Music has always played an important role in Funeral services. Browse our sheet music and scores, and let Stretta help you find the right music today.
Since the 13th century, clergymen have gathered in calendar brotherhoods on the calends, the first days of each month, to remember their deceased brothers. As at the funerals themselves, there was extensive singing. Later, choirs emerged from this ritual, to perform motets at funerals, in church or at the grave.
In addition to settings of Requiems, the Dutch composers of the 15th and 16th centuries wrote funeral motets to commemorate princes and rulers, which continued to spread across Europe in the 17th and 18th centuries, with settings such as Handel’s Funeral Music for Queen Caroline, Musical Exequies by Heinrich Schütz and Purcells’s Funeral Music for Queen Mary. This began to expand into the secular world with works like Monteverdi’s Lamento d‘Arianna.
In France, the Sarabande was the most popular lament before the funeral march developed in the late 18th century. In the last century, new works such as dirges and epitaphs have entered the repertoire as expressions of mourning and grief.
Nowadays, pop or rock songs are often played at funerals. Here is a list of popular modern songs for funeral ceremonies:
for: Tenor horn (solo), brass ensemble (5 parts), percussion
Score, Parts
Item no.: 817765
for: Mixed choir a cappella
Choir book
Item no.: 582505
for: Organ
Sheet music
Item no.: 4532
for: Gemischter Chor (SATB), 1-2 Trompeten, 3-2 Posaunen, Orgel, [Pauken]
Score
Item no.: 235638
Piano reduction
Item no.: 285500
for: Organ
Music score
Item no.: 328216
for: 4 soloists (SATB), mixed choir (SATB), chamber orchestra
Piano reduction
Item no.: 658385
for: 2 soloists (SBar), mixed choir (SATB), orchestra, organ
Piano reduction
Item no.: 192705
for: Trumpet (B-flat), organ [piano]
Piano score, solo part (anthology)
Item no.: 210097
for: Cello, piano
Music score
Item no.: 356319
für (Mezzo-)Sopran und B.c. (komplett) (complete)
for: GES-M BC
Score, Parts
Item no.: 278583
for: Organ
Music score
Item no.: 296426
in freier Neugestaltung
for: Alt und Orchester
Piano reduction
Item no.: 741264
Music of Mourning
for: Viola (Violine, Violoncello) und Streichorchester
Orchestermaterial je 1 Violine 1, Violine 2, Bratsche, Violoncello, Kontrabass
Item no.: 733965
for: Mixed choir (SSAATTBB), cello
Score
Item no.: 315658
Easily manageable and popular organ music pieces from the baroque, classical and romanticism periods
for: Organ
Music score (anthology)
Item no.: 455979
for: Guitar
Music score
Item no.: 394004
for: Voice, piano
Item no.: 335322
for: Accordion orchestra
Score
Item no.: 193042
for: Symphonic orchestra
Study score
Item no.: 287191
for: Piano
Item no.: 174157
for: Symphonic orchestra
Study score
Item no.: 433981
for: 4 soloists (SATB), mixed choir (SATB), orchestra, basso continuo
Study score
Item no.: 196758
for: 4 soloists (SATB), mixed choir (SATB), orchestra, basso continuo
Study score (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 659288
for: Piano
Music score (anthology), 3 CDs
Item no.: 370739
for: Accordion
Music score
Item no.: 284955
for: für Sopran und Orchester
Study score
Item no.: 164182
for: Organ
Music score
Item no.: 388914
(Oversize)
for: Harp
Item no.: 579776
Vortrags- und Fantasiestücke für Harmonium Band 4
for: Harmonium
Music score
Item no.: 660562
for: Male choir, piano
Piano reduction
Item no.: 241365
for: GES-T (A) STR ORG
Score
Item no.: 444157
from Piano Sonata op. 35
for: Piano
Music score (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 401346
for: Organ
Music score (anthology), CD
Item no.: 684636
Passion cantata KV 42 (35a)
for: 2 soloists (SB), mixed choir (SATB), orchestra, basso continuo
Piano reduction (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 140633
for: 4 soloists (SATB), mixed choir (SATB), orchestra, basso continuo
Score (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 686625
for: Viola [violin/cello], string orchestra
Study score
Item no.: 288501
for violoncello and organ
for: Cello, organ
Music score
Item no.: 755243
Mitten wir im Leben sind
Totentanz für Orgel und Percussion
for: Organ, percussion
Score, Parts
Item no.: 654884
for: Symphonic orchestra
Study score (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 695811
for: Flute, oboe, clarinet, horn, bassoon (wind quintet)
Score
Item no.: 329663
for: Mixed choir a cappella
Score
Item no.: 422831
Vocal Duet
High Key (original) with piano accompaniment.
for: 2 voices (high), piano
Piano score
Item no.: 630161
for: Piano
Music score
Item no.: 356951
for: Concert band; chorus ad lib.
Score, Parts
Item no.: 478867
Heft 3: Pfingsten – Ende des Kirchenjahres
for: Organ (manuals)
Music score
Item no.: 496508
for Organ
For Funerals and Services of Thankgiving
for: Organ
Music score
Item no.: 662982
for: Organ
Music score
Item no.: 616841