Fan of the glorious Ode to Joy from Beethoven’s 9th Symphony? Amazingly, it wasn’t until Beethoven in the 19th Century that the choral symphony came to be! Browse our sheet music and scores, and explore the wide world of choral symphonies with Stretta Music today!
Beethoven’s first attempt to integrate a vocal component into his symphonic music was in 1808 with Beethoven’s Choral Fantasy. This piece interestingly used a piano soloist and a choir, and even contains similar themes to the revolutionary Beethoven’s 9th Symphony of 1824. Beethoven breaks the conventions of the symphony, and the choral symphony was born.
Beethoven’s model was very popular with many composers of the Romantic Period, due to the new creative, descriptive and narrative possibilities. Berlioz’s Romeo & Juliet Symphony in 1839 uses the choir to narrate, but it is still belongs firmly to the symphonic world because the orchestra plays the leading role.
Felix Mendelssohn also experimented with this new form, and described his second symphony, Mendelssohn’s Hymn of Praise of 1840, which uses biblical texts, as a “Symphony-Cantata”.
Franz Liszt uses a male voice choir, his “Chorus Mysticus”, at the end of Liszt’s Faust Symphony of 1854 , singing the last verses of Goethe’s original drama Faust. Here, the work is more of a “Choral Symphonic Poem”.
Gustav Mahler was a keen advocate of the choral symphony, and in two of the three Choral Symphonies by Mahler, he uses a boys’ choir.
One of the most famous British choral symphonies, and indeed one of the most popular choral symphonies to this day, is Vaughan Williams’ Sea Symphony of 1910, written when he was just 30 years old.
The Russian composer Alexander Scriabin uses a choir at the end of Scriabin’s Prometheus Symphony to create a mystical tension, and to increase the dramatic climax to the end the work.
Igor Stravinsky’s Symphony of Psalms of 1930 departs from the typical symphonic structure, and is one through composed movement, using experimental instrumentation and the texts from three psalms.
Dmitri Shostakovich wrote three choral symphonies, Shostakovich’s Symphony No. 2, Shostakovich’s Symphony No. 3 and Shostakovich’s Symphony No. 13, published in 1927, 1930 and 1962, he also uses soprano and bass soloists in the 1969 Shostakovich’s Symphony No. 14.
The Russian-German composer Alfred Schnittke composed two choral symphonies, Schnittke’s Symphony No. 2, St. Florian of 1979 and Schnittke’s Symphony No. 4 of 1983.
The Polish composer Henryk Mikołaj Górecki uses choir in his Choral Symphony No. 2, “Copernicus”, of 1972 and in Górecki’s Symphony No. 3, “Symphony of Lamentations” of 1977 he uses soprano soloist and symphony orchestra.
Hanz Werner Henze uses choir in Henze’s Symphony No. 9 of 1997, consciously following in Beethoven’s footsteps, which is dedicated to the heroes and martyrs of the German anti-fascism movement.
The Polish composer Krzysztof Penderecki uses German poems of the 19th and 20th centuries in Penderecki’s Symphony No. 8 “Songs of Transience” of 2005. Here he stretches the boundaries of the symphonic form, using 12 relatively short movements.
