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: Violin, Violin, String Ensemble, Organ
Score
Item no.: 262677
for: Violin, string orchestra
Score, Set of parts
Item no.: 1016007
for: 1-2 trumpets, string orchestra, basso continuo
Cello, double bass (orchestral part)
Item no.: 278136
for: Violin, strings, basso continuo
Cello, double bass (orchestral part)
Item no.: 1355201
for: Violin, strings, basso continuo
Violin 2 (orchestral part)
Item no.: 1355144
for: Oboe, chamber orchestra
Harmony parts (complete winds)
Item no.: 1355029
for: Oboe, strings, basso continuo
Violin 1 (orchestral part)
Item no.: 1354921
for: Flute, oboe, string orchestra
Double bass (orchestral part)
Item no.: 1351788
for: Clarinet, bassoon, orchestra
Cello, double bass (orchestral part)
Item no.: 655742
for: Clarinet, orchestra
Cello, double bass (orchestral part)
Item no.: 612987
for: String orchestra, basso continuo
Cello, double bass (orchestral part)
Item no.: 493102
for: Trombone [Viola], chamber orchestra
Violin 1 (orchestral part)
Item no.: 1355281
for: 1. Oboe, 2. Oboe
Stimme, Urtextausgabe
Item no.: 488100
Urtext based on newly found source
Bärenreiter Urtext
for: Flute [oboe], orchestra
Violin 2 (orchestral part)
Item no.: 487578
(Urtext)
for: 2 oboes, strings, basso continuo
Oboe 1 (orchestral part)
Item no.: 329331
(Urtext)
for: 2 oboes, strings, basso continuo
Violin 1 (orchestral part)
Item no.: 329326
for: Organ (manuals), baroque orchestra
Oboe 1 (orchestral part)
Item no.: 192489
for: String orchestra, basso continuo
Viola 2 (orchestral part)
Item no.: 462132
for: Flute, orchestra
Cello, double bass (orchestral part)
Item no.: 329343
for: Clarinet (a), orchestra
Cello, double bass (orchestral part)
Item no.: 116513
Reconstructed after BWV 1055
Bärenreiter Urtext
for: Oboe d'amore [oboe], string orchestra, basso continuo
Violin 2 (orchestral part)
Item no.: 347088
for: Baroque orchestra
Viola 1 (orchestral part)
Item no.: 313417
for: Oboe, violin, strings, basso continuo
Single part oboe solo
Item no.: 278990
for: Organ, orchestra, basso continuo
Harpsichord [piano] (orchestral part)
Item no.: 476193
for: Organ, orchestra
Viola (orchestral part)
Item no.: 194583
for: Organ, orchestra
Cello, double bass (orchestral part)
Item no.: 139478
for: Organ, orchestra, basso continuo
Violin 2 (orchestral part)
Item no.: 1677788
for: Oboe, orchestra
Violin 2 (orchestral part)
Item no.: 557259
for: Symphonic orchestra
Basso continuo (orchestral part)
Item no.: 346033
for: Violin solo, string orchestra, basso continuo
Violin 2 (orchestral part)
Item no.: 335953
Organ Concerto No. 8 HWV 307
Breitkopf Urtext Edition
for: Organ, orchestra, basso continuo
Violin 3 (orchestral part)
Item no.: 148389
for: Piano, orchestra
Cello, double bass (orchestral part)
Item no.: 696475
for: Piano, orchestra
Viola (orchestral part)
Item no.: 696473
Autumn
for: Violin solo, string orchestra, basso continuo
Violin 1 (orchestral part)
Item no.: 693032
for: Violin, strings, basso continuo
Violin 1 (orchestral part)
Item no.: 621047
for: 3 violins, strings, basso continuo
Single part Violin 1 solo
Item no.: 369100
Tafelmusik I
TWV 53:A2
Urtext of the Telemann Edition
for: Flute, violin, string orchestra, basso continuo
Single part (Violin solo)
Item no.: 347747
for: Violin, orchestra
Score
Item no.: 383118
for: Bassoon, orchestra
Study score
Item no.: 310102
for: Organ, strings
Single part (Organ solo)
Item no.: 305711
for: Clarinet, orchestra
Set of parts (Strings)
Item no.: 665796
for: Bassoon, strings, basso continuo
Set of parts
Item no.: 1555955
for: String orchestra
Set of parts
Item no.: 361604
for: Piano, orchestra
Violin 2 (orchestral part)
Item no.: 1615903
for: Clarinet
Single part clarinet solo
Item no.: 633889
for: Horn, orchestra
Cello, double bass (orchestral part)
Item no.: 655939
for: Harpsichord, strings, basso continuo
Violin 2 (orchestral part)
Item no.: 191466
for: 2 harpsichords, strings, basso continuo
Violin 2 (orchestral part)
Item no.: 157200
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