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.
Critical Commentary
for: Piano
Book (critical commentary)
Item no.: 690283
Bärenreiter Urtext
for: Piano, narrator
Score (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 1534637
Beethoven's Last Piano Sonatas 3
An Edition with Elucidation
for: Piano
Book (Hardcover)
Item no.: 888072
Sonaten 1-3
Barockmusik für Blockflöte
for: 2 treble recorders (duet)
Ensemble score
Item no.: 143492
for: Violin, piano
Piano score, solo part
Item no.: 659193
for: Piano
Music score
Item no.: 494378
for: Flute, basso continuo
Music score
Item no.: 772367
for: 3 cellos
Score, Parts
Item no.: 665086
with notes on interpretation by Artur Schnabel
Volume 3 (sonatas 24-32)
for: Piano
Music score
Item no.: 171580
for: Cello, basso continuo
Piano score, solo part (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 180722
pour violoncelle et piano
for: Cello, piano
Score, part
Item no.: 626450
Dowani 3 Tempi Play Along
for: Violin
Buch + CD
Item no.: 482725
for: Piano
Music score
Item no.: 494379
for: Piano
Music score
Item no.: 118942
for: Piano
Music score
Item no.: 627969
for: Violin, piano
Music score, online playback
Item no.: 771802
for: Organ
Music score (spiral binding)
Item no.: 321137
for: Cello, piano
Piano score, solo part
Item no.: 633920
for: Cello, piano
Piano score, solo part
Item no.: 681335
from "Tutta l’Arte della Trombetta"
Edward H. Tarr Series
The Brass Press
for: 5 trumpets [brass quintet], timpani
Score, Parts
Item no.: 1670965
for: 2 oboes
Item no.: 1690254
for: Tuba, piano [organ]
Piano score, solo part
Item no.: 1666946
for: 2 melodic instruments (C/B-flat/E-flat), concert band
Score, Parts
Item no.: 588281
for: Flute, organ
Organ score, solo part
Item no.: 1660422
for: 3 cellos, double bass
Score, Set of parts
Item no.: 1658263
für Bassgambe (Violoncello/Violone) und Basso continuo
Collegium Musicum - Kölner Reihe Alter Musik
for: Viola da gamba [cello], basso continuo
Ensemble score, solo part
Item no.: 679211
Die Trompetenklasse VI
for: Trumpet (B-flat), piano [organ]
Piano score, solo part (anthology)
Item no.: 775006
für Orgel
Frutti Musicali
for: Organ
Music score
Item no.: 673616
für Viola da gamba (Bc ad lib) (Bc nicht ausgesetzt)
for: Viola da gamba, basso continuo
Score, Parts
Item no.: 663925
for: TRP-C POS (FAG) ORG
Score, Parts
Item no.: 488921
for: Flöte VA
Score, Parts
Item no.: 187389
for: Flute, piano
Item no.: 442647
for: 2 VL (BFL) VC BC
Score, Parts
Item no.: 193223
for: Piano
Music score
Item no.: 192592
for: Bassoon, piano
Score, Parts
Item no.: 458856
für Querflöte (Violine) und Basso continuo
Heft 3, Nr. 7-9
L'arte del flauto
for: Flute, basso continuo
Item no.: 418074
for: Treble recorder, basso continuo
Score, Set of parts
Item no.: 413515
Faksimilie des Walsh-Druckes, London, nach 1710
for: Treble recorder, basso continuo
Score (facsimile)
Item no.: 166353
für Oboe und Klavier
for: Oboe, piano
Music score
Item no.: 602873
Neun Sonaten
(Innsbruck 1659)
for: 3 viole da gamba
Score, Parts
Item no.: 1022729
for: Violin, piano
Piano score, solo part
Item no.: 1016501
Band III
for: Treble recorder [flute/violin], basso continuo
Score, Parts
Item no.: 578105
for: Flute, viola da gamba, basso continuo
Score, Parts
Item no.: 485589
for: Descant (soprano) recorder [treble recorder], piano
Piano score, solo part
Item no.: 218055
Meisterwerke der Musik im Faksimile Band 21
for: Piano
Score (facsimile hardcover)
Item no.: 603623
for: Violin, viola da gamba, harpsichord
Score, Parts
Item no.: 469560
for: Clarinet (B-flat/A), piano
Piano score, solo part
Item no.: 272306
for: Viola, piano
Piano score, solo part
Item no.: 272291
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