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: Mixed choir (2 voices), organ
Music score
Item no.: 655491
for: Voice (soprano), clarinet, piano
Piano score, parts
Item no.: 154422
Fantasy on a Lied by Franz Schubert
for: Organ
Music score
Item no.: 755332
Motette
for: Mixed choir (SSATTB) a cappella
Choir score
Item no.: 751860
3 Transcriptions for Guitar
for: Guitar
Music score
Item no.: 750069
Edition Schott
for: Alt (Bariton) und Klavier
Music score
Item no.: 741310
for: Soli SA, gemischter Chor (SATB), Orgel, [Violoncello]
Score
Item no.: 422924
for: 2 Soprane (Sopran/Alt) und Orgel
Music score
Item no.: 740400
for: Alto saxophone, organ
Item no.: 132996
for: Mixed choir a cappella
Music score
Item no.: 753812
(Johannes Jourdan)
for: gemischter Chor und Melodie-Instrument ad lib.
Music score
Item no.: 733561
for: Mixed choir a cappella
Music score
Item no.: 733557
Meditation on the first Prelude C major from "The Well-Tempered Clavier"
for: Piano
Noten erleichtert
Item no.: 739469
for: Trumpet (C/B-flat), piano
Piano score, solo part, audio file
Item no.: 1239
for: Mixed choir (SATB) a cappella
Choir score
Item no.: 1652991
for: Piano
Music score
Item no.: 257890
for: Male choir (TTBB); piano ad lib.
Choir score
Item no.: 212661
for: Mixed choir (SATB), organ
Choir score
Item no.: 166187
for: Mixed choir (SATB), piano
Choir score
Item no.: 551880
for: Violin, piano
Music score
Item no.: 662722
for: Mixed choir, piano
Piano score
Item no.: 287694
for: Choir a Cappella
Score
Item no.: 257642
for: Mixed choir a cappella
Music score
Item no.: 324733
for: Women's choir (SSA), piano
Choir score
Item no.: 367455
for: Trumpet (B-flat) [clarinet/tenor saxophone], organ
Score, part (pdf download)
Item no.: 1488
for: Tenor saxophone [soprano saxophone], piano [organ]
Piano score, solo part
Item no.: 333669
for: Violin, viola
Score, Parts
Item no.: 579589
for: Voice (low), piano
Music score
Item no.: 105987
for: Mixed choir (SATB) a cappella
Score
Item no.: 662159
for: Voice (tenor/soprano), piano
Item no.: 106099
for: Sopran solo, Gemischte Chöre (SATB) (2), Kontrabass
Score, part
Item no.: 577850
for: 3 flutes (trio)
Buch
Item no.: 226491
for: Treble recorder, piano
Piano score, solo part
Item no.: 674734
for: Voice, piano
Single edition
Item no.: 227832
for: GCH (7)
Ensemble score
Item no.: 181634
for: Electric organ
Item no.: 108556
for: Voice (low), piano
Book
Item no.: 173783
for: Trombone, string orchestra
Sheet music
Item no.: 596935
for: Trumpet, piano
Sheet music
Item no.: 598461
for: Brass band
Sheet music
Item no.: 595563
for: Brass band
Sheet music
Item no.: 595393
for: Concert band
Sheet music
Item no.: 588389
for: Flute, piano
Sheet music
Item no.: 590148
for: Voice, concert band
Sheet music
Item no.: 587994
for: Mixed choir (SATB) a cappella; organ ad lib.
Score
Item no.: 217819
for: Mixed choir (SATB) a cappella
Choir score
Item no.: 132300
for: Voice (high), piano
Single edition
Item no.: 105985