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Music genre

Sonata

Sonata is a music genre that emerged in Europe in the 1600s. It is usually classed as a form of classical music, composed musical work and instrumental music. Explore key artists and related styles.

Listen: Sonata examples

Domenico.Scarlatti.Sonata.f.minor.Kirkpatrick.466
3:20CC0 1.0by MembethWikimedia Commons
3:20
Beethoven - Moonlight Sonata Op-27 No-2 (Piano Performance by eldüendesüarez)
2:03
Johann Sebastian Bach first movement Organ Sonata in G major BWV 530 Erich Piasetzki…
4:02CC BY 1.0by Erich Piasetzki, organistWikimedia Commons
4:02

Tip: press play to see the sound's live frequency spectrum in blue over the waveform.

About Sonata

Sonata is a music genre that emerged in Europe in the 1600s. It is usually classed as a form of classical music, composed musical work and instrumental music.

Artists closely associated with the genre include Ludwig van Beethoven, Tikhon Khrennikov and Giovanni Battista Sammartini.

From Wikipedia

In music, a sonata (; pl. sonate) is a piece that consists of 3 or 4 movements that can be for different musical instruments. The term evolved through the history of music, designating a variety of forms until the Classical era, when it took on increasing importance. Sonata is a vague term, with varying meanings depending on the context and time period. By the early 19th century it came to represent a principle of composing large-scale works. It was applied to most instrumental genres and regarded—alongside the fugue—as one of two fundamental methods of organizing, interpreting and analyzing concert music. Though the musical style of sonatas has changed since the Classical era, most 20th- and 21st-century sonatas maintain the overarching structure.

The term sonatina, pl. sonatine, the diminutive form of sonata, is often used for a short or technically easy sonata.

Genre family tree

Parent genres (↑) and subgenres (↓) of Sonata.

Key artists

  • Ludwig van Beethoven
  • Tikhon Khrennikov
  • Giovanni Battista Sammartini

Related genres

Questions people ask

Real questions from the Stack Exchange community – follow a link to read the discussion.

Frequently asked questions

What is Sonata?

Sonata is a music genre that emerged in Europe in the 1600s. It is usually classed as a form of classical music, composed musical work and instrumental music.

Where and when did Sonata originate?

Sonata originated in Europe in the 1600s.

Who are famous Sonata artists?

Ludwig van Beethoven, Tikhon Khrennikov and Giovanni Battista Sammartini.

Sources & credits