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:
32 einfache Sätze im alten Stil / Coro SSA oder SAA zur Bestattung
for: Women's choir (SSA) a cappella
Choir book
Item no.: 279300
for: Mixed choir (SATB), piano
Piano reduction
Item no.: 484726
for: Concert band; voice ad lib.
Score
Item no.: 1183716
for: 2 viole da gamba, basso continuo
Score, Parts
Item no.: 665590
for: Women's choir (SSA) a cappella
Choir score
Item no.: 320460
for: Posaune und Orgel
Score, solo part
Item no.: 278296
for: 2 favorit choirs (SATB, SATB), basso continuo; 8 instruments (colla parte) ad lib.
Score
Item no.: 231793
for: Flute, piano
Piano score, solo part
Item no.: 264709
from 'Scenes of Childhood'
for: Trumpet (B-flat), piano
Music score
Item no.: 752834
for: Women's choir (SMezA) a cappella
Music score
Item no.: 755746
for: Women's choir (SMezA) a cappella
Music score
Item no.: 755745
Psalm 121,1-3
for: Male choir (TTBB) a cappella
Music score
Item no.: 755728
for: Mixed choir (SATB) a cappella
Music score
Item no.: 755719
for: Mixed choir (SATB/SAB) a cappella
Music score
Item no.: 734128
for: Women's choir (SMezA) a cappella
Music score
Item no.: 725858
for: Male choir (TTBB) a cappella
Music score
Item no.: 725824
for: Male choir (TTBB) a cappella
Music score
Item no.: 725817
for: Brass band
Sheet music
Item no.: 595382
for: Horn (F), organ
Sheet music
Item no.: 596483
20 neue Lieder zu Trauerfeiern
for: Voice
Songbook
Item no.: 1657498
for: Guitar
Item no.: 277944
Book (softcover)
Item no.: 649492
for: BL SEXTETT
Score
Item no.: 103097
for: Mixed choir (SATB), piano
Choir score
Item no.: 166734
for: Symphonic orchestra
Study score
Item no.: 667086
for: Organ
Music score
Item no.: 392728
for: Soloists, mixed choir (SSATTB), basso continuo
Score (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 114658
for: Symphonic orchestra
Score
Item no.: 151215
for: Clarinet, piano
Score, part
Item no.: 257252
for: Mixed choir (SATB/SAB) a cappella
Music score
Item no.: 741135
for: 2 trumpets (B-flat), horn (F), trombone, tuba
Score, Parts
Item no.: 400880
for: Trumpet (C/D), organ
Organ score, solo part
Item no.: 460700
Edition Schott
for: Violin, piano
Music score
Item no.: 750498
for: Guitar
Music score
Item no.: 370417
for: 4 guitars (quartet)
Score, Parts
Item no.: 301182
for: Symphonic orchestra
Harmony parts (complete winds)
Item no.: 658676
for: 4 soloists (SATB), mixed choir (SATB), orchestra, basso continuo
Choir score (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 483298
for: Cello, organ
Organ score, solo part
Item no.: 624457
for: gemischter Chor (SAATTBB)
Choir score
Item no.: 204860
Abschiedsklang - Mein letzter Gruß
Flexible Besetzung
for: Flexible wind ensemble (5 voices)
Score, Set of parts
Item no.: 1678381
pour orgue
for: Organ
Music score
Item no.: 659958
Psalm 130 (129) für gemischten Chor und Orchester
for: Mixed choir (SATB), orchestra
Piano reduction
Item no.: 394791
voor gemengd koor a cappella
for: Mixed choir a cappella
Choir score
Item no.: 489257
for: Guitar
Music score
Item no.: 429243
for: 5 trumpets
Score, Parts
Item no.: 216715
for: Cello, piano
Piano score, solo part
Item no.: 1658195
Choir part Soprano
Item no.: 266026
Passionskantate
for: Mixed choir a cappella
Choir score
Item no.: 234963