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, recorder, oboe, trumpet, strings, basso continuo
Violin 1 (orchestral part)
Item no.: 210586
for: Chamber orchestra, basso continuo
Viola 2 (orchestral part)
Item no.: 631076
for: Piano, orchestra
Violin 1 (orchestral part)
Item no.: 344641
for: Piano, orchestra
Violin 2 (orchestral part)
Item no.: 696411
for: Piano, orchestra
Violin 1 (orchestral part)
Item no.: 696410
for: Piano, orchestra
Violin 1 (orchestral part)
Item no.: 634645
Winter
for: Violin solo, string orchestra, basso continuo
Cello, double bass (orchestral part)
Item no.: 671887
from L'Estro Armonico
RV 550 / PV 97
for: 4 violins, strings, basso continuo
Cello, double bass (orchestral part)
Item no.: 631374
Summer
for: Violin solo, string orchestra, basso continuo
Cello, double bass (orchestral part)
Item no.: 621405
Viola 1 (orchestral part)
Item no.: 372986
Winter
for: Violin solo, string orchestra, basso continuo
Violin 1 (orchestral part)
Item no.: 371419
KV 175, 238, 242 (2 oder 3 Klaviere), 382
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. Neue Ausgabe sämtlicher Werke (NMA) V/15/1 (Gesamtausgabe, kritischer Bericht) (Complete edition, Critical Report)
for: Piano, orchestra
Book (critical commentary)
Item no.: 135243
for: 3 violins, strings, basso continuo
Violin (orchestral part)
Item no.: 552486
Tafelmusik I
TWV 53:A2
Urtext of the Telemann Edition
for: Flute, violin, string orchestra, basso continuo
Double bass (orchestral part)
Item no.: 347750
for: Piano, orchestra
Score
Item no.: 379156
for: Organ, strings
Study score
Item no.: 310236
for: Oboe, strings, basso continuo
Violin 2 (orchestral part)
Item no.: 770589
Viola (orchestral part)
Item no.: 341010
for: Piccolo, orchestra
Score
Item no.: 1115066
for: Piano [harpsichord]
Music score
Item no.: 1565626
for: Organ, orchestra, basso continuo
Single part (Organ solo)
Item no.: 1677793
for: 2 violins [flute, violin], cello, basso continuo
Single part Violin 1
Item no.: 213479
for: Cello, orchestra
Study score
Item no.: 483982
op. 46/1
for: 2 trumpets, strings, basso continuo
Solostimme Trompete I
Item no.: 734352
for: 3 Violinen, Streichorchester und Cembalo
Score
Item no.: 106842
for: 3 cellos, orchestra
Piano reduction, solo parts
Item no.: 1215853
The Four Seasons
Bärenreiter Urtext
for: Violin, strings, basso continuo
Viola (orchestral part)
Item no.: 330073
for: für Klavier und Orchester
Partitur
Item no.: 328147
for: Flute, oboe, violin, cello, theorbo, strings, basso continuo
Single part Theorbo
Item no.: 421779
for: Flute, oboe, violin, cello, theorbo, strings, basso continuo
Study score
Item no.: 391609
for: Violin, strings, basso continuo
Viola (orchestral part)
Item no.: 314642
for: Flute, orchestra
Study score
Item no.: 392396
for: Violine und Streichorchester; 2 Hörner ad libitum
Additional parts: strings
Item no.: 273617
for: Violin, string orchestra, organ
Single part Violin 2
Item no.: 206038
for: für Flöte und Orchester Violine 2
Single part
Item no.: 368067
for: Organ
Single part Organ
Item no.: 236432
for: Organ, orchestra
Viola (orchestral part)
Item no.: 237557
for: Flute, strings, basso continuo
Violin 2 (orchestral part)
Item no.: 327691
for: Piano, orchestra
Viola (orchestral part)
Item no.: 696420
for: Violin, string orchestra
Set of parts
Item no.: 774460
for: Cello, orchestra
Cello (orchestral part)
Item no.: 247526
violin concert
Urtext
for: Violin, orchestra
Viola (orchestral part)
Item no.: 1670479
for: Flute, orchestra
Set of parts
Item no.: 228078
Ausgabe Grosch
for: Oboe, piano
Item no.: 579151
Urtext based on the new Beethoven Complete Edition (G. Henle Verlag)
for: Piano, orchestra
Violin 2 (orchestral part)
Item no.: 1670428
for: Clarinet, orchestra
Conductor score
Item no.: 1646189
Bärenreiter Urtext
for: Piano, orchestra
Violin 1 (orchestral part)
Item no.: 1668632
RV 210
opera ottava n. XI op. 8/11
for: Violin, strings, basso continuo
Score, Parts, Piano reduction
Item no.: 1215580
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