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: Violin, string orchestra
Viola 2 (orchestral part)
Item no.: 1355471
for: Clarinet, chamber orchestra
Viola 2 (orchestral part)
Item no.: 1355385
for: 2 horns, orchestra
Violin 2 (orchestral part)
Item no.: 1355373
for: 2 violins, orchestra
Cello, double bass (orchestral part)
Item no.: 1355357
for: Violin, strings, basso continuo
Violin 2 (orchestral part)
Item no.: 1355298
for: Oboe, strings
Single part Harpsichord
Item no.: 1355063
Violin 1 (orchestral part)
Item no.: 416051
for: Oboe, strings, basso continuo
Cello, double bass (orchestral part)
Item no.: 1479721
Violin 1 (orchestral part)
Item no.: 298792
Oboe (orchestral part)
Item no.: 345788
Single part Violin 3
Item no.: 278217
Violin 2 (orchestral part)
Item no.: 428673
for: Flute, strings, basso continuo
Cello, double bass (orchestral part)
Item no.: 1704103
for: 2 treble recorders, harpsichord, string orchestra
Single part Recorder 1
Item no.: 346999
from: "L'Estro Armonico"
Collection Charles Bouvet
for: 4 violins, strings, basso continuo
Violin 1 (orchestral part)
Item no.: 411186
for: Violin, strings, basso continuo
Viola (orchestral part)
Item no.: 1355171
for: Violin, strings, basso continuo
Cello, double bass (orchestral part)
Item no.: 1355155
for: Violin, strings, basso continuo
Viola (orchestral part)
Item no.: 1355154
for: Violin, strings, basso continuo
Viola (orchestral part)
Item no.: 1355179
"Triple Concerto"
Bärenreiter Urtext
for: Violin, cello, piano, orchestra
Cello, double bass (orchestral part)
Item no.: 498883
for: Violin, orchestra
Cello (orchestral part)
Item no.: 332572
for: Oboe, orchestra
Cello, double bass (orchestral part)
Item no.: 692067
for: Violin, recorder, oboe, trumpet, strings, basso continuo
Viola (orchestral part)
Item no.: 497619
for: Harpsichord [piano], string orchestra
Single part Cello/Double bass
Item no.: 733667
for: Violine, Streicher und Orgel
Single part Violin 1
Item no.: 733517
nach Robert Schumann. Neue Ausgabe sämtlicher Werke, Band I/2,1
for: Piano, orchestra
Single part Cello
Item no.: 733198
op. 4/5
for: 2 oboes, bassoon, string orchestra, organ
Single part Oboe 2
Item no.: 748124
"La Notte"
for: Flöte (Alt-Blockflöte), Streichorchester und Basso continuo
Single part Violin 1
Item no.: 747281
op. 10/5
for: Flöte (Alt-Blockflöte), Streichorchester und Basso continuo
Single part Cello/Double bass
Item no.: 734517
"La tempesta di mare"
for: Flöte, Oboe, Fagott und Orchester
Single part Cello/Double bass
Item no.: 727081
for clarinet and orchestra
for: Klarinette und Streichorchester; 2 Hörner ad libitum
Single part Violin 1
Item no.: 793575
nach Robert Schumann. Neue Ausgabe sämtlicher Werke, Band I/2,1
for: Piano, orchestra
Single part Violin 2
Item no.: 750748
for: Symphonic orchestra
Cello (orchestral part)
Item no.: 340854
for: Baroque orchestra
Single part(n)
Item no.: 623897
Violin 2 (orchestral part)
Item no.: 561018
Violin 1 (orchestral part)
Item no.: 561017
for: Oboe [clarinet], bassoon, chamber orchestra
Cello, double bass (orchestral part)
Item no.: 1354990
for: 2 recorders, chamber orchestra
Violin 2 (orchestral part)
Item no.: 1355421
for: Cello, chamber orchestra
Violin 2 (orchestral part)
Item no.: 1355000
for: Flute, oboe, bassoon, chamber orchestra
Bassoon solo (single part)
Item no.: 340718
for: Descant recorder, strings, basso continuo
Cello, double bass (orchestral part)
Item no.: 424965
TWV 51:d2
Einzelstimme Vl. 2
for: Orchester (Oboe, 2 Violinen, Viola, Violoncello / Kontrabass, Cembalo)
Violin 2 (orchestral part)
Item no.: 424363
for: Flute, oboe, string orchestra
Violin 1 (orchestral part)
Item no.: 1355051
for: 2 oboes, strings, basso continuo
Violin 1 (orchestral part)
Item no.: 277345
Single part mandolin (solo)
Item no.: 550401
Guitar (single part)
Item no.: 550398
for: 2 oboes d'amore, strings, basso continuo
Violin 1 (orchestral part)
Item no.: 766629
"La tempesta di mare" (op, 10,1; PV 261)
for: Flute, strings, basso continuo
Cello, double bass (orchestral part)
Item no.: 421730
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