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.
K. 461 (Longo 8)
for: Harpsichord [piano]
Sheet music
Item no.: 1144
K. 487 (Longo 205)
for: Harpsichord [piano]
Sheet music
Item no.: 4372
Hob. XVI:7
for: Harpsichord [piano]
Sheet music
Item no.: 1472
aus: "Petites Sonates a deux Flûtes Traversieres sans Baße", op. 13
Paris, 1726
for: 2 treble recorders (duet)
Ensemble score (pdf download)
Item no.: 4660
C-Dur, HWV 577
for: Harpsichord [piano]
Sheet music
Item no.: 4453
aus: VIII Sonate per cembalo, op. 1
for: Piano [harpsichord]
Sheet music
Item no.: 5480
nach TWV 40:119
für zwei Altblockflöten
for: 2 treble recorders (duet)
Ensemble score (pdf download)
Item no.: 2136
aus: VIII Sonate per cembalo, op. 1
for: Piano [harpsichord]
Sheet music
Item no.: 5866
aus "18 Canons mélodieux ou 6 Sonates en duo a flutes traverses, ou violons, ou Basses de Viole"
Ausgabe für zwei Altblockflöten
for: 2 treble recorders (duet)
Ensemble score (pdf download)
Item no.: 3884
K. 491 (Longo 164)
for: Harpsichord [piano]
Sheet music
Item no.: 2486
K. 403 (Longo 470)
for: Harpsichord [piano]
Sheet music
Item no.: 2270
aus "18 Canons mélodieux ou 6 Sonates en duo a flutes traverses, ou violons, ou Basses de Viole"
for: 2 flutes [violins]
Ensemble score (pdf download)
Item no.: 3681
K. 141 (Longo 413)
for: Harpsichord [piano]
Sheet music
Item no.: 3307
for: Organ
Sheet music
Item no.: 4604
K. 545 / Longo 500
for: Harpsichord [piano]
Sheet music
Item no.: 1285
aus "Operum Musicorum Posthumorum, Pars Prima"
Nürnberg, 1643
for: 2 violins [cornetts], viola da gamba [trombone], organ
Score, parts (pdf download)
Item no.: 4533
K. 55 (Longo 355)
for: Piano [harpsichord]
Sheet music
Item no.: 4614
for: 2 flutes [violins]
Ensemble score (pdf download)
Item no.: 1575
for: Treble recorder
Single part Recorder
Item no.: 231098
for one to for instrumental parts (violino, viola da braccio, viola da gamba, trombone, bassono) und Basso
for: 1-4 melodic instruments, basso continuo
Set of parts
Item no.: 1009377
für eine bis vier Instrumentalstimmen (Violino, Viola da braccio, Viola da gamba, Trombone, Fagotto) und Basso
for: 1-4 melodic instruments, basso continuo
Set of parts
Item no.: 1009376
op. 90, e-Moll
for: Piano
Music score
Item no.: 255756
for: Piano
Music score
Item no.: 255732
for: Violin, piano
Item no.: 385094
for: Piano
Music score
Item no.: 255570
"Genzinger"
Bärenreiter Urtext
for: Piano
Music score (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 1582649
Bärenreiter Urtext
for: Flute, basso continuo
Piano score, solo part (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 1582652
for: Guitar
Music score
Item no.: 725080
for: Cello, basso continuo
Music score
Item no.: 732125
for: Guitar
Music score
Item no.: 738181
from: 10 easy Sonatas
for: Piano
Music score
Item no.: 751037
op. 10/2
for: Violin, piano
Music score
Item no.: 733929
for: Piano
Music score
Item no.: 739719
from: 10 easy Sonatas
for: Piano
Music score
Item no.: 751036
(Adagio - Allegro - Adagio - Giga Allegro)
for: 2 treble recorders (duet)
Music score
Item no.: 725635
for: Guitar
Music score
Item no.: 746511
for: Cello, basso continuo
Music score
Item no.: 732124
op. 49/2
for: Piano
Music score
Item no.: 751050
op. 5
for: Violine und Cembalo (Klavier); Violoncello (Viola da gamba) ad lib.
Music score
Item no.: 725013
for: Cello, basso continuo
Music score
Item no.: 738408
for: Cello, basso continuo
Music score
Item no.: 759213
for: Piano
Music score
Item no.: 723148
op. 5
for: Violine und Cembalo (Klavier); Violoncello (Viola da gamba) ad lib.
Music score
Item no.: 731725
for: Piano
Music score
Item no.: 723138
op. 5
for: Violine und Cembalo (Klavier); Violoncello (Viola da gamba) ad lib.
Music score
Item no.: 746491
for: Piano
Music score
Item no.: 723141
for: Piano
Music score
Item no.: 723142
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