Who said that there are no arguments in music? On the contrary, the never-ending “competition” is an inseparable part of music itself, be it between instruments, within the dynamics or through the phrasing. In a solo concerto, a virtuosic soloist duels with the accompanying orchestra, and all being well, in the end, everybody wins! Browse our sheet music and scores, and explore all concertos from all eras with Stretta today!
The word “Concerto” is derived from the Latin term “concertare”, which means to dispute, contend or fight, while the same word took on a completely opposite meaning in Italian, to harmonise. The term was initially used for sacred choral compositions with bass accompaniment. First the Italian baroque composers Alessandro Stradella, Giuseppe Torelli and Arcangelo Corelli began to compose in the instrumental form that we now call “Concerto Grosso”. It consists of a small group of solo instruments, a “Concertino”, and a larger accompanying orchestra, the “Ripieno”, with basso continuo.
In the high baroque period, the first solo instrumental concertos began to appear, with a classic three-movement structure, for one, but sometimes for two or more instruments. The master of this form was without a doubt Antonio Vivaldi, from whose pen, to this day, 447 concertos have survived, 226 of them for violin. Vivaldi’s best-known concerto is his violin concerto Four Seasons. Both Bach and Handel are also well known for their concertos.
The solo concerto was also very popular in the classical period. All great composers who were accomplished pianists or instrumentalists wrote solo concertos, often for themselves, but also for other contemporary virtuosos, here are a few great classical solo concertos:
In the romantic period, almost all major composers devoted themselves to solo or double concertos of all kinds. Here are a few romantic favourites:
for: Piano Quintet
Score, Parts
Item no.: 638075
for: Piano Quintet
Score, Parts
Item no.: 638060
for: Bassoon, piano
Piano score, solo part
Item no.: 273224
Versions in E major and in E flat major
Urtext
for: Trumpet, orchestra
Study score
Item no.: 683686
for: Flute, strings, basso continuo
Score
Item no.: 472419
for: Violin, strings, basso continuo
Piano score, solo part
Item no.: 116785
for: Violin, piano
Piano score, solo part
Item no.: 404578
for: 2 violins, cello, harpsichord [harp]
Score (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 549651
Twelve Concertos for Violin, Strings and Basso continuo
op. 4
Volume II/ VII-XII
Bärenreiter Urtext
for: Violin, piano
Piano score, solo part (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 684881
In Cooperation with G. Henle Verlag
for: Violin, orchestra
Score (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 658025
for: Cello, piano
Piano reduction, solo part
Item no.: 608132
for: Clarinet, piano
Piano score, solo part
Item no.: 768674
for: Trumpet, orchestra
Study score
Item no.: 244146
for: Piano, orchestra
Study score
Item no.: 287082
(Urtext)
for: Cello, orchestra
Harmony parts (complete winds)
Item no.: 601347
for: Trumpet, 2 oboes, string orchestra, basso continuo
Piano reduction, solo parts
Item no.: 294163
for: Bassoon, orchestra
Piano reduction, solo part
Item no.: 173555
for: Violin
Music score
Item no.: 632105
for: 2 violins, string orchestra, basso continuo
Score (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 116782
for: Clarinet, orchestra
Piano reduction, solo part
Item no.: 362767
for: Clarinet [violin], viola, orchestra
Piano reduction, solo parts
Item no.: 357260
for violin and piano
for: Violin, piano
Piano score, solo part
Item no.: 404281
for: Flute, piano
Piano score, solo part
Item no.: 165270
for: Cello
Music score, online playback
Item no.: 465411
for: Trombone, orchestra
Piano reduction, solo part
Item no.: 372550
for: Piano, orchestra
Study score, CD
Item no.: 471793
for: Violin, orchestra
Study score
Item no.: 358851
for: 2 pianos, orchestra
Piano reduction
Item no.: 186754
for: Violin
Solo part, online audio (playback)
Item no.: 350884
for: Flute, strings, basso continuo
Piano reduction, solo part
Item no.: 393377
for Violin and Orchestra
Eulenburg Miniature Scores
for: Violin, orchestra
Study score
Item no.: 391978
Die vier Jahreszeiten - Der Herbst
bearbeitet für Sopransaxophon und Saxophonquartett
for: Soprano saxophone (solo), 4 saxophones (SATBar)
Score, Parts
Item no.: 669313
Pour Vlc De Vivaldi
for: Trumpet, organ
Buch
Item no.: 312710
Concerto flauto Amadeus 6
for: Flute, orchestra
Piano reduction, solo part
Item no.: 200582
for: Harpsichord, orchestra
Score
Item no.: 163964
First publication
for: Piano, orchestra
Score
Item no.: 171376
for: Flute, concert band
Score, Parts
Item no.: 667655
for: Violin, piano
Piano reduction
Item no.: 485153
for: Alto saxophone (E-flat), chamber orchestra
Study score
Item no.: 290310
in one movement
for: Cello, orchestra
Piano reduction, solo part
Item no.: 748149
Eulenburg Miniature Scores
for: Cembalo oder Flöte oder Violoncello und Streicher
Study score
Item no.: 749243
for: Horn, alto trombone, orchestra
Score, Parts
Item no.: 596604
for: Double bass, ensemble
Score
Item no.: 682888
Edition Schott
for: Oboe und kleines Orchester
Piano reduction, solo part
Item no.: 734586
Critical edition of the score
Edizione critica della partitura (komplett) (complete)
for: Violin, strings, basso continuo
Set of parts
Item no.: 260536
for: Violin, piano
Piano reduction, solo part
Item no.: 180040
for: Flute, piano
Piano score, solo part
Item no.: 318719
for: Clarinet, piano
Piano score, solo part
Item no.: 466683