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, concert band
Score
Item no.: 1001138
for: Violin, strings, basso continuo
Set of parts
Item no.: 774464
for: Violin, string orchestra
Set of parts
Item no.: 774460
Score
Item no.: 190419
for: Violin, orchestra
Score
Item no.: 138574
Winter
for: Violin solo, string orchestra, basso continuo
Cello, double bass (orchestral part)
Item no.: 671887
Summer
for: Violin solo, string orchestra, basso continuo
Cello, double bass (orchestral part)
Item no.: 621405
Viola 1 (orchestral part)
Item no.: 372986
Winter
for: Violin solo, string orchestra, basso continuo
Violin 1 (orchestral part)
Item no.: 371419
for: Piccolo trumpet, wind ensemble
Piano reduction, solo part
Item no.: 1166048
for: Trumpet, concert band
Score, Parts
Item no.: 1166039
for: 3 Violinen, Streichorchester und Cembalo
Score
Item no.: 106842
for: Trumpet, strings
Score
Item no.: 214783
for: Mandolin, baroque orchestra
Score
Item no.: 430446
for: Bassoon, strings, basso continuo
Score
Item no.: 479399
(Oversize)
for: Piano, orchestra
Score
Item no.: 585223
for: Oboe, strings
Score
Item no.: 584781
for: Piano, orchestra
Score
Item no.: 379156
for: Horn, piano
Violin 2 (orchestral part)
Item no.: 195117
for: Piano, orchestra
Score (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 1021508
for: Piano [harpsichord]
Music score
Item no.: 1565626
The Four Seasons
Bärenreiter Urtext
for: Violin, strings, basso continuo
Viola (orchestral part)
Item no.: 330073
for: Piano, orchestra
Violin 1 (orchestral part)
Item no.: 365092
for: Bassoon, orchestra
Viola (orchestral part)
Item no.: 602371
for: Cello or 2 Celli and Piano
Score
Item no.: 412312
for: Guitar or Lute
Score
Item no.: 412580
and Concerto No. 5 »Early Version« D major BWV 1050a
Bärenreiter Urtext
for: Flute, violin, string orchestra, basso continuo
Violin (orchestral part)
Item no.: 459285
and Concerto No. 5 »Early Version« D major BWV 1050a
Bärenreiter Urtext
for: Flute, violin, string orchestra, basso continuo
Single part Violone [Double bass]
Item no.: 459284
for: Flute, orchestra
Violin 2 (orchestral part)
Item no.: 366212
for: Piano, orchestra
Violin 1 (orchestral part)
Item no.: 344641
for: Baroque orchestra
Viola da gamba 1 (orchestral part)
Item no.: 313415
Bärenreiter Urtext
for: 2 treble recorders, violin, strings, basso continuo
Treble recorder 1 (single part)
Item no.: 269187
KV 175, 238, 242 (2 oder 3 Klaviere), 382
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. Neue Ausgabe sämtlicher Werke (NMA) V/15/1 (Gesamtausgabe, kritischer Bericht) (Complete edition, Critical Report)
for: Piano, orchestra
Book (critical commentary)
Item no.: 135243
for: Piano, orchestra
Violin 1 (orchestral part)
Item no.: 796036
for: Piano, orchestra
Harmony parts (complete winds)
Item no.: 772642
for: Piano, orchestra
Viola (orchestral part)
Item no.: 696420
for: Piano, orchestra
Violin 2 (orchestral part)
Item no.: 696411
for: Piano, orchestra
Violin 1 (orchestral part)
Item no.: 696410
for: Piano, orchestra
Violin 1 (orchestral part)
Item no.: 634645
for: Violin, orchestra
Viola (orchestral part)
Item no.: 583747
for: 3 cellos, orchestra
Piano reduction, solo parts
Item no.: 1215853
for: String orchestra
Set of parts
Item no.: 261194
for: Piano, orchestra
Violin 1 (orchestral part)
Item no.: 771632
for: Cello, orchestra
Cello (orchestral part)
Item no.: 247526
for: Flute, strings, basso continuo
Violin 2 (orchestral part)
Item no.: 327691
for: Oboe, orchestra
Viola (orchestral part)
Item no.: 289606
for: Violin, recorder, oboe, trumpet, strings, basso continuo
Violin 1 (orchestral part)
Item no.: 210586
© 2004–2024 by Stretta Music. Order and buy sheet music online.
Your specialist for all kinds of sheet music. Online shop, sheet music, music scores and play along for download, books, music stands, music stand lights, accessories.
There is a separate Stretta website for the country Worldwide. If your order is to be delivered to this country, you can switch, so that delivery times and shipping conditions are displayed correctly. Your shopping cart and your customer account will remain the same.
switch to Stretta Music Worldwide
stay on Stretta Music Denmark
Germany
Austria
Switzerland
Netherlands
Belgium
France
Luxembourg
Italy
Spain
Portugal
Finland
Sweden
Poland
Czech Republic
United Kingdom