Babi Yar
for: Soloist (bass), male choir (TTBB), orchestra
Study score
Item no.: 1681473
Der 1. Mai
for: Choir, orchestra
Study score
Item no.: 1680952
Symphony cantata MWV A 18
for: 3 soloists (SST), mixed choir (SSAATB), orchestra, organ
Score (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 1641236
Amstel Concert Band
for: Solo voice (soprano), mixed choir (SATB), concert band
Score, Parts
Item no.: 1011191
for: Solo voice (soprano), mixed choir (SATB), concert band
Score
Item no.: 1011193
Complete Edition with critical report, paperbound, Abteilung I, Band 5
for: 4 soloists (SATB), mixed choir (SATB), orchestra
Score (with critical report)
Item no.: 776832
Complete Edition with critical report, clothbound, Abteilung I, Band 5
for: 4 soloists (SATB), mixed choir (SATB), orchestra
Score (hardcover, with musicological analysis)
Item no.: 776831
"Resurrection"
Based on the New Critical Complete Edition, published by International Gustav Mahler Society, Vienna
for: 2 soloists (SA), mixed choir (SATB), orchestra
Conductor score
Item no.: 693133
5th movement: Es sungen drei Engel einen süßen Gesang
for: Soloist (alto), women's choir, boys' choir, piano
Choir score
Item no.: 746268
Symphony cantata
Practice-CD for choir singers
for: 3 soloists (SST), mixed choir (SSAATB), orchestra, organ
Playback-CD (Chorstimme Bass)
Item no.: 697315
A Symphony-Cantata after Texts from the Holy Scriptures
Bärenreiter Urtext
for: 3 soloists (SST), mixed choir (SATB), orchestra, organ
Violin 1 (orchestral part)
Item no.: 695981
A Symphony-Cantata after Texts from the Holy Scriptures
Bärenreiter Urtext
for: 3 soloists (SST), mixed choir (SATB), orchestra, organ
Piano reduction (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 695978
A Symphony-Cantata after Texts from the Holy Scriptures
Bärenreiter Urtext
for: 3 soloists (SST), mixed choir (SATB), orchestra, organ
Score (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 695976
A Symphony-Cantata after Texts from the Holy Scriptures
Bärenreiter Urtext
for: 3 soloists (SST), mixed choir (SATB), orchestra, organ
Harmony parts (complete winds)
Item no.: 695980
A Symphony-Cantata after Texts from the Holy Scriptures
Bärenreiter Urtext
for: 3 soloists (SST), mixed choir (SATB), orchestra, organ
Choir score (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 695979
A Symphony-Cantata after Texts from the Holy Scriptures
Bärenreiter Urtext
for: 3 soloists (SST), mixed choir (SATB), orchestra, organ
Violin 2 (orchestral part)
Item no.: 695982
A Symphony-Cantata after Texts from the Holy Scriptures
Bärenreiter Urtext
for: 3 soloists (SST), mixed choir (SATB), orchestra, organ
Cello (orchestral part)
Item no.: 695984
A Symphony-Cantata after Texts from the Holy Scriptures
Bärenreiter Urtext
for: 3 soloists (SST), mixed choir (SATB), orchestra, organ
Single part Organ
Item no.: 695986
A Symphony-Cantata after Texts from the Holy Scriptures
Bärenreiter Urtext
for: 3 soloists (SST), mixed choir (SATB), orchestra, organ
Viola (orchestral part)
Item no.: 695983
A Symphony-Cantata after Texts from the Holy Scriptures
Bärenreiter Urtext
for: 3 soloists (SST), mixed choir (SATB), orchestra, organ
Double bass (orchestral part)
Item no.: 695985
Urtext from the new Beethoven Complete Edition (G. Henle Verlag)
for: 4 soloists (SATB), mixed choir (SATB), orchestra
Score (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 695812
Urtext from the new Beethoven Complete Edition (G. Henle Verlag)
for: 4 soloists (SATB), mixed choir (SATB), orchestra
Violin 2 (orchestral part)
Item no.: 695821
Urtext from the new Beethoven Complete Edition (G. Henle Verlag)
for: 4 soloists (SATB), mixed choir (SATB), orchestra
Cello (orchestral part)
Item no.: 695823
Finale
Urtext from the new Beethoven Complete Edition (G. Henle Verlag)
for: 4 soloists (SATB), mixed choir (SATB), orchestra
