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.
Trascrizione Per Violino E Pianoforte
for: Violin, piano
Piano score, solo part
Item no.: 388622
Ed. Mi. Abbado - F.Xiii/6 - Tomo 364 - Trascrizione Per Violino E Pianoforte
for: Violin, piano
Piano score, solo part
Item no.: 388621
for: Violin, piano
Piano score, solo part
Item no.: 584629
Soler, M. Albéniz, Cantallos, Serrano, Ferrer
for: Piano
Music score (anthology)
Item no.: 411130
With Keyboard. Nos 7, 10 and 12
for: Violin, piano
Piano score, solo part
Item no.: 460895
for: Violin and Cimbalon
Buch
Item no.: 112339
Klassik
for: Piano
Music score
Item no.: 181051
Pour Violoncelle & Piano
for: Cello or 2 Celli and Piano
Score
Item no.: 411733
for: Flute
Music score
Item no.: 165553
for: Violin, basso continuo
Score
Item no.: 263261
Op. 1 N. 10 - F.Xiii/26 - Tomo 391
for: 2 Violins and Cello [Basso Continuo]
Score
Item no.: 263109
L'arte del violino
for: Violin, piano
Score, Parts
Item no.: 418608
HWV 380-381
Bärenreiter Urtext
for: Violin [oboe], oboe, basso continuo
Score, Parts (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 1689243
L'arte del flauto
for: 2 flutes (duet)
Ensemble score
Item no.: 418086
L'arte del violino
for: Violin, basso continuo
Score, Parts
Item no.: 418038
Edition Moeck 1031
for: Treble recorder [flute/oboe/violin], basso continuo
Score, Parts
Item no.: 413464
Camera flauto Amadeus 173
for: Treble recorder [flute], basso continuo
Piano score, parts
Item no.: 344472
F.Xvi-4 - Tomo 75
for: Lute, Violin and Basso Continuo
Score
Item no.: 262504
for: VL (ABFL) BC
FAKSIMILE
Item no.: 262253
Shumilov Facsimile Collection (Faksimile) (Facsimile)
for: Flute, basso continuo
Item no.: 280536
Triosonate
Alte Musik (Leuckartiana)
for: 2 violins, piano
Score, Set of parts
Item no.: 377040
Urtext Stuttgarter Bach-Ausgaben
for: Piano
Music score (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 687418
for: Piano
Music score
Item no.: 474722
for: Flute, piano
Item no.: 490315
für Trompete, Zink, 2 Posaunen und Bc.
Edward Tarr Collection
for: 2 trumpets, 2 trombones, basso continuo
Score, Parts
Item no.: 482565
for: Cello
Music score
Item no.: 245011
NN. 1 - 11
for: Piano
Music score
Item no.: 257316
for: Viola, piano
Piano score, solo part
Item no.: 1031095
Edition Schott
for: Violin, piano
Music score
Item no.: 749725
for: Baroque orchestra
Score
Item no.: 1015324
Armenian Composers Series
for: Clarinet, piano
Piano score, solo part
Item no.: 1022560
op. 184
Partitur
for: Piano
Score
Item no.: 269263
for: 2 violins, viola, basso continuo
Score, Parts
Item no.: 563400
for: Piano
Music score
Item no.: 748970
für Violine und Cembalo
for: Violin, harpsichord
Score, solo part, audio files (pdf/mp3 download)
Item no.: 674858
für 2 Violinen, Violone (Violoncello/Viola da gamba) und Bc
Partitur und Stimmen (Bc nicht ausgesetzt)
for: KAMMERMUSIK STREICH- + TASTEN-/BALGINSTRUMENTE QUARTETTE
Item no.: 603748
[CD: Klavier-Begleitung zur Solostimme Violine]
MusicPartner - Klassik zum Mitspielen
CD
Item no.: 385761
Musicalady 15~Komponistinnen Des 18. Und 19. Jahrhunderts
for: Harpsichord [piano]
Item no.: 367682
divise in studii e divertimenti
for: Harpsichord
Music score
Item no.: 962519
(Facsimile)
for: Cello, basso continuo
Score, part
Item no.: 357694
"In memoriam"
for: Viola, piano
Piano score, solo part
Item no.: 1031728
Barockmusik für Saxophon
for: Soprano saxophone, basso continuo
Piano score, parts
Item no.: 776874
op.53
for: Piano
Music score
Item no.: 1632462
for: Cello, piano
Piano score, solo part
Item no.: 273948
for: 2 guitars
Ensemble score
Item no.: 1613235
EMB Urtext
for: Flute, basso continuo
Piano score, parts (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 256476
5 Sonaten
for: 2 trombones [baritones/euphoniums], bass trombone [tuba]
Ensemble score
Item no.: 665755
for: Descant (soprano) recorder, piano [organ]
Piano score, solo part
Item no.: 1297323