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:
Two copies needed for performance
for: 2 pianos
Piano reduction (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 796885
for: Flute [oboe/ bassethorn/ bassoon], orchestra
Score
Item no.: 696398
for: Oboe, piano
Piano score, solo part
Item no.: 695994
for: Flute, piano
Piano score, solo part
Item no.: 695990
Concerto
for: 2 trumpets, horn, trombone, tuba (quintet), timpani
Score, Parts
Item no.: 695671
for: Oboe, chamber orchestra
Score
Item no.: 822227
Original für Klavier und Orchester
Ausgabe für zwei Klaviere
Urtext
for: 2 pianos
Ensemble score (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 678572
for: Piano
Music score
Item no.: 494226
Einfaches Konzert für Violine und Klavier
Easy Concertos and Concertinos
1st Position
for: Violin, piano
Piano score, solo part
Item no.: 199699
for: Cello, orchestra
Piano reduction, solo part
Item no.: 884847
für Flöte und Harfe
for: Flute, harp
Item no.: 129981
for: String quartet [string orchestra]; basso continuo ad lib.
Score
Item no.: 281633
Nach dem Konzert für Klarinette und Orchester KV 622
Neue Bearbeitungen
for: KLAR STR QUINTETT
Score, Set of parts
Item no.: 605328
for: Cello, piano
Piano reduction, solo part
Item no.: 275417
for: 4 trumpets, 4 trombones, timpani
Score, Parts
Item no.: 469180
Study Score
for: Cello, orchestra
Study score
Item no.: 312776
Adelaide
erstmalig herausgegeben, orchestriert und für Violine und Klavier bearbeitet von Marius Casadesus
for: Violin, orchestra
Piano reduction, solo part
Item no.: 287976
Orchestral Score
for: Cello, orchestra
Score
Item no.: 283741
Bärenreiter Urtext
for: 2 horns, orchestra
Study score (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 196833
Bärenreiter Urtext
for: Violin, orchestra
Score (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 175127
for: Violine und Streichorchester; 2 Oboen und 2 Hörner ad libitum
Stimmensatz
Item no.: 143289
(Urtext)
for: Piano, orchestra
Score
Item no.: 170793
Bärenreiter Urtext
for: Piano, orchestra
Piano reduction (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 116820
Reconstructed from BWV 1060
Bärenreiter Urtext
for: Oboe, violin, strings, basso continuo
Piano score, 2 solo parts (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 116745
Bärenreiter Urtext
for: Bassoon, orchestra
Score
Item no.: 116563
Bärenreiter Urtext
for: Violin, orchestra
Score (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 116560
Bärenreiter Urtext
for: Flute, orchestra
Score (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 116543
exempla nova 196
for: Oboe, orchestra
Study score
Item no.: 160118
for: Trombone, brass band
Set of parts
Item no.: 910170
Schirmer's Library of Musical Classics
for: Violin, piano
Piano score, solo part
Item no.: 395221
Study Score
for: Piano, orchestra
Study score
Item no.: 318261
for: Violin, orchestra
Study score
Item no.: 227331
Studien Edition
for: Piano, orchestra
Study score (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 294299
for: Bassoon, strings, basso continuo
Piano reduction, solo part
Item no.: 1555782
for: Trombone, concert band
Piano reduction, solo part
Item no.: 198452
for: 2 guitars, orchestra
Score
Item no.: 1689355
for violin and orchestra
for: Violin, orchestra
Study score
Item no.: 757073
for flute and orchestra
for: Flute, piano
Piano reduction, solo part
Item no.: 745330
Eulenburg Miniature Scores
for: Violin, cello, orchestra
Study score
Item no.: 722299
The Bulls of Bashan
for: Violine und Streicher
Study score
Item no.: 739988
for chamber orchestra
for: Chamber orchestra
Study score
Item no.: 735801
"Petit Concerto"
for: Guitar, orchestra
Score
Item no.: 727777
Edition Schott
for: Descant (soprano) recorder, strings, basso continuo
Score
Item no.: 752325
Edition Schott
for: Violin solo, string orchestra, basso continuo
Piano reduction, solo parts
Item no.: 759509
RV 201
for: Violin, strings, basso continuo
Score, Parts, Piano reduction
Item no.: 1161831
für Tenorhorn und Blasorchester
for: Tenor horn, concert band
Conductors part (B-flat), set of parts
Item no.: 1642920
Edition Schott
for: Violine, Streicher, Orgel (Cembalo); 2 Hörner in A ad libitum
Conductors score reduction
Item no.: 746767
for flute, oboe, clarinet, bassoon and orchestra
for: Flöte, Oboe, Klarinette, Fagott und Orchester
Piano reduction
Item no.: 748551
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