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: Soli (SATB), 2 Flauti, 2 Oboie, Violini I, Violini II, Viole, Viola da gamba I/II, Violoncelli, Violone/Contrabbasso, Basso continuo (Liuto I/II ad lib.)
Klavierauszug
Item no.: 657140
for: Oboe, piano
Score, part
Item no.: 255104
for: Soloists, mixed choir, orchestra
Choir score (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 1615932
for: Classical guitar
Music score
Item no.: 248001
for: Electric organ
Item no.: 108555
for: Piano
Music score
Item no.: 182641
for: Tuba, piano
Score, part
Item no.: 175522
Klassik
for: Classical guitar
Music score
Item no.: 330705
for: Flute, piano
Piano score, solo part
Item no.: 209225
for: Classical guitar
Music score
Item no.: 393716
for: 3 violins, basso continuo
Study score
Item no.: 299763
for: Soloists, mixed choir, ensemble, organ
Score
Item no.: 184760
for: Cello, organ
Organ score, solo part
Item no.: 468581
for: für Sopran, Streicher und Orgel oder Cembalo
Score
Item no.: 113245
for: Brass winds (4–5 parts)
Score, Parts
Item no.: 176479
for: Melody instrument (C) [guitar/piano/keyboard]
Songbook (melody, lyrics, chords)
Item no.: 303368
for: 3 violins, basso continuo
Score, Parts (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 582851
Comfort and Hope in Song – 36 old and new songs
for: Women's choir (SMezA) a cappella
Choir book
Item no.: 419517
for: Voice, piano
Music score
Item no.: 174004
for: Horn, piano
Item no.: 353601
for: Organ
Music score
Item no.: 641000
for: Organ
Music score (anthology)
Item no.: 212642
for: Piano
Music score
Item no.: 335061
for: Bassoon, string orchestra
Sheet music
Item no.: 596920
arranged
for: Violin, organ
Organ score, solo part
Item no.: 624427
for: Mixed choir (SATB) a cappella
Choir score
Item no.: 1670392
for: 2–4 melodic instruments
Item no.: 279167
for: GCH (SATB/SSAATTBB) ORG
Score
Item no.: 145386
for: Soli (SATB), gemischter Chor (SATB), Gemeinde, 2 Violinen, Viola, Violoncello, Kontrabass, Orgel
Score
Item no.: 237846
for: 3 soloists (TTB), male choir (TTB), orchestra
Piano reduction
Item no.: 237336
for: 3 soloists (TTB), male choir (TTB), orchestra
Score
Item no.: 216086
for: Soloists, mixed choir, orchestra
Choir score
Item no.: 671634
for: Flexible ensemble (5 parts), piano (school orchestra)
Score, Parts
Item no.: 311799
for: Mixed choir a cappella
Choir score
Item no.: 235639
for: Soloists, mixed choir (SATB), organ
Organ score
Item no.: 605254
for: Marimbaphon (Vibraphon, Glocken) und Klavier
Score, Parts
Item no.: 458908
for: Concert band
Score, Parts
Item no.: 318791
for: 2 violins, organ [piano]
Piano reduction, 2 Parts
Item no.: 176634
for: 4 soloists (SATB), mixed choir (SATB), orchestra
Piano reduction (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 608616
Ästhetische, religiöse, gesellschaftliche Aspekte
ortus studien 18
Book (softcover)
Item no.: 1657560
for: Concert band
Score, Set of parts
Item no.: 431533
for: Clavecimbal
Buch
Item no.: 182313
in 2 Fassungen für Orchester und Harmoniemusik
Repertoire Explorer
for: Symphonic orchestra
Study score
Item no.: 275907
Das Gitarrenrepertoire
for: 2 guitars
Ensemble score
Item no.: 414067
Rg Edition
for: VL 2 VA VIOLONE ORG
Item no.: 583874
for: Tenor saxophone [soprano saxophone], piano [organ]
Item no.: 326499
Trompete (2), Horn, Posaune, Tuba
for: 5 brass winds
Score, Set of parts
Item no.: 644425