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:
for: Piano, orchestra
Score (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 634647
for: Cello, piano
Piano reduction
Item no.: 612200
for: Violin, orchestra
Score
Item no.: 395386
Urtext based on the Leipzig Mendelssohn Complete Edition
for: Violin, piano, orchestra
Piano reduction, 2 Parts
Item no.: 298743
for: TRP ORCH / VC ORCH
Study score, CD
Item no.: 566232
for: Violin, orchestra
Piano reduction, solo part
Item no.: 1136871
for: Violin, orchestra
Piano reduction, solo part
Item no.: 696249
for: Clarinet, chamber orchestra
Piano reduction, solo part
Item no.: 394646
for: Cello, orchestra
Piano score, solo part (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 225377
for: Bassoon, orchestra
Score
Item no.: 367743
for: 2 pianos
Piano reduction (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 767294
for Horn in E flat and F
with additional, marked Horn part in E flat
for: Horn (F/E-flat), piano
Piano score, solo part (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 696707
for: Violin, orchestra
Piano reduction, solo part
Item no.: 379144
Urtext based on the Brahms Complete Edition of the Gesellschaft der Musikfreunde in Vienna
for: Violin, cello, orchestra
Piano reduction, 2 solo parts (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 284891
for: Oboe d'amore, strings, basso continuo
Piano reduction, solo part
Item no.: 477189
Trombone & Piano
for: Trombone, piano
Sheet music
Item no.: 592406
für Sopransaxophon und Orchester
Ausgabe für Sopransaxophon und Klavier
for: Soprano saxophone, orchestra
Piano reduction
Item no.: 637433
for: 2 pianos
Music score
Item no.: 459029
Bärenreiter Urtext
for: Piano, orchestra
Piano reduction (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 1615899
und Klavier
for: Tuba, piano
Sheet music
Item no.: 594500
for: Oboe, piano
Piano reduction
Item no.: 180245
Reprint
Repertoire Explorer
for: Violin, orchestra
Study score
Item no.: 1120950
Erstausgabe
for: Bassoon, orchestra
Piano reduction, solo part
Item no.: 796122
Diletto Musicale – Doblingers Reihe alter Musik
for: Violin solo, string orchestra, basso continuo
Piano reduction, solo part
Item no.: 282731
for: Organ, strings
Score, Parts
Item no.: 1558773
for: 2 guitars, orchestra
Piano reduction
Item no.: 253763
on Themes of Arcangelo Corelli
for: Oboe, string orchestra
Piano reduction, solo part
Item no.: 198278
Boosey Masterworks
for: Piano
Music score
Item no.: 144058
Eulenburg Miniature Scores
for: Violin, orchestra
Study score
Item no.: 753232
for Guitar and Orchestra
for: Guitar, piano
Piano reduction
Item no.: 685384
for: Oboe, piano
Piano score, solo part
Item no.: 382496
for: Violin, orchestra
Study score
Item no.: 391904
for: Oboe, piano
Piano reduction
Item no.: 289387
All four horn concertos in an Urtext study score edition
for: Horn, orchestra
Score (Urtext edition, anthology)
Item no.: 579904
for: 2 horns, string orchestra, harpsichord
Score
Item no.: 370671
for: Flute, strings, basso continuo
Set of parts
Item no.: 495021
for: Flute, strings, basso continuo
Score
Item no.: 171195
for: 2 violins, viola, cello, guitar
Score
Item no.: 158043
for: Cello, orchestra
Score
Item no.: 142897
for: Flute, chamber orchestra
Piano reduction, solo part
Item no.: 394710
for: Cello, piano
Piano score, solo part
Item no.: 770722
for: Harpsichord [piano], string orchestra
Score (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 620989
for: Piano left hand, piano
Piano reduction
Item no.: 190762
for: Piano, orchestra
Score
Item no.: 187845
for: Horn, piano
Piano reduction
Item no.: 419849
for: Horn, piano
Piano score, solo part
Item no.: 365896
for: Violin, orchestra
Study score (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 610155
for: Flute, harp
Item no.: 285287
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