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.
for: Piano
Item no.: 303806
Volume II
for: Piano
Music score (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 401168
for: Flute, piano
Piano score, solo part, playback-CD
Item no.: 363441
op. 27, 111, 146, 168, 175, 181
for: Organ
Music score
Item no.: 776524
for: 2 violins, viola da gamba, basso continuo
Score, Parts
Item no.: 580763
Collection Thierry Mathis
for: Violin, viola da gamba, harpsichord
Item no.: 165848
for: Cello, piano
Music score
Item no.: 1544110
Collection Thierry Mathis
for: Violin, viola da gamba, harpsichord
Item no.: 105688
pour Violon (Oboe/Flöte), Basse pour la Viole avec Basse chiffrée
Collection Thierry Mathis
for: Violin [flute/oboe], basso continuo
Score, 2 Single parts
Item no.: 105686
for: Flute, basso continuo
Item no.: 200282
Sechs Sonaten
I-III
for: Viola da gamba, basso continuo
Score, Parts
Item no.: 1108975
für Violoncello und Klavier
for: Cello, piano
Piano score, solo part
Item no.: 681802
TWV 42:a6
Partitur / Einzelstimmen
for: Treble recorder, oboe, basso continuo
Score, Parts
Item no.: 234674
for: Violin, cello, basso continuo
Score, Parts
Item no.: 656505
Hausmusik 248
for: Piano 4 hands
Ensemble score
Item no.: 409427
Alan Gray (1855-1935)
for: Organ
Music score
Item no.: 1316866
for: Bassoon, piano
Piano score, solo part
Item no.: 768998
(Bc ausgesetzt)
Ledenburg Sammlung
for: Viola da gamba, basso continuo
Score, Parts
Item no.: 664478
Heft 1 (Sonaten 1 - 3)
for: 2 flutes (duet)
Item no.: 131007
Universal Blockflöten Edition
for: Treble recorder, basso continuo
Piano score, 2 playing scores
Item no.: 113851
for: STREICH- UND ZUPFINSTRUMENTE VIOLINE VIOLINE UND KLAVIER
Item no.: 176690
for: Treble recorder, basso continuo
Item no.: 208182
Bearbeitung für Viola und Klavier
original für Violine und Klavier
for: Viola, piano
Item no.: 584386
for: Bassoon, basso continuo
Piano reduction, Solo part(s)
Item no.: 170432
for: Cello, piano
Piano score, solo part
Item no.: 619646
Früher Wiener Sonaten
BÄRENREITER URTEXT
for: Violin, piano
Spielpartitur, Stimme, Sammelband, Urtextausgabe
Item no.: 116516
with marked and unmarked string part
for: Cello, piano
Piano score, solo part (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 696705
for: Violin, cello, piano (piano trio)
Piano score, parts
Item no.: 164902
MusicaLady – Komponistinnen des 18. und 19. Jahrhunderts 8
for: Harpsichord
Music score
Item no.: 313701
Eliot Fisk Master Series
for: Classical guitar
Music score
Item no.: 155359
V
V
for: Violin
Solostimme
Item no.: 661289
for: Cello, piano
Piano score, solo part
Item no.: 163555
Bärenreiter Urtext
for: Piano
Music score (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 674549
for: Violin, piano
Piano score, solo part
Item no.: 585816
for: Guitar
Music score
Item no.: 639008
for: Violin, piano
Score, Parts
Item no.: 586200
for: 2 violins
2 Performance scores
Item no.: 551319
for: Violin, piano [harpsichord]
Piano reduction
Item no.: 1020848
Allowed reprint
for: Piano 4 hands
Ensemble score
Item no.: 1202598
Edited from the sources
Wiener Urtext Edition
for: Violin, basso continuo
Piano score, parts
Item no.: 301256
for: Violone [double bass], piano
Piano score, solo part
Item no.: 129216
for: Viola da gamba [viola], harpsichord [piano]
Piano score, Solo parts
Item no.: 116781
for: Flöte (Violine), Violine und Basso continuo
Score, Parts
Item no.: 101674
New edition after the Urtext
for: Violine und Basso continuo (Klavier, Cembalo); Violoncello (Viola da gamba) ad libitum
Music score
Item no.: 748208
Edition Schott
for: Cello, piano
Music score
Item no.: 740001
Edition Schott
for: Cello, piano
Music score
Item no.: 742532
Volume II
for: Piano
Music score (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 401357
"Arpeggione"
Arrangement
for: Flute, piano
Piano score, solo part (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 140235
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