One of the most important forms of classical music is without a doubt the sonata. The meaning of the term “sonata”, which is derived from the Italian word “sonare” which means “to sound” or “to play”, has changed considerably over time. Browse our sheet music and scores, grab your all your favourites, and find out more about the sonata here today!
The term “sonata” derives from the second half of the 16th century, and refers to different types of instrumental compositions for two or more instruments. The term came about to distinguish the sonata from solo pieces for keyboard instruments, and from pieces with singing, such as cantatas.
The main difference between the baroque sonata and the classical sonata is the number of movements, the baroque sonata has at least four or more, in which slow and fast tempos alternate regularly. The baroque sonata is divided into two basic types:
Sonata da camera (“Chamber Sonata”) – which has a light dance character and is the predecessor of the baroque dance suite.
Sonata da chiesa (“Church sonata”) – which is usually in four movements and has a more serious character.
Depending on the size of the line-up, Baroque sonatas can be further subdivided into Solo Sonata for one instrument (usually violin) and basso continuo, and Trio Sonata for two solo instruments and basso continuo.
One of the most well-known composers of the Baroque sonata is the Italian composer Arcangelo Corelli (1653-1713). Both the Church Sonatas by Corelli and the Chamber Sonatas by Corelli are still very popular with instrumentalists and listeners today.
At the turn of the 17th and 18th centuries, the sonata da chiesa gradually evolved into what is known as the Neapolitan overture, where the introductory slow movement has been removed. The result was a three-movement form, with the tempo structure fast-slow-fast within each movement, which became the model not only for the classical sonata, but also for many other musical forms.
The Italian composer Domenico Scarlatti (1685-1757) contributed a great deal to the development of the sonata. The Sonatas by Scarlatti were usually composed in the traditional sonata form, a one-movement work with two contrasting themes.
During the Classical period, the sonata continued to develop and evolve. At that time, the term “sonata” was mainly understood to mean Piano Sonatas, or sonatas for another solo instrument with piano accompaniment. In its basic form, a classical sonata consists of three, or occasionally four movements, where the first fast movement is written in ’sonata form’, the second movement is slower, and the third movement is usually fast again, and can take various forms.
In a four-movement sonata, a dance movement in the form of a minuet or a scherzo is usually inserted before the last movement. The greatest exponents of the sonata were arguably three composers of the first Viennese school, Joseph Haydn, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart " 1972" text="Ludwig van Beethoven. Beethoven’s most famous sonata is without a doubt the Moonlight Sonata.
Horn Collection
for: Horn, piano [organ]
Piano score, solo part
Item no.: 593192
for: Alto saxophone, piano [organ]
Sheet music
Item no.: 593189
for: Tuba (B-flat), piano [organ]
Sheet music
Item no.: 593184
for: Trombone, piano
Piano score, solo part
Item no.: 593153
for: Euphonium, piano [organ]
Sheet music
Item no.: 593140
for: Tenor saxophone, piano [organ]
Sheet music
Item no.: 593136
for: Flute, piano [organ]
Score, part
Item no.: 593131
for: Bass trombone, piano [organ]
Score, part
Item no.: 593102
for: Tuba (B-flat), piano [organ]
Sheet music
Item no.: 593091
for: Trumpet, piano [organ]
Sheet music
Item no.: 593072
for: Trombone, piano [organ]
Sheet music
Item no.: 593026
for: 4 trombones (quartet)
Sheet music
Item no.: 596473
for: 4 trombones (quartet)
Sheet music
Item no.: 596420
for piano and violoncello
for: Cello, piano
Score, part
Item no.: 761299
for: Tuba, piano [organ]
Sheet music, Download (mp3)
Item no.: 1220462
for: Clarinet, piano [organ]
Sheet music, Download (mp3)
Item no.: 1220369
for: Horn (F), organ [piano]
Sheet music, Download (mp3)
Item no.: 1220363
for: Tuba (B-flat), piano [organ]
Sheet music, Download (mp3)
Item no.: 1220356
for: Oboe, piano [organ]
Sheet music, Download (mp3)
Item no.: 1220238
for: Tenor saxophone, piano [organ]
Sheet music, Download (mp3)
Item no.: 1220216
for: Trumpet [cornet], piano [organ]
Sheet music, Download (mp3)
Item no.: 1220215
for: Violin, piano [organ]
Sheet music, Download (mp3)
Item no.: 1220208
for: Trombone, piano [organ]
Sheet music, Download (mp3)
Item no.: 1220122
for: Bass trombone, piano [organ]
Sheet music, Download (mp3)
Item no.: 1220120
for: Flute, organ
Sheet music
Item no.: 1227407
for: Horn (E-flat), organ
Organ score, solo part
Item no.: 1227400
for: Alto trombone, organ
Sheet music
Item no.: 1227399
for: Viola, piano [organ]
Sheet music
Item no.: 1316812
for: Trombone, piano [organ]
Sheet music
Item no.: 1567560
for: Alto trombone, piano
Sheet music
Item no.: 1312916
for: Bass clarinet
Sheet music
Item no.: 1295468
Sonata quasi una Fantasia ("Mondschein")
for: Piano
Music score
Item no.: 731322
for: Treble recorder, basso continuo
Score, Parts
Item no.: 354109
Edited from the sources
Wiener Urtext Edition
for: Violin, basso continuo
Piano score, solo part
Item no.: 555226
for: Treble recorder, basso continuo
Score, Parts
Item no.: 200549
for: 2 treble recorders (duet)
Ensemble score
Item no.: 420950
"Spring Sonata"
Bärenreiter Urtext
for: Violin, piano
Piano score, solo part (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 764099
for: Flute, piano [organ]
Sheet music
Item no.: 1268365
for: Harp
Item no.: 463163
for: Trumpet, piano
Piano score, solo part
Item no.: 1024984
Sonata C major K. 263 for two Violins, two Trumpets, Organ, Violoncello and Bass
Bärenreiter Urtext
for: Organ, orchestra, basso continuo
Score, Parts (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 116476
for: Sopran-Blockflöte und Basso continuo (Cembalo, Klavier); Violoncello (Viola da gamba) ad libitum
Score, Parts
Item no.: 1669260
for: 2 Cembali
Score
Item no.: 278108
for: ORG (CEMB) (2-4)
Score
Item no.: 187298
for: Violin, basso continuo
Score, Parts
Item no.: 204420
for: 2 violins, cello, basso continuo
Score
Item no.: 163064
for: Violin, piano
Piano score, solo part
Item no.: 356687
for: Piano
Item no.: 356018