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.
for: Recorder, basso continuo
Score, Parts (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 256512
for: Clarinet (B-flat), piano
Piano score, solo part
Item no.: 689579
for: 2 violins, basso continuo
Score, Parts
Item no.: 304589
for: Flute, violin, piano
Piano score, parts
Item no.: 583176
for: Cello, piano
Piano score, solo part
Item no.: 194511
for: Violin, basso continuo
Score, Set of parts
Item no.: 413626
for: 2 VL VDG CEMB
Item no.: 140147
for: 2 violins, viola da gamba, basso continuo
Score, Parts
Item no.: 128041
for: 2 flutes (duet)
Item no.: 131008
for: Descant (soprano) recorder [flute/oboe/violin], basso continuo
Score, Parts
Item no.: 174366
for: Flute, viola, harp
Score, Parts (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 605969
for: Violin, basso continuo
Score, Parts (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 549172
for: Piano
Music score (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 633511
for: Violin, cello
Spielpartituren (2), Urtextausgabe
Item no.: 586173
for: Piano
Music score (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 551963
for: Flute, basso continuo
Score, Parts
Item no.: 418003
for: Piano
Music score
Item no.: 182646
for: Alto saxophone, cello
2 Performance scores
Item no.: 680972
for violin or flute and basso continuo
Urtext
for: Flute [violin], basso continuo
Ensemble score, solo parts
Item no.: 115321
for: Violin, piano
Spielpartitur, Stimme, Urtextausgabe
Item no.: 116943
from "Der getreue Musikmeister"
Hortus Musicus
for: Cello, basso continuo
Score, Parts
Item no.: 122047
for: Flute, piano
Piano score, solo part
Item no.: 359798
for: Oboe, piano
Piano score, solo part
Item no.: 360554
for: 2 violins, basso continuo
Score, Parts
Item no.: 304591
for: Flute, basso continuo
Score, Parts
Item no.: 179185
for: Treble recorder, basso continuo
Piano score, parts
Item no.: 419241
for: Violin, piano
Piano score, solo part (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 696051
for: Violin
Music score
Item no.: 395296
for: Cello [double bass], piano
Piano score, 2 solo parts
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for: Bassoon, piano
Piano score, solo part
Item no.: 256572
for: Descant (soprano) recorder [violin], piano
Ensemble score, solo part
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for: Basso continuo
Music score
Item no.: 394543
for: 2 pianos
Score
Item no.: 132128
for: Treble recorder [flute/violin], basso continuo
Piano score, solo part
Item no.: 379109
with marked and unmarked string parts
for: Violin, piano
Piano score, solo part (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 401407
for: Piano
Music score (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 401504
for: Piano
Music score (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 401319
Arrangement of the Sonata for Violoncello and Piano
Russische Musik der Moderne
for: Viola, piano
Piano score, solo part
Item no.: 328830
for: Flute
Music score
Item no.: 331787
Edition Peters Green Series
for: Piano
Music score (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 382455
for: Treble recorder, basso continuo
Piano score, solo part, online audio (playback)
Item no.: 433930
for: 2 pianos
Score
Item no.: 174116
for: Cello, basso continuo
Piano score, solo part
Item no.: 418037
for: Sopran-Blockflöte (Violine) und Basso continuo
Item no.: 223765
for: Piano
Item no.: 351551
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
Item no.: 336187
for: 2 viole da gamba, basso continuo
Score, Parts
Item no.: 486118
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