A sinfonia concertante (pronounced [siɱfoˈniːa kontʃerˈtante]; also called symphonie concertante) is a type of orchestral music that usually has several parts, or movements. In this form, one or more solo instruments play against the full orchestra. It developed during the Classical period of Western music, which followed the Baroque era's concerto grosso. The sinfonia concertante combines features of both the symphony and the concerto. Like a concerto, it highlights the soloists, but like a symphony, the soloists are clearly part of the larger group and not the main focus. This musical form led to the development of double and triple concerti during the Romantic period, which was around the 19th century.

Classical era

During the Baroque period, it was hard to tell the difference between a concerto and a sinfonia (also called "symphony"). The word "sinfonia" was sometimes used to describe an introduction to a play or opera. Antonio Vivaldi wrote concertos that did not focus on one person playing alone, and these pieces were similar in style to his sinfonias. The Baroque music style that most closely matches the Classical sinfonia concertante is the concerto grosso. Famous examples of this style were written by Arcangelo Corelli and George Frideric Handel.

During the Classical period (about 1750–1800), the terms "symphony" and "concerto" became clearer in meaning, and the concerto grosso no longer existed. In the second half of the 18th century, composers tried to mix these two styles, such as those from the Mannheim school. Johann Christian Bach, known as the "London Bach" and the youngest son of Johann Sebastian Bach, published symphonies concertantes in Paris starting in the early 1770s. Joseph Bologne, also called the "famous Chevalier de Saint-Georges," did the same. Mozart, who likely heard Bologne's early Sinfonia concertantes, was familiar with the Mannheim school from 1777 and probably knew about J.C. Bach's work. He worked hard to create convincing sinfonie concertanti. His most successful examples include:

• Sinfonia Concertante for Violin, Viola and Orchestra K. 364 (the only one Mozart is believed to have completed, preserved in an original copy).
• Sinfonia Concertante for Oboe, Clarinet, Horn, Bassoon and Orchestra K. 297b (known from an arrangement, which may not be authentic).

Joseph Haydn also wrote a Sinfonia Concertante for Violin, Cello, Oboe and Bassoon during his visit to London as a friendly challenge to his former student, Ignaz Pleyel. Haydn was in London at the same time, and his works in this style were very popular. Early in his career, Haydn composed symphonies with long parts for soloists, such as the "Time of Day" symphonies 6–8. These, however, are correctly classified as symphonies, not sinfonie concertanti. Other examples from this time include Kozeluch's Sinfonia Concertante in E flat major for mandolin, trumpet, double-bass, and piano; Gossec's Symphonie Concertante for Violin and Cello in D major; and Gresnick's Symphonie Concertante in B flat major for Clarinet and Bassoon.

Romantic era

After the classical music era, few composers used the term "sinfonia concertante" for their works. However, some pieces, like Berlioz's Harold en Italie for viola and orchestra, are similar to this genre.

Ludwig van Beethoven never wrote a piece called a "sinfonia concertante," though some people believe his Triple Concerto fits this category.

Felix Mendelssohn composed two concertos for two pianos and orchestra—one in E major and one in A-flat major—both of which are considered sinfonie concertanti.

Saint-Saëns' Symphony No. 3 includes an organ that blends with the orchestra but also has separate solo parts. The second half of the piece also has a section where piano four hands plays a semi-solo role.

By the end of the 19th century, some French composers began using the sinfonia concertante style in symphonic poems. For example, Saint-Saëns used a violin in Danse macabre, and Franck used a piano in Les Djinns.

In Richard Strauss's Don Quixote (1897), several soloists—cello, viola, bass clarinet, and tenor tuba—represent the main characters.

Lalo's most famous work, Symphonie espagnole, is actually a sinfonia concertante for violin and orchestra.

A similar work, where the piano takes the "concertante" role, is Vincent d'Indy's Symphony on a French Mountain Air.

Brahms's concerto for violin, cello, and orchestra in A minor, Op. 102—the last of his four concertos—is effectively a sinfonia concertante.

Bruch explored the line between solo and symphonic music in works like Scottish Fantasy (violin soloist), Kol Nidrei (cello soloist), and Serenade (violin soloist). He also composed a concerto for clarinet, viola, and orchestra in E minor, and a concerto for two pianos and orchestra in A-flat minor, both of which are similar to a sinfonia concertante.

Ferruccio Busoni composed a large piano concerto in C major with five movements, lasting over an hour and ending with a male choir. This work can also be considered a sinfonia concertante.

20th century

In the 20th century, composers such as George Enescu, Darius Milhaud, Frank Martin, Edmund Rubbra, Florent Schmitt, William Walton, and Malcolm Williamson used the term "sinfonia concertante" for their compositions. Frank Martin's piece, which is similar to classical works with many soloists, includes a piano, harpsichord, and harp. Karol Szymanowski also composed a sinfonia concertante (for solo piano and orchestra), also known as his Symphony No. 4 "Symphonie-Concertante." Other examples include Joseph Jongen's 1926 Symphonie Concertante, Op. 81, with an organ soloist; Andrzej Panufnik's 1973 Sinfonia Concertante (Symphony No. 4) for flute, harp, and small string orchestra; and Peter Maxwell Davies's 1982 Sinfonia Concertante for wind quintet, timpani, and string orchestra.

The Czech composer Bohuslav Martinů wrote two works in this genre: Sinfonia Concertante for Two Orchestras, H. 219 (1932) and Sinfonia Concertante No. 2 in B-flat major for Violin, Cello, Oboe, Bassoon, and Orchestra with Piano, H. 322 (1949). Almost all of Martinů's symphonies include a piano, as do most of his orchestral works. However, only the two mentioned earlier were labeled as "concertante symphonies."

Wilhelm Furtwängler completed his Symphonic Concerto for Piano and Orchestra in B minor in 1937. This piece lasts more than one hour and is one of the longest piano concertos ever written.

Sergei Prokofiev named his work for cello and orchestra "Symphony-Concerto," emphasizing its serious symphonic style, which contrasts with the lighter style of Classical period sinfonia concertante. Benjamin Britten's Cello Symphony and Ellen Taaffe Zwilich's Symphony No. 2 also feature a solo cello within the structure of a full-scale symphony.

Peter Schickele, as P. D. Q. Bach, created a parody "Sinfonia Concertante" that includes a lute, balalaika, double reed slide music stand, ocarina, left-handed sewer flute, and bagpipes.