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:
with marked and unmarked string parts
for: Violin, orchestra
Piano score, solo part (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 401429
Bärenreiter Urtext
for: Piano, orchestra
Score (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 116478
"Petit Concerto"
for: Guitar, orchestra
Stimmensatz Oboe I, Oboe II, Horn I, Horn II, 4 Violinen I, 4 Violinen II, 2 Violen, 4 Violoncelli/Kontrabässe
Item no.: 729127
for: Symphonic school orchestra
Score
Item no.: 275602
contains the unsigned solo part as well as the solo part arranged and annotated by Heinrich Schiff
Breitkopf Urtext Edition
for: Cello, orchestra
Piano score, solo part (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 180584
for: Oboe, orchestra
Piano reduction, solo part
Item no.: 254952
for: Violin, orchestra
Piano reduction, solo part
Item no.: 162275
for: Trumpet (B-flat), piano
Piano score, solo part
Item no.: 146870
for: Violinen (2), Streicher (1. Violine, 2. Violine, Viola, Cello, Kontrabass, Cembalo)
Score
Item no.: 485180
"Triple Concerto"
Bärenreiter Urtext
for: Violin, cello, 2 pianos
Piano reduction, 3 solo parts (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 603978
Edition for Violin and Keyboard
for: Violin, piano
Piano reduction, solo part, Playback-CD
Item no.: 345316
Edition for Clarinet and Piano
Edition Peters Green Series
for: Clarinet (B-flat), piano
Piano reduction, solo part
Item no.: 379411
for: Harpsichord, strings
Score
Item no.: 335591
for Cello and Orchestra
for: Cello, piano
Piano score, solo part
Item no.: 433749
for: Clarinet, orchestra
Piano score, solo part (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 796372
for: 2 harpsichords [2 pianos]
Piano reduction (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 692285
with marked and unmarked string parts
for: Violin, orchestra
Piano score, solo part (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 362802
for: Cello, concert band
Piano reduction, solo part
Item no.: 136987
Haydn - Hummel - Neruda
for: Trumpet (B-flat), piano
Music score
Item no.: 746396
for Violoncello and Orchestra
Bärenreiter Urtext
for: Cello, orchestra
Book (critical commentary)
Item no.: 421857
for: Violin, piano
Piano score, solo part (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 666933
for: Treble recorder
Music score, Playback-CD
Item no.: 809701
Bärenreiter Urtext
for: Cello, orchestra
Book (critical commentary)
Item no.: 615166
for: Flute, harp
Score
Item no.: 238343
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
Standard Violin Student Repertoire – Masterfully taught by Zakhar Bron
for: Violin, piano
Piano score, solo part, DVD
Item no.: 562314
In an arrangement by A. E. Müller after the Clarinet Concerto K. 622
Bärenreiter Urtext
for: Flute, orchestra
Piano reduction, solo part
Item no.: 170675
for: Trumpet
Music score, online audio
Item no.: 583696
for: Piano
Music score
Item no.: 316979
for: Cello
Music score
Item no.: 326733
for: 2 violins, viola, cello (string quartet)
Score, Parts
Item no.: 491871
for: Piano left hand, orchestra
Score (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 664024
for Violoncello and Orchestra
Royal College of Music London MS 402
Documenta musicologica II/36
for: Cello, orchestra
Score (facsimile hardcover)
Item no.: 384928
Urtextausgabe
for: Violin, orchestra
Study score (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 673064
8 Timeless Pieces Arranged for String Quartet
for: 2 violins, viola, cello (string quartet)
Score, Parts
Item no.: 750593
for: Piano, orchestra
Score (with critical report)
Item no.: 772270
Bärenreiter Urtext
for: Piano, orchestra
Book (critical commentary)
Item no.: 641673
Eulenburg Studienpartituren
for: Piano, orchestra
Study score
Item no.: 471509
bearbeitet für Holzbläserquartett
for: Flute, oboe, clarinet, bassoon (quartet)
Score, Parts
Item no.: 656675
for: Piano, orchestra
Piano reduction
Item no.: 348001
Eulenburg Studienpartituren
for: Piano, orchestra
Study score
Item no.: 391912
for: Violin, orchestra
Piano reduction
Item no.: 817117
Reconstructed from BWV 169, 49, 1053
Bärenreiter Urtext
for: Viola, strings, basso continuo
Score (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 205808
Bärenreiter's Concert Pieces
for: Violin, orchestra
Klavierauszug, Stimme
Item no.: 612198
for: Violin, orchestra
Study score
Item no.: 391909
for: Piano, orchestra
Book
Item no.: 187868
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