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: Clarinet, orchestra
Piano score, solo part (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 796372
für Klarinette und Orchester
Ausgabe für Klarinette und Klavier
ars instrumentalis 028
for: Clarinet, piano
Piano score, solo part
Item no.: 109090
Edition for Clarinet and Piano
Edition Peters Green Series
for: Clarinet (B-flat), piano
Piano reduction, solo part
Item no.: 379411
Concerto flauto Amadeus 17
for: Treble recorder, strings, basso continuo
Piano reduction, solo part
Item no.: 206641
Hal Leonard Classical Play Along
for: Treble recorder
Music score, Playback-CD
Item no.: 809701
The Masterworks Library
for: Symphonic orchestra
Score
Item no.: 148048
Bärenreiter Urtext
for: Piano, orchestra
Book (critical commentary)
Item no.: 649417
"Triple Concerto"
Bärenreiter Urtext
for: Violin, cello, piano, orchestra
Book (critical commentary)
Item no.: 696499
Arranged for solo piano
Piano Solo
for: Piano
Music score
Item no.: 316979
Urtext
Chopin National Edition
for: Piano, orchestra
Piano reduction (2 piano's)
Item no.: 340102
Urtextausgabe
for: Violin, orchestra
Study score (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 673064
for: 2 oboes, strings
Score
Item no.: 226907
Musica Antiqua Bohemica I/13
for: Clarinet, piano
Piano score, solo part
Item no.: 123011
Eulenburg Studienpartituren
for: Piano, orchestra
Study score
Item no.: 391912
for: Violin, string orchestra
Piano score, solo part (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 401427
Urtext
for: Flute, orchestra
Piano score, solo part (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 298466
Original Version
Urtext
for: Cello, orchestra
Piano score, solo part (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 781386
from the Concerto in A major
Bärenreiter Urtext
for: Clarinet, orchestra
Piano score, solo part (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 1582651
Ausgabe für zwei Klaviere
in Partitur gedruckt; zur Aufführung werden zwei Exemplare benötigt (Urtextausgabe)
for: 2 pianos
Piano reduction (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 286079
Arrangement for two pianos
Two copies needed for performance
for: 2 pianos
Piano reduction (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 679819
Two copies needed for performance
for: 2 pianos
Piano reduction (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 401413
ars instrumentalis 020
for: Oboe, strings, basso continuo
Piano score, solo part
Item no.: 109012
RV 813
for: Violin, strings, basso continuo
Score, Parts, Piano reduction
Item no.: 1161827
James Galway
for: Flute, piano
Piano score, solo part
Item no.: 609488
from "L'estro armonico"
for: 2 violins, strings, basso continuo
Piano reduction, 2 solo parts (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 468030
KV 314
for: Oboe, orchestra
Piano reduction, solo part
Item no.: 157265
Russische Musik der Moderne
for: Trumpet (B-flat), piano
Piano score, solo part
Item no.: 108822
Carl Nielsen Collected Works
for: Flute, orchestra
Piano reduction, solo part
Item no.: 137688
DOWANI 3 Tempi Play Along
for: Clarinet (B-flat), piano
Piano reduction, solo part, Playback-CD
Item no.: 433995
Hob. VIIe:1
for: Trumpet, orchestra
Piano reduction, solo part
Item no.: 401438
Bärenreiter Urtext
for: Violin, strings, basso continuo
Piano score, solo part (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 116784
two copies needed for performance
for: 2 pianos
Piano reduction (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 229267
With two rondo versions and voices for horn in F and D
Urtext
for: Horn, piano
Piano score, solo part (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 145872
with Urtext and Bärmann parts
Henle Urtext Editions
for: Clarinet, orchestra
Piano score, solo part (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 342947
for: 2 pianos
Piano reduction (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 1552161
for: Piano, orchestra
2 Piano reductions
Item no.: 241410
for: Viola, piano
Piano score, solo part
Item no.: 797190
Breitkopf Urtext Edition
for: Cello, orchestra
Piano score, solo part (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 225377
Diletto Musicale - Doblingers Reihe alter Musik
for: Descant (soprano) recorder, piano
Piano reduction
Item no.: 164132
for: Violin, orchestra
Piano reduction, solo part
Item no.: 1136871
corrected revised version
for: Violin, orchestra
Score
Item no.: 395386
Urtext based on the Brahms Complete Edition of the Gesellschaft der Musikfreunde in Vienna
for: Violin, cello, orchestra
Piano reduction, 2 solo parts (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 284891
Urtext
for: Oboe, orchestra
Study score (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 696042
Bärenreiter Urtext
for: Violin, orchestra
Score (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 116455
for Horn in E flat and F
with additional, marked Horn part in E flat
for: Horn (F/E-flat), piano
Piano score, solo part (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 696707
Revised Edition
for: Cello, piano
Piano score, solo part
Item no.: 108793
G Major
for: Flute, piano
Piano score, solo part, online audio (playback)
Item no.: 1215744
und Klavier
for: Tuba, piano
Sheet music
Item no.: 594500
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