Fan of the glorious Ode to Joy from Beethoven’s 9th Symphony? Amazingly, it wasn’t until Beethoven in the 19th Century that the choral symphony came to be! Browse our sheet music and scores, and explore the wide world of choral symphonies with Stretta Music today!
Beethoven’s first attempt to integrate a vocal component into his symphonic music was in 1808 with Beethoven’s Choral Fantasy. This piece interestingly used a piano soloist and a choir, and even contains similar themes to the revolutionary Beethoven’s 9th Symphony of 1824. Beethoven breaks the conventions of the symphony, and the choral symphony was born.
Beethoven’s model was very popular with many composers of the Romantic Period, due to the new creative, descriptive and narrative possibilities. Berlioz’s Romeo & Juliet Symphony in 1839 uses the choir to narrate, but it is still belongs firmly to the symphonic world because the orchestra plays the leading role.
Felix Mendelssohn also experimented with this new form, and described his second symphony, Mendelssohn’s Hymn of Praise of 1840, which uses biblical texts, as a “Symphony-Cantata”.
Franz Liszt uses a male voice choir, his “Chorus Mysticus”, at the end of Liszt’s Faust Symphony of 1854 , singing the last verses of Goethe’s original drama Faust. Here, the work is more of a “Choral Symphonic Poem”.
Gustav Mahler was a keen advocate of the choral symphony, and in two of the three Choral Symphonies by Mahler, he uses a boys’ choir.
One of the most famous British choral symphonies, and indeed one of the most popular choral symphonies to this day, is Vaughan Williams’ Sea Symphony of 1910, written when he was just 30 years old.
The Russian composer Alexander Scriabin uses a choir at the end of Scriabin’s Prometheus Symphony to create a mystical tension, and to increase the dramatic climax to the end the work.
Igor Stravinsky’s Symphony of Psalms of 1930 departs from the typical symphonic structure, and is one through composed movement, using experimental instrumentation and the texts from three psalms.
Dmitri Shostakovich wrote three choral symphonies, Shostakovich’s Symphony No. 2, Shostakovich’s Symphony No. 3 and Shostakovich’s Symphony No. 13, published in 1927, 1930 and 1962, he also uses soprano and bass soloists in the 1969 Shostakovich’s Symphony No. 14.
The Russian-German composer Alfred Schnittke composed two choral symphonies, Schnittke’s Symphony No. 2, St. Florian of 1979 and Schnittke’s Symphony No. 4 of 1983.
The Polish composer Henryk Mikołaj Górecki uses choir in his Choral Symphony No. 2, “Copernicus”, of 1972 and in Górecki’s Symphony No. 3, “Symphony of Lamentations” of 1977 he uses soprano soloist and symphony orchestra.
Hanz Werner Henze uses choir in Henze’s Symphony No. 9 of 1997, consciously following in Beethoven’s footsteps, which is dedicated to the heroes and martyrs of the German anti-fascism movement.
The Polish composer Krzysztof Penderecki uses German poems of the 19th and 20th centuries in Penderecki’s Symphony No. 8 “Songs of Transience” of 2005. Here he stretches the boundaries of the symphonic form, using 12 relatively short movements.
Ode to Joy
Vocal score compatible with all available music editions
for: 4 soloists (SATB), mixed choir (SATB), orchestra [piano]
Piano reduction
Item no.: 636742
Urtext (Urtextausgabe) (Urtext)
for: 4 soloists (SATB), mixed choir (SATB), orchestra
Piano reduction
Item no.: 194085
Bärenreiter Urtext
for: 4 soloists (SATB), mixed choir (SATB), orchestra
Piano reduction (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 205427
"Ressurection"
for: 2 soloists (SA), mixed choir (SATB), orchestra
Choir score
Item no.: 471659
Sätze III und IV aus der Sinfonie Nr. 5 d-moll MWV N 15
Reformationssinfonie
for: Soloists, mixed choir (SATB), organ
Organ reduction
Item no.: 660620
Finale
Urtext from the new Beethoven Complete Edition (G. Henle Verlag)
for: 4 soloists (SATB), mixed choir (SATB), orchestra
Piano reduction (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 695819
Choral Singing – The Easy Way to Learn. Progress through Private Practice
Choral Part Bass
for: 3 soloists (SST), mixed choir (SATB), orchestra, organ
Playback-CD (Chorstimme Bass)
Item no.: 182315
Choral Singing – The Easy Way to Learn. Progress through Private Practice
Choral Part Tenor
for: 3 soloists (SST), mixed choir (SATB), orchestra, organ
Playback-CD (choir part tenor)
Item no.: 138380
für Soli. Chor und Orchester
for: 3 soloists (SST), mixed choir (SATB), orchestra, organ
Piano reduction
Item no.: 359619
4th and 5th movement
for: 2 soloists (SA), mixed choir (SATB), orchestra
Piano reduction
Item no.: 693115
Symphony-Cantata
Breitkopf Urtext Edition
for: 3 soloists (SST), mixed choir (SATB), orchestra, organ
Piano reduction (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 229353
Symphony cantata
for: 3 soloists (SST), mixed choir (SSAATB), orchestra, organ
Piano reduction (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 279250
