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:
Bärenreiter Urtext
for: Piano, orchestra
Piano reduction (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 116796
Eulenburg Miniature Scores
for: Cello, orchestra
Study score
Item no.: 749245
Eulenburg Studienpartituren
for: Cello, orchestra
Study score
Item no.: 392534
for: Bassoon, orchestra
Score
Item no.: 254236
for: Violin, viola, cello, string orchestra
Score
Item no.: 931808
for: Piano
Music score
Item no.: 357989
for: Piano, orchestra
Study score
Item no.: 109211
for: Trumpet, string orchestra
Piano reduction, solo part
Item no.: 931641
Alte Musik (Leuckartiana)
for: Bassoon, orchestra
Piano reduction, solo part
Item no.: 101466
Breitkopf Urtext
for: Oboe, violin, strings, basso continuo
Piano reduction, 2 solo parts
Item no.: 216546
for: Piano, orchestra
Score
Item no.: 549791
for: 4 horns (F), orchestra
Piano reduction, solo parts
Item no.: 475096
with marked and unmarked string parts
for: Cello, orchestra
Piano score, solo part (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 486517
String
for: Violin, piano
Piano score, solo part
Item no.: 366626
für Violine und Orchester
Ausgabe für Violine und Klavier – Zweite Fassung 1845
Bärenreiter Urtext
for: Violin, piano
Piano score, solo part
Item no.: 675668
Piano Large Works
for: Piano
Music score
Item no.: 316453
"Petit Concerto"op. 140
for: Guitar, orchestra
Piano reduction, solo part
Item no.: 393942
with marked and unmarked string parts
for: Violin, piano
Piano score, solo part (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 298882
for: Violin, piano
Piano score, solo part
Item no.: 162080
PV 106 / F:I,208
for: Violin, piano
Piano reduction, solo part
Item no.: 577288
for: Piano, orchestra
Book
Item no.: 186169
Twelve Concertos for Violin, Strings and Basso continuo
op. 4
Volume I/ I-VI
Bärenreiter Urtext
for: Violin, strings, basso continuo
Piano score, solo part (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 629792
for: Flute, orchestra
Piano reduction, solo part
Item no.: 404386
Bärenreiter Urtext
for: Alto saxophone, string orchestra
Score (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 558203
for: Violin, orchestra
Score
Item no.: 638194
for: Clarinet, piano
Piano score, solo part (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 683714
ars instrumentalis 016
for: Oboe, piano
Piano reduction
Item no.: 149184
DOWANI 3 Tempi Play Along
for: Cello, piano
Piano score, solo part, playback-CD
Item no.: 576428
for: Flute, orchestra
Piano score, solo part (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 492973
Violinkonzert
for: Violin, orchestra
Study score
Item no.: 287212
for: Voice (soprano), orchestra
Piano reduction
Item no.: 194283
Concerto 3-4, Vol. II
arranged from Harpsichord Sonatas
for: 2 violins, cello, strings, basso continuo
Score
Item no.: 563754
for: Clarinet, piano
Piano reduction, solo part
Item no.: 394865
Eulenburg Miniature Scores
for: Violin, orchestra
Study score
Item no.: 261198
Urtext based on the Leipzig Mendelssohn Complete Edition
for: Violin, orchestra
Score (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 774985
für Klarinette und Orchester
Eulenburg Studienpartituren
for: Clarinet, orchestra
Study score (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 287784
Bärenreiter Urtext
for: Violin, orchestra
Score (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 276256
The Complete Chopin – New Critical Edition
for: Piano, orchestra
Piano score, solo part (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 490101
for: Violin, String Ensemble and B.C.
Score
Item no.: 376432
for: Trumpet, piano, string orchestra
Study score
Item no.: 224597
with Beethoven's original cadenzas
– Two copies needed for performance –
for: Piano, orchestra
Piano reduction (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 401415
Two copies needed for performance
for: 2 pianos
Piano reduction (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 229046
for: Trombone, orchestra
Piano reduction, solo part
Item no.: 266906
for: Piano
Music score
Item no.: 244567
for: 2 pianos
Piano reduction
Item no.: 215207
for: Piano, orchestra
Score
Item no.: 187844
"Der Winter" aus den "Vier Jahreszeiten"
bearbeitet für Sopransaxophon und Saxophonquartett
for: Soprano saxophone (solo), 4 saxophones (SATBar)
Score, Parts
Item no.: 674999
per mandolino (o chitarra), archi e cembalo RV 425
for: Mandolin [guitar], strings, basso continuo
Piano reduction, solo part
Item no.: 178567