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: Symphonic orchestra
Score
Item no.: 258894
for: Violin, string orchestra
Viola (orchestral part)
Item no.: 629778
Bärenreiter Urtext
for: Flute, orchestra
Violin 2 (orchestral part)
Item no.: 329341
for: 2 pianos, orchestra
Score
Item no.: 635530
for: Violin, String Ensemble and BC
Score
Item no.: 263140
for: Mixed Chamber Ensemble
Score
Item no.: 262919
for: Violin, strings, basso continuo
Set of parts
Item no.: 774459
for: 2 Violins, Strings and BC
Score
Item no.: 263126
for: Cello, orchestra
Viola (orchestral part)
Item no.: 336080
for: Flute, string orchestra
Viola (orchestral part)
Item no.: 377941
for: Baroque orchestra
Double bass (orchestral part)
Item no.: 180430
for: Baroque orchestra
Cello (orchestral part)
Item no.: 180429
for: 2 treble recorders, violin, strings, basso continuo
Cello 1 (orchestral part)
Item no.: 156919
for: Violin solo, string orchestra, basso continuo
Single part (Harpsichord solo)
Item no.: 456170
for: Organ, orchestra
Single part Basso continuo
Item no.: 155014
"The" piano concerto in Urtext – In Cooperation with G. Henle Verlag
for: Piano, orchestra
Cello (orchestral part)
Item no.: 561468
violin concert
Urtext
for: Violin, orchestra
Violin 2 (orchestral part)
Item no.: 554885
for Double Bass and orchestra
(with Violin obbligato)
for: Double bass, orchestra
Single part Harpsichord
Item no.: 494675
Cello, double bass (orchestral part)
Item no.: 421492
for: Horn, orchestra
Cello (orchestral part)
Item no.: 158501
for: Piano, orchestra
Viola (orchestral part)
Item no.: 687377
for: Piano, orchestra
Violin 2 (orchestral part)
Item no.: 687328
for: Symphonic orchestra
Violin 2 (orchestral part)
Item no.: 346038
for Clarinet and Orchestra
for: Clarinet, orchestra
Double bass (orchestral part)
Item no.: 333404
for: Symphonic orchestra
Single part(n)
Item no.: 303259
for: Violin, strings, basso continuo
Score
Item no.: 432993
for: Piano, orchestra
Violin 1 (orchestral part)
Item no.: 345813
Flötenkonzert (Urtextausgabe) (Urtext)
for: Flute, orchestra
Violin 2 (orchestral part)
Item no.: 189462
Flötenkonzert (Urtextausgabe) (Urtext)
for: Flute, orchestra
Violin 1 (orchestral part)
Item no.: 177761
for: Piano, orchestra
Violin 1 (orchestral part)
Item no.: 296346
for: Violin, recorder, oboe, trumpet, strings, basso continuo
Violin 2 (orchestral part)
Item no.: 210587
for: Violin, orchestra
Viola (orchestral part)
Item no.: 188214
for: Cello, orchestra
Viola (orchestral part)
Item no.: 247525
for Violin and Orchestra
Edition Schott
for: Violin, orchestra
Viola (orchestral part)
Item no.: 134420
for: Flute, strings, basso continuo
Viola (orchestral part)
Item no.: 327692
for: Piano, orchestra
Violin 2 (orchestral part)
Item no.: 771629
for: String orchestra, basso continuo
Cello 3 (orchestral part)
Item no.: 462136
for: Harpsichord [piano], string orchestra
Violin 1 (orchestral part)
Item no.: 330994
for: String orchestra, basso continuo
Double bass (orchestral part)
Item no.: 261682
for: 2. Violine
Stimme, Urtextausgabe
Item no.: 882936
for: Organ (manuals), baroque orchestra
Oboe 1, 2 (orchestral part)
Item no.: 879630
for: String orchestra, basso continuo
Viola 3 (orchestral part)
Item no.: 462133
(Urtext)
for: Flute, harp, orchestra
Viola 1, 2 (orchestral part)
Item no.: 444563
for: Violin, orchestra
Violin 2 (orchestral part)
Item no.: 434060
for: 2 violins, cello, piano
Single part Cello
Item no.: 401286
for: Violin, orchestra
Violin 1 (orchestral part)
Item no.: 1668239
for: Euphonium, orchestra
Piano reduction, solo part
Item no.: 1022573
for: Organ, accordion orchestra
Set of parts
Item no.: 776654
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