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:
1948/1956
for: Cello, orchestra
Piano reduction, solo part
Item no.: 634517
for: Violin, orchestra
Piano reduction, solo part
Item no.: 197844
for two pianos
for: 2 pianos
Piano reduction
Item no.: 197736
for: String orchestra, basso continuo
Score
Item no.: 397704
Breitkopf Urtext Edition
for: Flute, harp, piano
Piano score, 2 solo parts (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 184382
for: Flute, orchestra
Piano reduction, solo part
Item no.: 383111
Konzert für Violine und Orchester
exempla nova 162
for: Violin, orchestra
Study score
Item no.: 108759
for alto saxophone and string orchestra
Piano score and solo part
for: Alto saxophone, string orchestra
Piano reduction, solo part
Item no.: 168298
with marked and unmarked string parts
for: Violin, orchestra
Piano score, solo part (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 337599
for: Organ (solo), string orchestra
Score
Item no.: 1031698
für Englischhorn (Horn) und Orchester
for: Cor anglais, orchestra
Score
Item no.: 641903
for: 2 oboes, strings
Score
Item no.: 226907
pour violon (flute), viole (violoncelle ou 2. violon) et clavecin
Thesaurus Musicus 23
for: Violin [flute], viola da gamba [cello], harpsichord [piano]
Score, Parts
Item no.: 255284
Erstausgabe
Denkmäler der Musik in Baden-Württemberg
Ausgabe für die Praxis
for: Organ
Music score
Item no.: 296885
Music Minus One
for: Piano
Music score, online playback
Item no.: 413420
for: Flute
Music score, online playback
Item no.: 494352
for Trumpet (Clarino), 2 Oboes, Strings and Continuo
First Edition
for: Trumpet (D), piano
Piano score, solo part
Item no.: 109182
for: Piano, orchestra
Book
Item no.: 187868
Eulenburg Studienpartituren
for: Piano, orchestra
Study score
Item no.: 471509
Eulenburg Studienpartituren
for: Cello, orchestra
Study score
Item no.: 392403
bearbeitet für Holzbläserquartett
for: Flute, oboe, clarinet, bassoon (quartet)
Score, Parts
Item no.: 656675
for: Flute, orchestra
Piano reduction, solo part
Item no.: 656406
for: Violin, viola, orchestra
Score
Item no.: 443230
for: Horn, string orchestra
Piano reduction, solo part
Item no.: 470486
for: Piano, orchestra
Piano reduction
Item no.: 348001
2 Solo Pieces with Wind Ensemble Accompaniment
Home Concerti
for: Flute
Music score, Playback-CD
Item no.: 300350
for: Clarinet, string orchestra, harp, piano
Piano reduction, solo part
Item no.: 632401
for: Clarinet, orchestra
Piano reduction, solo part
Item no.: 299752
Urtext
for: Flute, orchestra
Piano score, solo part (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 298466
Two copies needed for performance
for: 2 pianos
Piano reduction (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 401413
Kürtverseny
for: Horn, orchestra
Piano reduction, solo part
Item no.: 245512
Musica Antiqua Bohemica I/13
for: Clarinet, piano
Piano score, solo part
Item no.: 123011
RV 409
for: Cello, strings, basso continuo
Score, Parts, Piano reduction
Item no.: 1215791
RV 278
for: Violin, strings, basso continuo
Score, Parts, Piano reduction
Item no.: 1161829
ars instrumentalis 20
for: Oboe, strings, basso continuo
Score
Item no.: 109013
for: Mandolin, strings, basso continuo
Score
Item no.: 549700
Classical Play-Along Volume 17
for: Voice; piano ad lib.
Music score, Playback-CD
Item no.: 693510
Eulenburg Studienpartituren
for: Piano, orchestra
Study score
Item no.: 391912
Concerto del Signr. Meck, appropriato all'Organo
for: Organ, strings
Score
Item no.: 367608
for: Violin, orchestra
Piano reduction
Item no.: 817117
ars instrumentalis 033
for: Oboe, piano
Piano reduction
Item no.: 109125
for: Piano, orchestra
Score
Item no.: 172809
from the Concerto in A major
Bärenreiter Urtext
for: Clarinet, orchestra
Piano score, solo part (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 1582651
for: Violin, orchestra
Study score
Item no.: 391909
ars instrumentalis 020
for: Oboe, strings, basso continuo
Piano score, solo part
Item no.: 109012
for: Violin, strings, basso continuo
Set of parts
Item no.: 774452
Recomposed By Max Richter
for: Violin, piano
Piano score, solo part, online audio (playback)
Item no.: 643493
Reconstructed from BWV 169, 49, 1053
Bärenreiter Urtext
for: Viola, strings, basso continuo
Score (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 205808
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