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.
Band 1: Sonaten 1-3
for: Treble recorder [flute], basso continuo
Piano score, 2 solo parts
Item no.: 200255
Suiten und andere Klavierstücke
for: Piano
Music score (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 379526
Unbekannte Werke der Klassik und Romantik 28a
for: Cello, piano
Piano score, solo part
Item no.: 129092
in E major, G major
Bärenreiter Urtext
for: Piano
Music score (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 664043
for: 2 VL VA (FAG/VC) BC
Score, Parts
Item no.: 286840
for: Piano
Music score
Item no.: 339740
for: Viola
Item no.: 287811
Edited by the sources
Wiener Urtext Edition
for: Piano
Music score
Item no.: 601832
Band 3: Sonaten 9–12
for: Recorder, basso continuo
Score, solo part
Item no.: 160470
für Oboe (Flöte) und Gitarre
for: Flute, guitar
Item no.: 130065
for: Guitar
Music score
Item no.: 331287
aus: "Hora decima musicorum Lipsiensium, oder Musicalische Arbeit zum Ab-blasen um 10. Uhr Vormittage in Leipzig ..."
for: 2 cornetts, 3 trombones [2 violins, 2 violas, violone]
Score, parts (pdf download)
Item no.: 4324
Oboe und Orgel
for: Oboe, organ
Item no.: 160129
for violin or flute and basso continuo
for: Flute [violin], basso continuo
Ensemble score, solo parts
Item no.: 210362
for: Violin, basso continuo
Piano score, parts (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 382294
Späte Wiener Sonaten
BÄRENREITER URTEXT
for: Violin, piano
Spielpartitur, Stimme, Urtextausgabe, Sammelband
Item no.: 116517
Sonaten IV-VI
Hortus Musicus
for: Violin [flute/oboe/viola], basso continuo
Piano score, solo part
Item no.: 122108
G major BWV 1021 and e minor 1023
for violin and guitar
for: Violin, guitar
Score, solo part
Item no.: 227323
"Sonata facile"
for: Piano
Music score
Item no.: 737648
Musica Rara
for: Trumpet, organ
Score, Set of parts
Item no.: 414186
for: Flute, piano
Item no.: 113328
for: Piano
Music score
Item no.: 171900
Band IV: Sonate X: Es-dur, XI: g-moll, XII: c-moll
for: Oboe [recorder/ violin], basso continuo
Score, Parts
Item no.: 303122
for: Clarinet, piano
Piano score, solo part
Item no.: 130790
Band 2: Sonaten 5–8
for: 2 flutes, piano
2 Scores for playing, Playback-CD
Item no.: 203243
aus: Zwölf Kasseler Sonaten für Viola da Gamba und Basso continuo (Basso continuo ausgesetzt)
Händel zugeschrieben
for: Viola da gamba, basso continuo
Score, Parts
Item no.: 643502
for: Piano
3 music scores (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 695411
for: Piano
Music score
Item no.: 356038
Z 780
for: Violin, basso continuo
Piano score, parts
Item no.: 286882
Nr. 1-3
for: Flute, piano
Piano score, solo part
Item no.: 359798
Six Sonatas No. 1-6
Kompositionen für Gitarre und Streichinstrumente
for: Violin, guitar
Parts (2)
Item no.: 129483
for: Double bass, piano
Piano score, solo part
Item no.: 207978
for: Viola, piano
Piano score, solo part
Item no.: 1562721
for: Cello
Music score
Item no.: 132072
for: Piano
Music score (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 378601
for: Flute, piano
Item no.: 130246
for: Flute
Music score, Playback-CD
Item no.: 465366
for: Piano
Music score
Item no.: 648458
for: Piano
Item no.: 355962
for: Viola, piano
2 Performance scores
Item no.: 459882
for: Cello
Music score, Playback-CD
Item no.: 326864
for: Cello
Music score
Item no.: 850655
for: 2 guitars
Ensemble score
Item no.: 476165
for: Flute, bassoon
Ensemble score
Item no.: 238291
for: Cello, piano
Piano score, solo part
Item no.: 773688
for: Violin, cello, basso continuo
Score
Item no.: 262439
for: Violin, piano [harpsichord]
Piano reduction
Item no.: 1020852
for: Piano
Music score (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 1017703
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