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:
Festliche Musik zu allen Gelegenheiten
for: Variable Besetzungsmöglichkeiten
Partitur = Klavier, Orgel, Harmonium
Item no.: 743264
for: Voice, piano
Music score
Item no.: 257639
for: Women's choir (SSAA) a cappella
Choir score
Item no.: 556228
für 1-2 Altblockflöten (Flöte) und Cembalo (Gitarre)
Flautando Edition
for: 2 treble recorders, basso continuo
Score, Parts
Item no.: 671992
for: Piano
Music score
Item no.: 258322
for: Male choir (TTBB), piano
Choir score
Item no.: 181459
for: Voice (medium), piano
Music score
Item no.: 395229
for: Solo S + Choir + piano
Choir score
Item no.: 317203
für Orchester (Soli oder Chor ad lib)
for: Salon orchestra
Piano part for conductor, Parts
Item no.: 184568
for: Male choir
Choir score
Item no.: 138599
for: Voice, piano
Music score
Item no.: 388484
for: Harp
Music score (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 615004
for: mittlere Singstimme und Klavier; Violine (Violoncello) ad libitum
Item no.: 356509
for: Piano
Music score
Item no.: 356506
for: Voice (high), piano
Score
Item no.: 356150
for: Women's choir (SSA), organ
Score
Item no.: 308250
for: Mixed choir a cappella
Item no.: 283402
for: Voice (medium), piano
Score
Item no.: 283341
for: Streichquartett, Kontrabass (ad libitum)
Score, part
Item no.: 475264
for: Cello, piano
Piano score, solo part
Item no.: 256532
for: Mixed choir (SATB) a cappella
Choir score
Item no.: 256596
for: Violin, string orchestra
Sheet music
Item no.: 596868
for: Viola, piano
Sheet music
Item no.: 590146
for: Alto saxophone, string orchestra
Sheet music
Item no.: 591358
for: Vibraphone, string orchestra
Score, Parts
Item no.: 591280
for: Voice, concert band
Sheet music
Item no.: 589241
for: Alt (Bariton) und Klavier
Item no.: 106040
for: 2 Singstimmen (ST), 4 Posaunen, Basso continuo, [Singstimmen Chor SATTB]
Score
Item no.: 229804
for: Singstimme (S), Orchester (2 Violinen, Viola, 2 Violoncelli)
Score
Item no.: 374100
for: Voice (S/T), organ
Score
Item no.: 330689
for: Mixed choir (SSAATTBB) a cappella
Score
Item no.: 424105
Vier Bearbeitungen aus drei Jahrhunderten
for: Mixed choir, piano
Music score
Item no.: 330166
Chorsaetze Zum Kirchenjahresende Und Zum Advent
for: Mixed choir a cappella
Item no.: 551610
F-Dur
for: Soloist (soprano), mixed choir (SATB), 2 violins, basso continuo
Organ reduction
Item no.: 237795
Solo für C, Bb, F oder Eb-Instrument mit Blasorchester
Moderne Bearbeitung
for: Melody instrument (C/B-flat/E-flat/F), concert band
Conductors part (C), Parts
Item no.: 487294
Katholisches Gebet- und Gesangbuch – Großdruck, in Leder
Gemeinsamer Eigenteil mit der Diözese Rottenburg-Stuttgart
Songbook
Item no.: 675583
for: Mixed choir a cappella
Item no.: 558479
for: Mixed choir (SATB), violin
Score
Item no.: 346506
for: Solo voice (soprano/tenor), mixed choir (SATB), orchestra [organ]
Score
Item no.: 337813
for: Mixed choir (SATB), organ
Score
Item no.: 327786
for: Oboe, piano
Piano score, solo part
Item no.: 332998
for: Singstimme Orgel
Score
Item no.: 476401
for: Voice, organ
Music score
Item no.: 479977
for: GES-H GCH VL KLAV (ORG)
Score
Item no.: 371296
Transcription for mixed choir a cappella
for: Mixed choir a cappella
Score
Item no.: 750675
Edition Schott
for: Piano 4 hands
Music score
Item no.: 726646
op. 52/6
for: Viola, piano
Single edition
Item no.: 726029