A Symphony-Cantata after Texts from the Holy Scriptures
Bärenreiter Urtext
for: 3 soloists (SST), mixed choir (SATB), orchestra, organ
Piano reduction (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 695978
Ode an die Freude
Übe-CD (mp3) für Chorsänger
Ausgabe für Alt
for: 4 soloists (SATB), mixed choir (SATB), orchestra [piano]
Playback-CD (Chorstimme Alt)
Item no.: 660377
Ode an die Freude
Übe-CD (mp3) für Chorsänger
Ausgabe für Tenor
for: 4 soloists (SATB), mixed choir (SATB), orchestra [piano]
Playback-CD (choir part tenor)
Item no.: 660375
Sinfonie-Kantate
nach Worten der Heiligen Schrift
for: 3 soloists (SST), mixed choir (SSAATB), orchestra, organ
Book (critical commentary)
Item no.: 216693
Amstel Classic
for: Solo voice (soprano), mixed choir (SATB), concert band
CD
Item no.: 1208683
Studien-Edition
for: 4 soloists (SATB), mixed choir (SATB), orchestra
Study score (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 692281
4. und 5. Satz
Klavierauszug (Großdruck) der Vokalteile
for: 2 soloists (SA), mixed choir (SATB), orchestra
Piano reduction (XL format)
Item no.: 694202
Ode to Joy
Vocal score compatible with all available music editions
for: 4 soloists (SATB), mixed choir (SATB), orchestra [piano]
Piano reduction (XL format)
Item no.: 660388
"Choral" für Soli, gemischten Chor und Orchester
for: 4 soloists (SATB), mixed choir (SATB), orchestra
Study score, CD
Item no.: 173998
Sinfonie-Kantate für drei Solostimmen (SST), gemischten Chor (SSAATB) und Orchester
Klavierauszug XL im Großdruck
for: 3 soloists (SST), mixed choir (SSAATB), orchestra, organ
Piano reduction (XL format, Urtext edition)
Item no.: 681541
Hymn of Praise
for: Soloists, mixed choir, orchestra
Study score
Item no.: 755966
Symphony cantata
Practice-CD for choir singers
for: 3 soloists (SST), mixed choir (SSAATB), orchestra, organ
Playback-CD (Chorstimme Bass)
Item no.: 697315
Bärenreiter Urtext
for: 4 soloists (SATB), mixed choir (SATB), orchestra
Study score
Item no.: 273565
Bärenreiter Urtext
for: 4 soloists (SATB), mixed choir (SATB), orchestra
Study score
Item no.: 1671256
Urtext (Urtextausgabe) (Urtext)
for: 4 soloists (SATB), mixed choir (SATB), orchestra
Study score
Item no.: 427704
Eulenburg Studienpartituren
for: Soloists, mixed choir, orchestra
Study score
Item no.: 660817
for: 2 soloists (SA), mixed choir (SATB), orchestra
Piano reduction
Item no.: 581431
Sinfonie-Kantate für drei Solostimmen (SST), gemischten Chor (SSAATB) und Orchester
for: 3 soloists (SST), mixed choir (SSAATB), orchestra, organ
Study score (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 615191
New Edition
for: 2 solo voices (SBar), mixed choir (SATB), orchestra
Piano reduction
Item no.: 176271
Second Edition
for: Soloist (soprano), women's choir (SSA), orchestra
Study score
Item no.: 611572
Symphony-Cantata
Breitkopf Urtext Edition
for: 3 soloists (SST), mixed choir (SATB), orchestra, organ
Study score (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 229354
"Symphonie der Tausend"
Ausgabe für alle Chöre
for: Solists, boys’ choir, mixed choir, orchestra
Choir score
Item no.: 149521
"Symphony of a Thousand"
Based on the Critical Complete Edition, published by International Gustav Mahler Society, Vienna
for: Solists, boys’ choir, mixed choir, orchestra
Study score
Item no.: 577586
Der 1. Mai
for: Choir, orchestra
Study score
Item no.: 1680952
"Resurrection"
Based on the New Critical Complete Edition, published by International Gustav Mahler Society, Vienna
for: 2 soloists (SA), mixed choir (SATB), orchestra
Study score
Item no.: 584552
for: Solo voice (soprano), mixed choir (SATB), concert band
Piano reduction
Item no.: 1208681
from Symphony No. 5 - Return to Middle Earth
for: Solo voice (soprano), mixed choir (SATB), concert band
Score
Item no.: 1208680
Lieder der Vergänglichkeit für drei Soli (SMezBar), gemischten Chor (SATB) und Orchester
Musik unserer Zeit
for: 3 soloists (SMezBar), mixed choir (SATB), orchestra
Study score
Item no.: 681910
Babi Yar
for: Soloist (bass), male choir (TTBB), orchestra
Study score
Item no.: 1681473
for: 2 solo voices (SBar), mixed choir (SATB), orchestra
Study score
Item no.: 341326
"St. Florian"
Russische Musik der Moderne
for: Choir, orchestra
Study score
Item no.: 211418
"Polish Flowers"
for: Soloist (tenor), mixed choir (SATB), orchestra
Score (spiral binding)
Item no.: 1479719
Symphony of a Thousand
for: Solists, boys’ choir, mixed choir, orchestra
Piano reduction
Item no.: 124177
"Symphonie der Tausend"
Mahler - Gesamtausgabe 8
Nach dem Text der Kritischen Gesamtausgabe. Herausgegeben von der Internationalen Gustav Mahler Gesellschaft, Wien
for: Solists, boys’ choir, mixed choir, orchestra
Score
Item no.: 113106
With Optional Choir
Band Music
for: Concert band; chorus ad lib.
Score
Item no.: 1183246
Amstel Concert Band
for: Solo voice (soprano), mixed choir (SATB), concert band
40 choir scores
Item no.: 1208682