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.
The Finest Sonatas & Suites
for: 2 treble recorders (duet)
Ensemble score (anthology)
Item no.: 621667
for: Treble recorder, basso continuo
Score, Parts
Item no.: 200547
for: Piano
Music score (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 492992
for: Piano
Music score
Item no.: 661703
transcribed for two Clarinets
Revue pour la Clarinette
for: 2 clarinets
Ensemble score
Item no.: 113774
for: Piano
Music score (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 141937
for: Viola d'amore, organ
Organ score, solo part
Item no.: 112899
Nach Autographen und Erstausgaben
Band 2 (Urtextausgabe) (Urtext)
for: Violin, piano
Piano score, solo part
Item no.: 125029
for: Violin, piano
Piano score, solo part (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 1479649
for: Piano
Music score (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 696693
for: Cello, piano
Score, Parts
Item no.: 631104
for: Piano
Music score (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 674599
for: 2 pianos
2 Performance scores
Item no.: 359769
Urtext from the New Bach Edition – Revised (NBArev)
for: Violin
Music score (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 773593
for: Organ 4 hands
Ensemble score
Item no.: 563439
for: Piano
Music score (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 401337
for: Piano
Music score (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 401325
for: Flute, basso continuo
Item no.: 393368
for: Flute, basso continuo
Item no.: 353962
for: Violoncello (Viola, Flöte) und Gitarre
Partitur
Item no.: 137131
for: Organ
Music score
Item no.: 288121
for: Piano
Item no.: 288098
Edited from the sources
Wiener Urtext Edition
for: Piano
Music score (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 491373
(Longo n.57/93/366/383/424)
trascrizione per fisarmonica a bassi scialti di Alessandro Di Zio
for: Accordion
Music score
Item no.: 254605
for: Clarinet, piano
Piano score, solo part
Item no.: 467654
for: 2 VL VDG (VC) BC
Score, Parts
Item no.: 580762
suivies d'un nombre de pièces
for: 2 cellos [viole da gamba/bassoons]
Score (facsimile)
Item no.: 465233
für Klavier und Violoncello
Louise Farrenc Kritische Ausgabe Band 7
for: Cello, piano
Score, solo part
Item no.: 148362
Die auf dem Clavier spielende Cæcilia
8 Sonaten
for: Harpsichord [piano]
Music score
Item no.: 696966
for: Treble recorder, basso continuo
Item no.: 122089
for: Accordion, piano
Music score, CD
Item no.: 428684
for: Treble recorder
Music score, Playback-CD
Item no.: 552977
for: 4 bass recorders
Score, Parts
Item no.: 225056
for Flute and Basso continuo
DOWANI 3 Tempi Play Along
for: Flute, basso continuo
Piano score, solo part, playback-CD
Item no.: 477253
for: Cello
Music score
Item no.: 564816
for: Treble recorder [violin], basso continuo
Score, Parts
Item no.: 418215
Edition Schott
for: 2 flutes, piano
Music score
Item no.: 739798
for: Violin, basso continuo
Score, parts, audio files
Item no.: 6045
for: 3 flutes [oboes/violins]
Score, parts (pdf download)
Item no.: 4911
for: Violin [treble recorder/flute/oboe], basso continuo
Score, parts, audio files
Item no.: 1276
Edition Schott
for: Sopran-Blockflöte (Violine) und Basso continuo
Music score
Item no.: 727549
Edition Schott
for: Clarinet, piano
Music score
Item no.: 749500
for: Guitar
Music score
Item no.: 759263
Edition Schott
for: Harp
Music score
Item no.: 736387
Edition Schott
for: Violin, piano
Music score
Item no.: 741002
per Flauto traverso e Basso
for: Flute, basso continuo
Music score
Item no.: 756729
18 Probestücke zu dem Versuch "Über die wahre Art das Clavier zu spielen"
for: Piano
Music score
Item no.: 754289
G major, A minor
for: Flöte (Oboe) und Basso continuo
Music score
Item no.: 723421
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