Who said that there are no arguments in music? On the contrary, the never-ending “competition” is an inseparable part of music itself, be it between instruments, within the dynamics or through the phrasing. In a solo concerto, a virtuosic soloist duels with the accompanying orchestra, and all being well, in the end, everybody wins! Browse our sheet music and scores, and explore all concertos from all eras with Stretta today!
The word “Concerto” is derived from the Latin term “concertare”, which means to dispute, contend or fight, while the same word took on a completely opposite meaning in Italian, to harmonise. The term was initially used for sacred choral compositions with bass accompaniment. First the Italian baroque composers Alessandro Stradella, Giuseppe Torelli and Arcangelo Corelli began to compose in the instrumental form that we now call “Concerto Grosso”. It consists of a small group of solo instruments, a “Concertino”, and a larger accompanying orchestra, the “Ripieno”, with basso continuo.
In the high baroque period, the first solo instrumental concertos began to appear, with a classic three-movement structure, for one, but sometimes for two or more instruments. The master of this form was without a doubt Antonio Vivaldi, from whose pen, to this day, 447 concertos have survived, 226 of them for violin. Vivaldi’s best-known concerto is his violin concerto Four Seasons. Both Bach and Handel are also well known for their concertos.
The solo concerto was also very popular in the classical period. All great composers who were accomplished pianists or instrumentalists wrote solo concertos, often for themselves, but also for other contemporary virtuosos, here are a few great classical solo concertos:
In the romantic period, almost all major composers devoted themselves to solo or double concertos of all kinds. Here are a few romantic favourites:
for: 2 Horns and Piano
Buch
Item no.: 334321
op. 104
Einzelstimme Fl. (Ob.)
for: Flute, oboe, strings, organ
Set of parts
Item no.: 424522
op. 2 Nr. 1
Einzelstimme Vc. (Kb.)
for: 2 violins, viola, cello/double bass, harpsichord
Cello, double bass (orchestral part)
Item no.: 236374
for: Organ, orchestra
Harmony parts (complete winds)
Item no.: 1549328
for: 3 violins, strings, basso continuo
Violin 1 (orchestral part)
Item no.: 775889
for: Violin, recorder, oboe, trumpet, strings, basso continuo
Cello (orchestral part)
Item no.: 210590
L'Estate/ Summer/ Der Sommer/ L'Été
aus 12 Concerti "Il Cimento dell' Armonia e dell' Invenzione"
EOS - Eulenburg Orchestral Series
Single part(n)
Item no.: 421487
Bernaerts Music~Classics
for: Concert band
Item no.: 363463
for: 2 FL 2 VL 2 VA VC
Score
Item no.: 608381
for Clarinet and Orchestra
for: Clarinet, orchestra
Violin 2 (orchestral part)
Item no.: 190556
for: Concert band
Score, Parts
Item no.: 1145384
RV 333
for: Violin, strings, basso continuo
Score, Parts, Piano reduction
Item no.: 1215583
ars instrumentalis 072
for: Symphonic orchestra
Cello (orchestral part)
Item no.: 578644
ars instrumentalis 072
Violin 1 (orchestral part)
Item no.: 578641
for: Organ, orchestra
Viola (orchestral part)
Item no.: 237659
Telemann-Archiv
for: Viola da gamba (solo) [viola/ cello], 2 violins, basso continuo
Basso continuo (orchestral part)
Item no.: 234725
for: Trombone [Viola], chamber orchestra
Violin 2 (orchestral part)
Item no.: 1355282
for: Bassoon, strings, harpsichord
Violin 1 (orchestral part)
Item no.: 1355542
for: Bassoon, strings, harpsichord
Violin 2 (orchestral part)
Item no.: 1355543
ars instrumentalis 044
for: String orchestra
Set of parts
Item no.: 298793
Concerto for Bassoon and Orchestra
Urtext
for: Bassoon, orchestra
Cello, double bass (orchestral part)
Item no.: 431130
Concerto for Bassoon and Orchestra
Urtext
for: Bassoon, orchestra
Violin 2 (orchestral part)
Item no.: 431128
for: Organ, orchestra, basso continuo
Violin 2 (orchestral part)
Item no.: 202454
Winter
for: Violin solo, string orchestra, basso continuo
Viola (orchestral part)
Item no.: 671886
Autumn
for: Violin solo, string orchestra, basso continuo
Violin 2 (orchestral part)
Item no.: 693033
Spring
for: Violin solo, string orchestra, basso continuo
Viola (orchestral part)
Item no.: 646676
for: Piano, orchestra
Study score
Item no.: 361057
for: Organ, orchestra, basso continuo
Single part Organ
Item no.: 649773
op. 21 Hob. XVIII: 11
for: Piano, orchestra
Viola (orchestral part)
Item no.: 139379
for: 2 treble recorders, violin, strings, basso continuo
Treble recorder 2 (single part)
Item no.: 766227
for: 2 treble recorders, violin, strings, basso continuo
Violin 2 (orchestral part)
Item no.: 766220
for: Piano, orchestra
Score
Item no.: 383701
Oboe, Streicher, Bc, Ausgabe für Oboe u Klavier
for: Oboe, piano
Piano reduction
Item no.: 298184
by Robert Schumann
for: Violin, orchestra
Single part (Violin solo)
Item no.: 728320
op. 46/1
for: 2 trumpets, strings, basso continuo
Solostimme Trompete II
Item no.: 741443
"La tempesta di mare"
for: Flute, oboe, bassoon, strings, basso continuo
Solostimme Oboe
Item no.: 727078
for: Trombone, piano
Piano reduction
Item no.: 1346542
for: Piano, orchestra
Piano reduction
Item no.: 759407
RV 110, 118, 128, 138, 160, 162
Vol. 1
for: Violin, viola, basso continuo
Score, Parts
Item no.: 1215599
for: 2 horns, orchestra
Score
Item no.: 796962
“Ballade”
Repertoire Explorer
for: Piano, orchestra
Study score
Item no.: 1557446
for: Trombone, orchestra
Study score
Item no.: 1022812
Erstausgabe
Il Violoncello concertato
for: Cello (solo), 2 violins, viola, basso continuo
Set of parts
Item no.: 762938
Original für Gitarre und Streicher
Bearbeitet für Gitarre und Streichquartett
for: 2 violins, viola, cello, guitar
Set of parts
Item no.: 771772
pour flûte avec accompagnement d'orchestre
Reprint
Repertoire Explorer
for: Flute, orchestra
Piano reduction, solo part
Item no.: 1340738
jodel voice and strings or piano reduction
in Fa maggiore
Swiss Composers Series
Set of parts
Item no.: 1671551
for: Tuba, string orchestra
Set of parts
Item no.: 1023757
for: Euphonium, orchestra
Study score
Item no.: 1022572
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