Choir score (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 695826
Urtext from the new Beethoven Complete Edition (G. Henle Verlag)
for: 4 soloists (SATB), mixed choir (SATB), orchestra
Viola (orchestral part)
Item no.: 695822
Urtext from the new Beethoven Complete Edition (G. Henle Verlag)
for: 4 soloists (SATB), mixed choir (SATB), orchestra
Double bass (orchestral part)
Item no.: 695824
Urtext from the new Beethoven Complete Edition (G. Henle Verlag)
for: 4 soloists (SATB), mixed choir (SATB), orchestra
Harmony parts (complete winds)
Item no.: 695825
Urtext from the new Beethoven Complete Edition (G. Henle Verlag)
for: 4 soloists (SATB), mixed choir (SATB), orchestra
Violin 1 (orchestral part)
Item no.: 695820
Finale
Urtext from the new Beethoven Complete Edition (G. Henle Verlag)
for: 4 soloists (SATB), mixed choir (SATB), orchestra
Piano reduction (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 695819
4. und 5. Satz
Klavierauszug (Großdruck) der Vokalteile
for: 2 soloists (SA), mixed choir (SATB), orchestra
Piano reduction (XL format)
Item no.: 694202
4th and 5th movement
for: 2 soloists (SA), mixed choir (SATB), orchestra
Piano reduction
Item no.: 693115
Studien-Edition
for: 4 soloists (SATB), mixed choir (SATB), orchestra
Study score (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 692281
Amstel Concert Band
for: Solo voice (soprano), mixed choir (SATB), concert band
40 choir scores
Item no.: 1208682
for: Solo voice (soprano), mixed choir (SATB), concert band
Piano reduction
Item no.: 1208681
Amstel Classic
for: Solo voice (soprano), mixed choir (SATB), concert band
CD
Item no.: 1208683
from Symphony No. 5 - Return to Middle Earth
for: Solo voice (soprano), mixed choir (SATB), concert band
Score
Item no.: 1208680
Lieder der Vergänglichkeit für drei Soli (SMezBar), gemischten Chor (SATB) und Orchester
Musik unserer Zeit
for: 3 soloists (SMezBar), mixed choir (SATB), orchestra
Study score
Item no.: 681910
Sinfonie-Kantate für drei Solostimmen (SST), gemischten Chor (SSAATB) und Orchester
Klavierauszug XL im Großdruck
for: 3 soloists (SST), mixed choir (SSAATB), orchestra, organ
Piano reduction (XL format, Urtext edition)
Item no.: 681541
(Resurrection)
for: Mixed choir (SATB), orchestra
Score
Item no.: 1203178
(Resurrection)
for: Mixed choir (SATB), orchestra
Set of parts
Item no.: 1203179
Hector Berlioz. New Edition of the Complete Works (NBE) 19
for: Orchestra; mixed choir (SSTTBB) ad lib.
Score (Hardcover, Urtext edition)
Item no.: 116886
Symphony-Cantata
Breitkopf Urtext Edition
for: 3 soloists (SST), mixed choir (SATB), orchestra, organ
Violin 1 (orchestral part)
Item no.: 229355
for: 3 soloists (SST), mixed choir (SSAATB), orchestra, organ
Single part Trombone 2
Item no.: 235389
Symphonie-Kantate
for: 3 soloists (SST), mixed choir (SSAATB), orchestra, organ
Double bass (orchestral part)
Item no.: 235373
Ode an die Freude
Übe-CD (mp3) für Chorsänger
Ausgabe für Alt
for: 4 soloists (SATB), mixed choir (SATB), orchestra [piano]
Playback-CD (Chorstimme Alt)
Item no.: 660377
Ode an die Freude
Übe-CD (mp3) für Chorsänger
Ausgabe für Tenor
for: 4 soloists (SATB), mixed choir (SATB), orchestra [piano]
Playback-CD (choir part tenor)
Item no.: 660375
Ode to Joy
Vocal score compatible with all available music editions
for: 4 soloists (SATB), mixed choir (SATB), orchestra [piano]
Choir score
Item no.: 642048
Symphonie-Kantate
for: 3 soloists (SST), mixed choir (SSAATB), orchestra, organ
Violin 1 (orchestral part)
Item no.: 235369
© 2004–2024 by Stretta Music. Order and buy sheet music online.
Your specialist for all kinds of sheet music. Online shop, sheet music, music scores and play along for download, books, music stands, music stand lights, accessories.
Germany
Austria
Switzerland
Netherlands
Belgium
France
Luxembourg
Italy
Spain
Portugal
Denmark
Finland
Sweden
Poland
Czech Republic
Worldwide
