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: Clarinet (B-flat), piano
Piano score, solo part
Item no.: 187950
for: Cello or 2 Celli and Piano
Score
Item no.: 338425
for: Violin, basso continuo
Music score (reprint)
Item no.: 326718
for: Flute, piano
Piano score, solo part (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 1026689
for: Oboe, piano
Piano score, solo part
Item no.: 420772
for: Treble recorder [flute/oboe/violin], basso continuo
Piano score, solo part
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for: Piano
Music score (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 1582649
for: Descant recorder
Music score
Item no.: 279141
for: Descant (soprano) recorder, piano
2 Performance scores
Item no.: 627170
for: Treble recorder [violin], basso continuo
Score, Parts
Item no.: 418209
Moonlight
New Edition – Wiener Urtext
for: Piano
Music score (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 693900
for: Treble recorder, basso continuo
Item no.: 414264
(Urtext)
for: Flute, basso continuo
Set of parts
Item no.: 478991
for: Violin, piano
Piano score, solo part
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for: 2 oboes, bassoon, basso continuo
Score, Parts
Item no.: 171618
Six Sonatas for Viola d'amore (Viola) and Basso continuo
Volume 2
Hortus Musicus 223
for: Viola d'amore, basso continuo
Score, Parts
Item no.: 122174
for: Violin, guitar
Item no.: 129433
for: Flute, guitar
Parts (2)
Item no.: 130983
for: Viola
Music score
Item no.: 665864
for: Treble recorder [violin], basso continuo
Score, Parts
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for: Piano
Music score (Hardcover, Urtext edition)
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for: Flute, violin, basso continuo
Score, Parts
Item no.: 628029
for: Clarinet, piano
Piano score, solo part
Item no.: 394874
for: Descant (soprano) recorder [flute/oboe/violin], basso continuo
Score, Parts
Item no.: 619599
for: Flute, piano
Item no.: 579125
(Urtext)
for: Viola da gamba, harpsichord
Item no.: 383713
for: Flute, oboe, violin, bassoon, basso continuo
Score, Parts
Item no.: 160169
Library of Russian-Soviet Music
for: Flute, piano
Piano score, solo part
Item no.: 318848
for: Recorder, basso continuo
Partitur, Stimmensatz, Urtextausgabe, Sammelband
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for: Clarinet, piano
Piano score, solo part (Urtext edition)
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for: Harpsichord
Music score
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for flute solo
Wiener Urtext Edition
for: Flute
Music score
Item no.: 612753
Version for Violoncello
with marked and unmarked string part
for: Cello, piano
Piano score, solo part (Urtext edition)
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for: Classical guitar
Music score
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for: Flute, piano
Piano score, solo part
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for: Violin, piano
Piano score, solo part
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for: Cello, piano
Piano score, solo part
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for: Flute, basso continuo
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(Tempest)
for: Piano
Music score (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 131031
for flute and piano
for: Flute, piano
Piano score, solo part
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for: Bassoon, piano
Piano score, solo part
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for: 2 Cellos and Piano
Book
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Nach Autographen und Erstausgaben
Band 3 (Urtextausgabe) (Urtext)
for: Violin, piano
Piano score, solo part
Item no.: 125030
for: 2 cellos
Ensemble score
Item no.: 359897
Zehn Sonaten
Band I: Sonaten 1–5
for: Viola da gamba, basso continuo
Score, Parts
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for: 2 VL VDG (VC) BC
Score, Parts
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Heft 2
for: Treble recorder [violin], basso continuo
Score, Parts
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for: Trumpet, organ
Buch
Item no.: 215017
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