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: Cello, orchestra
Study score
Item no.: 108937
for: Oboe, piano
Piano reduction
Item no.: 289387
for: Horn, piano
Piano reduction
Item no.: 419849
for: Treble recorder, bassoon, strings, basso continuo
Piano reduction
Item no.: 493483
Two copies needed for performance
for: 2 pianos
Piano reduction
Item no.: 764797
for: Violin, piano
Piano score, solo part (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 693418
for Guitar and Orchestra
for: Guitar, piano
Piano reduction
Item no.: 685384
for: Flute, strings, basso continuo
Score
Item no.: 171195
for: Bassoon, orchestra
Piano reduction, solo part
Item no.: 796122
for: Flute, orchestra
Piano score, solo part
Item no.: 285056
for: Oboe, string orchestra
Piano reduction, solo part
Item no.: 284843
for two pianos
for: Piano, orchestra
Piano reduction (2 piano's)
Item no.: 109179
for: Piano
Music score
Item no.: 144058
with marked and unmarked string parts
Henle Urtext Editions
for: Cello, orchestra
Piano score, solo part (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 150328
with marked and unmarked string parts
for: Violin, cello, orchestra
Piano reduction, 2 solo parts (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 582850
with marked and unmarked string parts
for: Violin, orchestra
Piano score, solo part (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 298881
for: Piano left hand, piano
Piano reduction
Item no.: 190762
for: Violin, orchestra
Study score
Item no.: 391904
for: Oboe, orchestra
Piano reduction, solo part
Item no.: 420718
on Themes of Arcangelo Corelli
for: Oboe, string orchestra
Piano reduction, solo part
Item no.: 198278
Alte Musik (Leuckartiana)
for: Oboe, orchestra
Set of parts
Item no.: 314766
RV 114, 121, 133, 152, 158, 167
Vol. 2
for: Violin, viola, basso continuo
Score, Parts
Item no.: 1215611
for: String orchestra
Score, solo part
Item no.: 1215626
for: 4 horns (F), orchestra
Score
Item no.: 633507
for: Trombone, piano
Piano score, Solo parts
Item no.: 224421
for: Trombone, orchestra
Piano reduction, solo part
Item no.: 822583
Vivaldi Urtext Edition
for: Violin, strings, basso continuo
Set of parts
Item no.: 763755
of the concerto for flute, harp and orchestra KV 299
for: Flute, harp
Solostimmensatz
Item no.: 750140
for: Trumpet (B-flat) [cornet], piano
Piano score, solo part
Item no.: 1351441
for: Tuba, piano
Piano reduction, solo part
Item no.: 462233
for: Symphonic orchestra
Score
Item no.: 166099
for: Flute, strings, harpsichord
Piano reduction, solo part
Item no.: 255628
for: 2 horns, string orchestra, harpsichord
Piano reduction, solo parts
Item no.: 139356
for: Violin
Music score
Item no.: 317966
for: Clarinet] (B-flat) [tenor saxophone, piano
Piano score, solo part
Item no.: 241813
"Emperor"
for: Piano, orchestra
Study score
Item no.: 737138
for: Oboe, piano
Piano reduction, solo part
Item no.: 173933
for: 2 oboes, strings, basso continuo
Score
Item no.: 268568
Repertoire Explorer
for: Violin, orchestra
Study score
Item no.: 166275
Edition for Oboe and Piano
John Williams Signature Edition
for: Oboe, piano
Piano reduction, solo part
Item no.: 661540
for: Piano, orchestra
Score (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 586056
for: Oboe, piano
Piano reduction, solo part
Item no.: 478899
for: Violin, orchestra
Score (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 341551
for: 2 pianos
Piano score, solo part (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 633122
Bärenreiter Urtext
for: 3 pianos
Piano reduction (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 116827
for: Harpsichord [piano], string orchestra
Piano score, solo part (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 296589
for: Violin, orchestra
Score (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 551943
for: Piano, orchestra
Piano reduction
Item no.: 378904
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