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:
Leicht spielbare Stücke aus Barock, Klassik und Romantik
für Orgel (manualiter, Pedal ad lib.)
for: Organ (manuals, ped. ad lib)
Music score (anthology)
Item no.: 630821
in der Bearbeitung von Heinrich Ritter von Spengel (1852)
for: Soloists, mixed choir (SATB), strings, organ
Viola 2 (orchestral part)
Item no.: 1012500
aus den "Kinderszenen", op. 15
for: Piano
Sheet music
Item no.: 2141
for: Gemischter Chor (SATB), 1-2 Trompeten, 3-2 Posaunen, Orgel, [Pauken]
Score
Item no.: 235638
Riduzione per Organo solo
for: Organ
Music score
Item no.: 388914
Comfort and Hope in Song
36 old and new songs
for: Mixed choir (SATB/SAB) a cappella
Choir score
Item no.: 419513
für (Mezzo-)Sopran und B.c. (komplett) (complete)
for: GES-M BC
Score, Parts
Item no.: 278583
from Piano Sonata op. 35
for: Piano
Music score (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 401346
für gemischten Chor a cappella
for: Mixed choir (SATB) a cappella
Score
Item no.: 176998
for: Voice (high/medium), piano
Piano reduction
Item no.: 764779
35 Beautiful Pieces
for: Piano
Music score
Item no.: 758497
Actus tragicus. Trauermusik
BWV 106
for: Mixed choir (SATB), baroque orchestra
Piano reduction (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 233628
"Actus tragicus"
Bärenreiter Urtext
for: Mixed choir (SATB), baroque orchestra
Piano reduction (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 167439
Begräbnismusik in drei Teilen für Singstimmen und Basso continuo
Stuttgarter Schütz-Ausgabe Urtext
for: 8 voices (SSAATTBB), organ, bass; mixed choir (SSATTB), 6 melody instruments colla parte ad lib.
Score
Item no.: 423286
Passio secundum Joannem BWV 245 - Urtext Stuttgarter Bach-Ausgaben
Fassung IV (1749) mit der unvollendeten Revision 1739 im Anhang
for: Soloists, mixed choir, orchestra
Piano reduction
Item no.: 346649
Last Respects
for: 4 brass instruments
Score, Parts
Item no.: 550554
Stuttgarter Bach-Ausgaben · Urtext
for: 4 soloists (SATB), mixed choir (SATB), 2 violins, viola, bassoon, basso continuo
Piano reduction (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 233890
Arie aus der Matthäus-Passion
for: Voice (alto), piano
Music score
Item no.: 760457
su due Spunti Tematici e su un Basso Numerato di Tomaso Albinoni
for: Organ, strings
Score
Item no.: 388538
Shawnee Press
for: Women's choir (SSAA), piano [organ]
Score
Item no.: 323235
Funeral music
for: 2 soloists (SB), mixed choir (SATB), orchestra, organ
Piano reduction (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 661158
aus der Bühnenmusik zu "Kuolema"
for: Accordion
Music score
Item no.: 284955
1835-1892
Anton Bruckner Gesamtausgabe
for: Mixed choir a cappella
Conductor score
Item no.: 301588
for: Organ
Music score
Item no.: 212568
Die Carus-Neuausgabe dieses Werkes enthält die Chorfuge Nr. 6, die in Mendelssohns Autograph zu finden ist und auch bei der Uraufführung musiziert wurde.
for: 4 soloists (SATB), mixed choir (SATB), orchestra
Piano reduction
Item no.: 205041
Dover Full Scores
Book
Item no.: 140160
Святый
Text in kirchenslavisch (kyrillisch und transskribiert)
for: Mixed choir (SSAATTBB), cello
Score
Item no.: 315658
for: 4 soloists (SATB), mixed choir (SATB), orchestra, basso continuo
Piano reduction
Item no.: 478995
für 16stg. gem Chor a cappella Singpartitur
for: Mixed choir a cappella
Score
Item no.: 380350
for: 4 soloists (SATB), mixed choir (SATB), chamber orchestra
Piano reduction
Item no.: 658385
Arranged for organ
With hammond registration.
for: Organ
Music score
Item no.: 277004
Klassik
for: Organ
Music score
Item no.: 616841
Trauermusik eines kunsterfahrenen Canarienvogels. Tragikomische Kantate
for: Mittlere Stimme, Violinen (2), Viola, Basso continuo
Score, Set of parts
Item no.: 115131
aus der Bühnenmusik zu Kuolema
for: Piano
Item no.: 284280
für 2 Solostimmen, Chor und Orchester
for: 2 soloists (SBar), mixed choir (SATB), orchestra, organ
Piano reduction
Item no.: 192705
Intonationen, Vorspiele und Begleitsätze zu Beerdigungsliedern
for: Organ
Music score
Item no.: 580377
Easy Arrangement for Piano
for: Piano
Single edition
Item no.: 740262
Suite d'Orchestre
for: Symphonic orchestra
Score (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 658682
from: Funeral Music for Queen Mary
for: Mixed choir (SATB), basso continuo
Score
Item no.: 4554
for: 1–2 melodic instruments (C), piano [organ]
Piano score, parts
Item no.: 378300
Rekonstruktion nach der Maurerischen Trauermusik
for: Male choir, piano
Piano reduction
Item no.: 241365
for: Organ
Music score
Item no.: 497420
25 useful hymns and pieces
for: Trumpet (B-flat), organ [piano]
Piano score, solo part (anthology)
Item no.: 210097
aus den "Kinderszenen", op. 15
bearbeitet für Klarinette oder Trompete und Klavier
for: Clarinet (B-flat) [trumpet], piano
Piano score, solo part, audio file
Item no.: 1085
for: Viola [violin/cello], string orchestra
Score
Item no.: 678397
12 neue Kleinorgel-Kompositionen für Trauer- und Trostanlässe
for: Organ (manuals)
Music score
Item no.: 631226
for: Chor SATB ( jede Stimmgruppe vierfach unterteilt) und Schlagwerk ad lib.
Score
Item no.: 124076
over a Basso Ostinato
for Organ
for: Organ
Single edition
Item no.: 136945
(Over A Basso Ostinato) for Piano Solo
for: Piano
Music score
Item no.: 356951
Piano reduction
Item no.: 285500