Music has always played an important role in Funeral services. Browse our sheet music and scores, and let Stretta help you find the right music today.
Since the 13th century, clergymen have gathered in calendar brotherhoods on the calends, the first days of each month, to remember their deceased brothers. As at the funerals themselves, there was extensive singing. Later, choirs emerged from this ritual, to perform motets at funerals, in church or at the grave.
In addition to settings of Requiems, the Dutch composers of the 15th and 16th centuries wrote funeral motets to commemorate princes and rulers, which continued to spread across Europe in the 17th and 18th centuries, with settings such as Handel’s Funeral Music for Queen Caroline, Musical Exequies by Heinrich Schütz and Purcells’s Funeral Music for Queen Mary. This began to expand into the secular world with works like Monteverdi’s Lamento d‘Arianna.
In France, the Sarabande was the most popular lament before the funeral march developed in the late 18th century. In the last century, new works such as dirges and epitaphs have entered the repertoire as expressions of mourning and grief.
Nowadays, pop or rock songs are often played at funerals. Here is a list of popular modern songs for funeral ceremonies:
32 einfache Sätze im alten Stil / Coro SSA oder SAA zur Bestattung
for: Women's choir (SSA) a cappella
Choir book
Item no.: 279300
Cantata for funeral service / Purification of Mary.
Reconstruction Klaus Hofmann
Urtext Stuttgarter Bach-Ausgaben
for: 2 soloists (TB), mixed choir (SATB), orchestra, basso continuo
Set of parts
Item no.: 662160
aus Wagners Götterdämmerung
Schott Archive
for: 2 pianos
Score
Item no.: 695687
op. 5
for: Symphonic orchestra
Study score
Item no.: 667086
for: Organ
Music score
Item no.: 370579
for: Guitar
Music score
Item no.: 370417
The Canadian Brass Ensemble Series
for: 2 trumpets (B-flat), horn (F), trombone, tuba
Score, Parts
Item no.: 400880
Kantate Nr. 53 – Trauermusik
früher J.S. Bach zugeschrieben (BWV 53)
for: Voice (alto), strings, basso continuo
Study score
Item no.: 392245
"Le Tombeau"
for: Violin, piano
Piano score, solo part
Item no.: 376851
Urtext
for: 4 soloists (SATB), mixed choir (SATB), orchestra, basso continuo
Choir score (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 483298
KV 477
for: Bläsernonett und Kontrabass
Score, Parts
Item no.: 429315
from Madrigali. Libro VI, Venezia 1614
for: 5 Gesang (SSATB) und Basso continuo
Score
Item no.: 446334
for: 4 guitars (quartet)
Score, Parts
Item no.: 301182
BÄRENREITER URTEXT
for: Soloists, mixed choir, orchestra
Piano reduction (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 348439
for: Clarinet, 2 violins, viola, cello
Set of parts
Item no.: 189233
for: gemischter Chor (SAATTBB)
Choir score
Item no.: 204860
Mitten wir im Leben sind
for: Posaune und Orgel
Score, solo part
Item no.: 278296
Die Konzertgitarre
for: Guitar
Item no.: 277944
[mit CD: Begleitung zur Solostimme Violine]
MusicPartner - Klassik zum Mitspielen
for: 3 violins, basso continuo
Score, Single part, Playback-CD
Item no.: 337772
for: Bassoon, piano
Piano score, solo part
Item no.: 257253
For B-Flat Clarinet and Piano
for: Clarinet, piano
Score, part
Item no.: 257252
for: Symphonic orchestra
Score
Item no.: 151215
Edition Schott
for: Violin, piano
Music score
Item no.: 750498
for: 4 soloists (SATB), mixed choir (SATB), orchestra, organ
Piano reduction
Item no.: 632386
für Violoncello und Orgel
for: Cello, organ
Organ score, solo part
Item no.: 624457
Suite d'Orchestre
for: Symphonic orchestra
Harmony parts (complete winds)
Item no.: 658676
Ein musikalischer Werkführer
Book (softcover)
Item no.: 649492
Franz Schubert. Neue Ausgabe sämtlicher Werke I/6
for: Chor, Orchester, Orgel
Gesamtausgabe, Partitur, Urtextausgabe
Item no.: 645621
exempla nova 249
for: Piano
Music score
Item no.: 206569
Bärenreiter Urtext
Score (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 116494
Klassik
for: Flute, piano
Piano reduction, solo part
Item no.: 171648
for: BL SEXTETT
Score
Item no.: 103097
for: Soloists, mixed choir (SSATTB), basso continuo
Score (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 114658
for: Flute, piano
Single edition
Item no.: 124782
Monodisches Teilstück aus "Arianna" und 4 Madrigalfassungen für Chor
for: Alt solo, Gemischter Chor: SSATB, Basso continuo
Score
Item no.: 115879
für Singstimme, Orgel oder Klavier, Harmonium
for: Voice, piano
Item no.: 143092
aus der Matthäus-Passion
BÄRENREITER URTEXT
for: Gemischter Chor (SATB), Basso continuo (Orgel), Instrument ad libitum
Chorpartitur, Sammelband, Urtextausgabe
Item no.: 117140
Die Konzertgitarre
for: Guitar
Item no.: 1655314
"So schnell sind die Jahre vergangen"
for: Mixed choir (SATB/SAB) a cappella
Music score
Item no.: 734130
from Organ Symphony No. 6 "Martin Luther"
for: Organ
Music score
Item no.: 759269
for: Male choir (TTBB) a cappella
Music score
Item no.: 734134
Music of Mourning
for: Viola (Violine, Violoncello) und Streichorchester
Study score
Item no.: 743586
aus der Schauspielmusik zu Ibsens "Peer Gynt" (Klavierfassung des Komponisten, op. 46, Nr.2)
for: Piano
Sheet music
Item no.: 1251
for: Women's choir (SMezA) a cappella
Music score
Item no.: 755741
for: Recorder Ensemble
Score, Parts
Item no.: 274070
(3 Violinen und Generalbass)
for: Mixed choir, instruments
Score
Item no.: 215629
for: 5 trumpets
Score, Parts
Item no.: 216715
Trauermusik für 6 Bläser
for: Brass ensemble (6 voices)
Set of parts
Item no.: 313680