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: Flute, violin, basso continuo
Score, Parts
Item no.: 628023
for: Flute, basso continuo
Item no.: 393368
for: Treble recorder, basso continuo
Item no.: 282751
for: Treble recorder, basso continuo
Piano score, solo part
Item no.: 419246
for: Treble recorder, basso continuo
Score, Parts
Item no.: 200547
for: Treble recorder
Music score, Playback-CD
Item no.: 301847
for: Violin, basso continuo
Score
Item no.: 602228
for: 2 Violins, Cello, Contra Bass
Score, Parts
Item no.: 642837
for: Sopran-Blockflöte (Flöte/Oboe/Violine) und Basso continuo
Item no.: 314195
30 Sonaten für Viola da gamba und Basso continuo
(Basso continuo nicht ausgesetzt)
for: Viola da gamba, basso continuo
2 Performance scores
Item no.: 684494
for: 2 violins, 2 violas, cello (double bass) [string orchestra], basso continuo
Score
Item no.: 122163
Sonatas 1–12
Bärenreiter Urtext
for: Piano
Music score (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 460669
for: Flute, Viola and Guitar
Score, Parts
Item no.: 343172
for: Treble recorder, basso continuo
Piano score, solo part, playback-CD
Item no.: 425063
for: Flute, basso continuo
Item no.: 353962
Six Sonatas by Barsanti, Bitti, Marcello, Vivaldi, Mancini und Veracini
Hortus Musicus
for: Treble recorder [flute/oboe/violin], basso continuo
Piano score, solo part (anthology)
Item no.: 122199
for: Cello, piano
Piano score, solo part (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 696015
for: Piano
Sheet music
Item no.: 1257
for: Piano
Music score (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 141937
for: Organ
Item no.: 371803
The Finest Sonatas & Suites
for: 2 treble recorders (duet)
Ensemble score (anthology)
Item no.: 621667
with marked and unmarked string parts
for: Violin, piano
Piano score, solo part (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 613313
for: Piano
Music score (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 401337
for: Clarinet, piano
Item no.: 131406
for: Piano
Music score (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 674599
for: Viola, piano
Score, Set of parts
Item no.: 433091
for: Cello [viola], piano
Piano score, solo part
Item no.: 649837
in E minor and G major
for: Bassoon, basso continuo
Piano score, parts
Item no.: 212592
for: Organ
Music score
Item no.: 288121
for: Trumpet, 2 violins, basso continuo
Study score
Item no.: 770619
for: Organ
Item no.: 201971
for: Flute, basso continuo
Piano score, solo part, playback-CD
Item no.: 223807
for: Trumpet (B-flat/C), piano
Piano score, solo parts (C/B-flat)
Item no.: 642305
for: Piano
Music score
Item no.: 661703
for: Piano
Music score
Item no.: 563497
for: Violoncello (Viola, Flöte) und Gitarre
Partitur
Item no.: 137131
for: Piano
Music score (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 696045
for: Piano
Item no.: 288098
for: Piano
Music score (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 492992
for: Violin, piano
Spielpartitur, Stimme, Urtextausgabe
Item no.: 645980
for: Organ 4 hands
Ensemble score
Item no.: 563439
for: Piano
Music score (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 696693
for: VC (VL) BC
Item no.: 314784
for: Viola d'amore, organ
Organ score, solo part
Item no.: 112899
for: Violin, piano
Piano score, solo part (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 1479649
for: Treble recorder
Playback-CD (without sheet music)
Item no.: 179081
Nach Autographen und Erstausgaben
Band 2 (Urtextausgabe) (Urtext)
for: Violin, piano
Piano score, solo part
Item no.: 125029
for Alto Recorder and Basso Continuo (c. 1714)
for: Treble recorder, basso continuo
Score, Parts
Item no.: 192451
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