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: Violin, piano
Piano score, solo part
Item no.: 1016489
for: Small bassoon (F), piano
Piano score, solo part
Item no.: 408096
for: Horn (F), piano
Sheet music
Item no.: 1233940
for: Clarinet, piano
Sheet music
Item no.: 1604403
Band 1: Sonaten 1–4
for: Flute, clarinet (B-flat), piano
Piano score
Item no.: 1346462
for: Alto trombone, piano [organ]
Sheet music
Item no.: 1316468
for: Viola, piano [organ]
Sheet music
Item no.: 1316446
for: Alto saxophone, piano [organ]
Sheet music
Item no.: 1272251
for: Flute, piano [organ]
Sheet music
Item no.: 1272246
for: Euphonium, piano [organ]
Sheet music
Item no.: 1287646
for: Clarinet, piano [organ]
Sheet music
Item no.: 1287635
for: Descant (soprano) recorder, piano [organ]
Sheet music
Item no.: 1287632
for: Tenor saxophone, piano [organ]
Sheet music
Item no.: 1287626
for: Alto trombone, piano [organ]
Sheet music
Item no.: 1287619
for: Trumpet, strings, basso continuo
Score, Parts
Item no.: 289427
Bd 3: Sonaten 9-12
for: 2 flutes, piano
2 Performance scores
Item no.: 203216
für Orgel
Frutti Musicali
for: Organ
Music score
Item no.: 673615
and organ, score
Richards, Scott, arr.
for: 4 trombones, piano [organ]
Sheet music
Item no.: 596002
Il Mandolino
for: Mandolin, guitar
Item no.: 340867
for alto recorder and Basso continuo
for: Treble recorder, basso continuo
Score, Parts
Item no.: 611962
for: Clarinet, piano
Sheet music
Item no.: 1295469
for: Violin, piano
Sheet music
Item no.: 1295453
for: Viola, piano
Sheet music
Item no.: 1295452
for: Double bass, piano
Sheet music
Item no.: 1295450
for: Treble recorder, piano
Sheet music
Item no.: 1290682
for: 2 bass-viole da gamba [cellos/bassoons]
Score, Parts
Item no.: 443226
Klassik
for: Piano
Music score
Item no.: 269430
Klassik
for: Violin, piano
Piano score, solo part
Item no.: 269411
Klassik
for: Piano
Music score
Item no.: 269402
for: 3 clarinets (trio)
Score, Parts
Item no.: 643033
for: Flute, piano
Piano score, solo part
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Heft 4
for: Treble recorder [violin], basso continuo
Score, Parts
Item no.: 418206
Full score and part
for: Klarinette, Klavier
Item no.: 472681
Heft 2: Sonate G-Dur
for: Flute, piano [basso continuo]
Item no.: 142768
for Piano and Flute or Violin (ad libitum)
for: Piano; flute [violin] ad lib.
Piano score, solo part
Item no.: 677334
op. 2
for: Klavier (Cembalo) und Flöte (Violine)
Item no.: 549967
op. 22/3
for: Flute, cello, piano
Score, Parts
Item no.: 549821
für Violine und Basso continuo
(Basso continuo ausgesetzt)
for: Violin, basso continuo
Score, Parts
Item no.: 684110
for: Flute [oboe], bassoon
2 Performance scores
Item no.: 660916
for: Violin, piano
Piano score, solo part
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for: Organ
Music score
Item no.: 364593
Klassik
for: Piano
Music score
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for: Violin, basso continuo
Score, Parts
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for: Flute, basso continuo
Score, Parts
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for: 4 Bassoons & Piano (Organ)
Sheet music
Item no.: 1278895
for: Descant (soprano) recorder, piano [organ]
Sheet music
Item no.: 1287661
for: Clarinet, piano [organ]
Sheet music
Item no.: 1290986
for: Bass trombone, piano [organ]
Piano score, solo part
Item no.: 1297312
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