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.
Alan Gray (1855-1935)
for: Organ
Music score
Item no.: 1316866
for: Bassoon, cello
Score, Parts
Item no.: 1215568
Edited from the first edition
for: 2 violas, cello
Score, Parts
Item no.: 1215464
Denkmäler rheinischer Musik Bd. 35
for: Piano
Music score, CD
Item no.: 1198954
for: Piano
Music score
Item no.: 1209844
6 sonatas
Early Music
for: 2 treble recorders (duet)
Ensemble score
Item no.: 1209633
Early Music
for: 2 treble recorders (duet)
Ensemble score
Item no.: 1209634
for: Guitar
Score
Item no.: 390820
"Schwedische Sonate"
UELZENER KUHLAU-EDITION 49
for: Flute, piano
Piano score, solo part
Item no.: 1161292
"KLassische"
UELZENER KUHLAU-EDITION 53
for: Flute, piano
Piano score, solo part
Item no.: 1161296
for: Violin, piano
Piano score, solo part (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 1043050
A Handbook for Performers
Book (softcover)
Item no.: 920752
Raccolta di sonate e studi di autori classici
for: Guitar
Score
Item no.: 1044060
for: Harpsichord [organ]
Score
Item no.: 1044061
for: Harpsichord
Music score
Item no.: 1044020
Do
for: Piano
Score
Item no.: 1031508
Bärenreiter Urtext
for: Flute, piano
Piano score, solo part (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 1026689
with marked and unmarked string part
for: Violin, piano
Piano score, solo part (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 796412
Dowani 3 Tempi Play Along
for: Clarinet, piano
Piano score, solo part, online audio (playback)
Item no.: 1031339
Op. 74
for: Piano 4 hands
Music score
Item no.: 1027111
Le Sonate tra l'op. 53 e l'op. 81a
Book
Item no.: 1027146
(M.S. 83)
for: Violin
Music score
Item no.: 1024909
from "The 12th Room for Solo" Piano (2015)
for: Piano
Music score
Item no.: 796888
Newly Revised Edition
for: Viola, piano
2 Performance scores
Item no.: 1024425
XIIX Canons melodieux ou VI. Sonates en Duo
for: 2 viole da gamba
Ensemble score, solo part
Item no.: 1023019
Neun Sonaten
(Innsbruck 1659)
for: 3 viole da gamba
Score, Parts
Item no.: 1022729
for: 2 recorders (AB)
Ensemble score
Item no.: 1022515
Minghén dal Viulunzèl
for: Cello, basso continuo
Score, Parts
Item no.: 1022010
op. 6, op. 45, op. 46
Schirmer Library of Classics Volume 2033
for: Piano
Music score
Item no.: 1021514
BWV 1019
for: Violin, piano [harpsichord]
Piano reduction
Item no.: 1020854
BWV 1015
for: Violin, piano [harpsichord]
Piano reduction
Item no.: 1020844
BWV 1014
for: Violin, piano [harpsichord]
Piano reduction
Item no.: 1020841
BWV 1018
for: Violin, piano [harpsichord]
Piano reduction
Item no.: 1020852
BWV 1016
for: Violin, piano [harpsichord]
Piano reduction
Item no.: 1020846
BWV 1017
for: Violin, piano [harpsichord]
Piano reduction
Item no.: 1020848
for: Treble recorder [flute/oboe/violin], guitar
Score, Parts
Item no.: 1017952
Neun Sonaten
(Innsbruck 1659)
for: 3 viole da gamba
Score, Parts
Item no.: 1020286
Reprint der Erstausgabe
for: Violin, piano
Piano score, solo part
Item no.: 1020063
from "Der getreue Music-Meister" TWV 41:B3
Dowani 3 Tempi Play Along
for: Treble recorder, basso continuo
Piano score, solo part, online audio (playback)
Item no.: 1019212
for: Classical guitar
Music score
Item no.: 1018373
for: Harp
Music score
Item no.: 1018333
for: Classical guitar
Music score
Item no.: 1018379
for: Guitar
Music score
Item no.: 1018386
for: Guitar
Music score
Item no.: 1018357
for: Guitar
Music score
Item no.: 1018376
for: Guitar
Music score
Item no.: 1018365
for: Cello, piano
Piano score, solo part
Item no.: 1018312
for: Guitar
Music score
Item no.: 1018311
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