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:
Eulenburg Miniature Scores
for: Clarinet, orchestra
Study score (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 663298
Repertoire Explorer
for: Piano, orchestra
Study score
Item no.: 1345076
Klassik
for: Tuba, piano
Sheet music
Item no.: 1282166
for: Horn, orchestra
Piano reduction, solo part
Item no.: 1140578
for: 2 pianos
Book
Item no.: 1215017
Für Posaunen und Klavier
for: 4 POS KLAV
Piano score, solo part
Item no.: 181986
Eulenburg Studienpartituren
for: Piano, orchestra
Study score
Item no.: 391930
WKO 52
Cellokonzerte des 18. Jahrhunderts
for: Cello, strings
Piano reduction
Item no.: 1629129
for: String orchestra, organ
Organ reduction
Item no.: 1163167
Star Music Publishing
for: Alto saxophone, concert band
Score, Parts
Item no.: 1563073
per Clavicembalo o Arpa, 2 Violini e Violoncello
for: Harpsichord [harp], piano
Piano score, solo part (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 553728
for: Clarinet, orchestra
Piano reduction, solo part
Item no.: 188592
for: Trombone, piano
Piano reduction, solo part
Item no.: 1297739
ars instrumentalis 039
for: Oboe, violin, strings, basso continuo
Score
Item no.: 497372
for: Violin, chamber orchestra
Score
Item no.: 1355069
for: Organ, orchestra, basso continuo
Harmony parts (complete winds)
Item no.: 202638
Musica Rara
for: Oboe, strings, basso continuo
Piano score, solo part
Item no.: 414255
for: Tuba, concert band
Piano reduction, solo part
Item no.: 1690208
Eulenburg Studienpartituren
for: Violin, orchestra
Study score
Item no.: 391902
for: Oboe, strings, basso continuo
Piano reduction, solo part
Item no.: 851071
Eulenburg Studienpartituren
for: Violin, orchestra
Study score
Item no.: 391959
for: Violin, orchestra
Piano reduction, solo part
Item no.: 359600
CD: Orchestral Accompaniment for Solo Flute, various tempi
CD
Item no.: 300092
from the Concerto for Two Mandolins
Violin Solo or Section Feature
Highland/Etling String Orchestra
for: String orchestra
Score
Item no.: 686413
for: Cello, orchestra
Score
Item no.: 382383
for: Oboe, strings, basso continuo
Score
Item no.: 382586
(Autograph-Ausgabe)
Peters East German Library 1949-1990
for: Piano, orchestra
Score
Item no.: 383632
for String Orchestra (with optional piano or harpsichord accompaniment)
Beginning String Orchestra
for: String orchestra
Score, Parts
Item no.: 679262
Bärenreiter's Concert Pieces
for: Violine solo, Klavier
Klavierauszug, Stimme
Item no.: 608130
für Blockfötengruppen, Kesselpauken und Timpani
for: Recorder Ensemble and Percussion
Book
Item no.: 199760
Elite Series
for: Tuba, concert band
Score, Parts
Item no.: 975943
Bärenreiter Urtext
for: Piano, orchestra
Study score (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 196715
for: Alto saxophone, concert band
Score
Item no.: 982090
for: Horn, brass band
Piano reduction, solo part
Item no.: 315604
Bärenreiter's Concert Pieces
for: Violin, orchestra
Klavierauszug, Stimme
Item no.: 558195
Konzerte Nr. 4 und 5 mit Kritischem Bericht
Beethoven Gesamtausgabe, Abteilung III, Band 3
for: Piano, orchestra
2 scores (with musicological analysis)
Item no.: 745451
Beethoven Gesamtausgabe, Abteilung VII, Band 7
Book (critical commentary)
Item no.: 745448
Edition after the complete Kurt Weill edition
for: Violin, concert band
Piano reduction, solo part
Item no.: 602709
for: Violin, orchestra
Score, Parts
Item no.: 589753
ALB
Reduction for Harp and Piano, written in 1952 for the distinguished harpist Nicanor Zabaleta.
for: Harp, piano
Item no.: 324165
Dumb it down Serie
vereinfachte Klavierbegleitung
for: Violin, piano
Piano score, solo part, online audio (playback)
Item no.: 1632380
Vereinfachte Klavierbegleitung von Philip Lehmann
Dumb it down
for: Viola, piano
Piano score, solo part
Item no.: 1641235
F.Iii/22 - Tomo 522
for: Cello, Strings and BC
Score
Item no.: 263230
Op.III N.5 Rv 519, F.I-175
for: 2 violins, strings, harpsichord
Set of parts
Item no.: 260345
for: Alto saxophone (E-flat)
Music score
Item no.: 101092
for Bassoon and Strings (Pocket Score)
for: Bassoon, strings
Study score
Item no.: 1556093
for: Clarinet, orchestra
Score
Item no.: 120839
per due oboi, archi e cembalo (F. VII. No. 8, P.V. 53)
for: 2 oboes, strings, basso continuo
Piano reduction, solo parts
Item no.: 255485
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