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: Piano
Music score (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 492998
for: Piano
Music score (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 401311
Edited from the sources
Wiener Urtext Edition
for: Piano
Music score
Item no.: 558901
Edition Schott
for: Flute, basso continuo
Music score
Item no.: 732405
for: Piano
Music score (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 401144
for: Piano
Music score (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 401379
with marked and unmarked string parts
for: Cello, piano
Piano score, solo part (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 160710
for: Flute, bassoon [cello]
Score, Parts
Item no.: 131383
for: Cello, piano
Piano score, solo part
Item no.: 108824
for: 2 violins, cello, double bass
Score
Item no.: 281714
for: 2 cellos
Item no.: 155281
for: Cello, piano
Piano score, solo part
Item no.: 696214
Three Sonatas for Flute and Harpsichord (Piano)
Edition Peters Urtext
for: Flute, harpsichord [piano]
Piano score, solo part
Item no.: 379001
for: 3 treble recorders
Ensemble score
Item no.: 420967
"Aurnhammer"-Sonatas
with marked and unmarked string part
for: Violin, piano
Piano score, solo part (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 401524
for: Oboe, basso continuo
Score, Parts
Item no.: 164673
"Il Pastor Fido"
Volume I
for: Flute, piano
Piano score, solo part
Item no.: 165377
for: Piano
Item no.: 356037
for: Flöte, Basso continuo, Cembalo
Spielpartitur, Stimmensatz, Urtextausgabe, Sammelband
Item no.: 273762
(Piano Sonata)
for: Piano
Music score (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 693420
for: VL (FL/OB) FAG (VA/VDG/VC) BC
Score, Set of parts
Item no.: 608596
for: Violin, basso continuo
Piano score, parts
Item no.: 303536
aus: Musicalische Divertissements, Teil IV
for: Flute, violin, basso continuo
Score, Parts
Item no.: 628026
for: Treble recorder
Item no.: 413528
for: FL 2 ABFL BC
Score, Set of parts
Item no.: 413472
for: Violin
Music score
Item no.: 1562575
for: Clarinet, piano
Piano score, solo part
Item no.: 680870
N.1-9 per Violino e Basso Continuo (o Violino ad Libitum)
for: Violin, basso continuo
Piano score, solo part
Item no.: 177603
Sibley Nr. 15 & 25
for: Treble recorder, basso continuo
Score, Parts
Item no.: 375421
for: 2 flutes, piano
Piano score, 2 playing scores, Playback-CD
Item no.: 1346393
for: Mandolin, piano
Piano reduction
Item no.: 418354
for: Treble recorder, basso continuo
Score, Parts
Item no.: 636953
for: Flute, basso continuo
Score, part
Item no.: 562245
Reprint
Spiralbindung
for: 2 pianos
4 Performance scores
Item no.: 580667
L'arte del flauto
for: 2 treble recorders, flute, basso continuo
Item no.: 419124
for: Flute, violin, basso continuo
Score, Parts
Item no.: 628044
for: Clarinet, piano
Score, Set of parts
Item no.: 625981
for: 2 violins, basso continuo
Score, Parts
Item no.: 304587
for: 2 Vibraphones
Score
Item no.: 382834
for: Violin, piano
Piano score, solo part
Item no.: 189674
for: 2 violins, piano
Piano score, parts
Item no.: 114896
for: Piano
Music score, CD
Item no.: 484395
Sonatas Nos. 1–50
Bärenreiter Urtext
for: Piano
4 music scores (Urtext)
Item no.: 673609
Denkmaeler Der Musik In Salzburg Bd 14
for: Violin, basso continuo
Item no.: 561971
for: Flute, piano
Piano score, solo part
Item no.: 301012
for: Violin, cello, basso continuo
Score, Parts
Item no.: 672421
for: Double bass, piano
Piano score, solo part
Item no.: 256384
for: Cello, piano
Piano score, solo part
Item no.: 279339
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