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: Flute, harp
Item no.: 285287
for: Flute, orchestra
Piano score, solo part
Item no.: 285056
for: Piano, orchestra
Score (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 633108
Ausgabe für Trompete in B oder C und Klavier
Collection Maurice André
for: Trumpet, strings, basso continuo
Piano reduction, solo part
Item no.: 199020
for Clarinet and Orchestra
for: Clarinet, orchestra
Score (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 292030
for: Harpsichord [piano], string orchestra
Score (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 620989
for: Flute, chamber orchestra
Piano reduction, solo part
Item no.: 394710
for: Cello, piano
Piano score, solo part
Item no.: 770722
with marked and unmarked string parts
for: Violin, cello, orchestra
Piano reduction, 2 solo parts (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 582850
Two copies needed for performance
for: 2 pianos
Piano reduction
Item no.: 764797
Bärenreiter Urtext
for: 2 pianos
Piano reduction
Item no.: 116574
for: Oboe, orchestra
Piano reduction, solo part
Item no.: 420718
for: Trombone, piano
Piano score, solo part
Item no.: 186374
Winter
for: Violin solo, string orchestra, basso continuo
Piano score, solo part
Item no.: 383142
with marked and unmarked string parts
Henle Urtext Editions
for: Cello, orchestra
Piano score, solo part (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 150328
for: Piano, orchestra
Score
Item no.: 187845
for: Piano left hand, piano
Piano reduction
Item no.: 190762
for: Horn, piano
Piano reduction
Item no.: 419849
for: Cello, orchestra
Study score
Item no.: 108937
for: Violin, piano
Piano score, solo part (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 693418
with marked and unmarked string parts
for: Violin, orchestra
Piano score, solo part (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 298881
Bärenreiter Urtext
for: Piano, orchestra
Score (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 586056
Alte Musik (Leuckartiana)
for: Oboe, orchestra
Set of parts
Item no.: 314766
Repertoire Explorer
for: Violin, orchestra
Study score
Item no.: 166275
Transponierte Fassung der Originalausgabe in e-moll
Edward Tarr Collection
for: Trumpet (B-flat) [cornet], piano
Piano score, solo part
Item no.: 1351441
RV 114, 121, 133, 152, 158, 167
Vol. 2
for: Violin, viola, basso continuo
Score, Parts
Item no.: 1215611
for: 2 horns, string orchestra, harpsichord
Piano reduction, solo parts
Item no.: 139356
for: Trombone, orchestra
Piano reduction, solo part
Item no.: 372550
Vivaldi Urtext Edition
for: Violin, strings, basso continuo
Set of parts
Item no.: 763755
for: Oboe, piano
Piano reduction, solo part
Item no.: 173933
for: Violin
Music score
Item no.: 632105
Twelve Concertos for Violin, Strings and Basso continuo
op. 4
Volume II/ VII-XII
Bärenreiter Urtext
for: Violin, piano
Piano score, solo part (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 684881
for: Piano Quintet
Score, Parts
Item no.: 638060
for: Clarinet] (B-flat) [tenor saxophone, piano
Piano score, solo part
Item no.: 241813
per Clavicembalo o Arpa, 2 Violini e Violoncello
for: 2 violins, cello, harpsichord [harp]
Score (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 549651
of the concerto for flute, harp and orchestra KV 299
for: Flute, harp
Solostimmensatz
Item no.: 750140
for: Tuba, piano
Piano reduction, solo part
Item no.: 462233
Harsonaverseny
for: Trombone, orchestra
Piano reduction, solo part
Item no.: 822583
for: Cello
Music score, online playback
Item no.: 465411
for: String orchestra
Score, solo part
Item no.: 1215626
for: Violin
Solo part, online audio (playback)
Item no.: 350884
for: Flute, strings, basso continuo
Score
Item no.: 472419
for: 2 oboes, strings, basso continuo
Score
Item no.: 268568
Bärenreiter Urtext
for: 3 pianos
Piano reduction (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 116827
Bärenreiter Urtext
for: 2 violins, string orchestra, basso continuo
Score (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 116782
Edition for Oboe and Piano
John Williams Signature Edition
for: Oboe, piano
Piano reduction, solo part
Item no.: 661540
for: 2 pianos
Piano score, solo part (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 633122
for: Violin, orchestra
Score (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 551943
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