579787
for: Violin, piano
Piano score, solo part
Item no.: 383100
(Urtext)
for: Piano
Item no.: 494130
Bearbeitung für Violine und Basso continuoHWV 288
for: Violin, piano
Score, Parts
Item no.: 382311
for: Piano
Music score
Item no.: 382136
für Klavier und Horn
(mit Alternativ-Fassungen für Violoncello und Violine)
for: Horn, piano
Piano score, Solo parts
Item no.: 359506
for: Piano
Music score
Item no.: 359497
A cura di Cesare Fertonani
for: Cello, basso continuo
Ensemble score, solo part
Item no.: 667531