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.
für Tasteninstrument
for: Harpsichord [piano]
Item no.: 274699
for: Oboe, piano
Piano score, solo part
Item no.: 360554
for violin or flute and basso continuo
Urtext
for: Flute [violin], basso continuo
Ensemble score, solo parts
Item no.: 115321
for: Piano
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for: 2 trumpets (C), 2 violins, organ, cello [double bass/bassoon]
Score, parts (pdf download)
Item no.: 5775
for: Piano
Sheet music
Item no.: 4110
for: Violin [flute], basso continuo
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Szonáta
for: Cello
Music score
Item no.: 255950
D minor
Dowani 3 Tempi Play Along
for: Treble recorder, basso continuo
Piano score, solo part, playback-CD
Item no.: 368212
for: Violin, basso continuo
Score, Parts (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 549172
for: Treble recorder, basso continuo
Piano score, solo part, online audio (playback)
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for: Clarinet (B-flat), piano
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2 Performance scores
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Piano score, solo part (Urtext edition)
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for: 2 violins, basso continuo
Score, Parts
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for: Piano
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for: Cello, basso continuo
Piano score, solo part
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for: Violin, cello
Spielpartituren (2), Urtextausgabe
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for: 2 flutes (duet)
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for: Cello [double bass], piano
Piano score, 2 solo parts
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for: Violin
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for: 2 violins, basso continuo
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Item no.: 304591
for: Classical guitar
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for: Cello or 2 Celli and Piano
Score
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for: Violin, basso continuo
Score, Parts
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for: Recorder, basso continuo
Score, Parts (Urtext edition)
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Für Altblockflöte solo. Baß und GitarrenBegleitung von Erwin Schaller
Das Gitarrenwerk (Verlagskopie) (Editor's copy)
for: Guitar
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for: Flute, viola, harp
Score, Parts (Urtext edition)
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for: Piano
Music score (Urtext edition)
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with marked and unmarked string parts
for: Violin, piano
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for: Piano
Music score (Urtext edition)
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for: Flute, violin, piano
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for: Violin, piano
Spielpartitur, Stimme, Urtextausgabe
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for: Descant (soprano) recorder [violin], piano
Ensemble score, solo part
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for: Treble recorder [flute/violin], basso continuo
Piano score, solo part
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Edition Peters Green Series
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Music score (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 382455
für 2 Violinen und Bc
Sonate D-Dur, Sonate g-Moll
for: KAMMERMUSIK STREICH- + TASTEN-/BALGINSTRUMENTE TRIOS
Item no.: 191105
Denkmaeler Der Musik In Salzburg Bd 3 (Faksimile) (Facsimile)
for: Violin
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for: 2 viole da gamba, basso continuo
Score, Parts
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aus: Musicalische Divertissements, Teil IV
for: Flute, violin, basso continuo
Score, Parts
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(Bc ausgesetzt)
Ledenburg Sammlung
for: Viola da gamba, basso continuo
Score, Parts
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for: Treble recorder, basso continuo
Score, Parts
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for: Violin, guitar
Score, part
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... I piaceri del violino ...
for: Violin, basso continuo
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