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: Small wind band
Flute (orchestral part)
Item no.: 157485
Lamento
for: Voice (bass), string orchestra, basso continuo
Viola da gamba 2 (orchestral part)
Item no.: 1684647
for: Percussion
Item no.: 300073
for: ALT-Flöte Klarinette, Cembalo
Item no.: 474196
for: 4 soloists (SATB), mixed choir (SATB), orchestra, organ
Single part Organ
Item no.: 1666842
for: Concert band
Conductors part (C), Parts
Item no.: 458686
für flexibles Ensemble Gitarre/Keyboard/Orgel/Akkordeon
Music Makes The World Go Round
for: Flexible ensemble
Single part Guitar/Keyboard/Organ/Accordion
Item no.: 479553
for: Small wind band
Conductors part (B-flat), set of parts
Item no.: 335141
Werke Des 20 Jahrhunderts 2~Die Orgel 1
for: Organ
Item no.: 188865
Music Makes The World Go Round
for: Flexible ensemble
Part for horn (in E-flat)
Item no.: 479552
Daehn Publications
for: Concert band
Score, Parts
Item no.: 1018437
Begräbnismusik in drei Teilen für Singstimmen und Basso continuo
Stuttgarter Schütz-Ausgabe Urtext
for: 8 voices (SSAATTBB), organ, bass; mixed choir (SSATTB), 6 melody instruments colla parte ad lib.
Single part 6 (C)
Item no.: 674159
for: 5 brass winds
Set of parts
Item no.: 1193697
for: Piano
Item no.: 549240
for: Organ
Single part Organ
Item no.: 305654
Early version
Bärenreiter Urtext
for: 4 soloists (SATB), mixed choir (SSAATTBB), orchestra
Viola 1 (orchestral part)
Item no.: 643748
(Urtext)
for: Soloists, 2 mixed choirs (SATB, SATB), orchestra
Violin 2 (orchestral part)
Item no.: 328537
Funeral Cantata TWV 4:17
for: 2 soloists (SB), mixed choir (SATB), orchestra, organ
Viola da gamba 2 (orchestral part)
Item no.: 430524
for: Mixed choir a cappella
Item no.: 379448
for: Symphonic orchestra
Violin 2 (orchestral part)
Item no.: 658917
for: Symphonic orchestra
Double bass (orchestral part)
Item no.: 658677
for: 4 soloists (SATB), mixed choir (SATB), orchestra, basso continuo
Cello, double bass (orchestral part)
Item no.: 479000
for: Viola [violin/cello], string orchestra
Viola (orchestral part)
Item no.: 212411
for: Concert band
Set of parts
Item no.: 1696416
for: Male choir
Choir score
Item no.: 280457
for: 4 soloists (SATB), mixed choir (SATB), orchestra, organ
Harmony parts (complete winds)
Item no.: 771652
for: Symphonic orchestra
Harmony parts (complete winds)
Item no.: 601973
HWV 54
for: 6 soloists (SSATBB), 2 mixed choirs (SATB, SATB), orchestra
Organ (orchestral part)
Item no.: 1317321
Brass Ensemble
for: Brass ensemble (11 parts)
Score, Parts
Item no.: 1678423
for: Harmonium [organ manuals]
Item no.: 209843
for: 2 Gitarren, AKK
Item no.: 330615
Buch
Item no.: 248909
for: Concert band
Conductors part, set of parts
Item no.: 1556429
for: 4 saxophones (SATBar)
Score, Parts
Item no.: 295980
Johann Joseph Abert: Ausgewählte Werke, Band 1
for: Piano
Item no.: 350996
for: Mixed choir a cappella
Choir score
Item no.: 473409
Trauermusik
for: 2 soloists (SB), mixed choir (SATB), orchestra, organ
Set of parts
Item no.: 661373
Double bass (orchestral part)
Item no.: 610355
Musikalische Exequien III SWV 281
for: 2 favorit choirs (SATB, SATB), basso continuo; 8 instruments (colla parte) ad lib.
Set of parts
Item no.: 1160517
for: Mixed choir a cappella
Choir score
Item no.: 141498
for: Organ
Item no.: 143217
for: Organ
Item no.: 296370
aus "Six pièces d'orgue avec pédale obligée"
for: Organ
Music score
Item no.: 611259
Chor 1
Sonderanfertigung!!
for: Soloists, 2 mixed choirs (SATB, SATB), orchestra
Single part Flute 1
Item no.: 664767
Chor 2
Sonderanfertigung
for: Flute
Single part Flute 2
Item no.: 664770
Collection Aurelia
for: 4 saxophones (SATBar)
Score, Parts
Item no.: 338696
for: Cello, piano
Piano score, solo part
Item no.: 266747