The Sonata for Violin and Piano in A major was César Franck’s only sonata for the instrument. It has become a staple of the violin repertoire and stands alongside the Symphony in D minor as one of the composer’s finest and most beloved compositions. Though composed in 1886, the sonata’s genesis may have actually taken place nearly three decades earlier in 1858. Franck had promised a violin sonata for Cosima von Bülow, the daughter of Franz Liszt and later the wife of Richard Wagner. The proposed sonata never materialized but it is possible that whatever shards remained, if any, from Franck’s work may have become the basis of the present work. Franck presented the A major sonata to the Belgian violinist Eugène Ysaÿe as a wedding present on September 26, 1886. After a hurried rehearsal, Ysaÿe and pianist Léontine Bordes-Pène performed the sonata for the other wedding guests during Ysaÿe’s nuptial day. Its official premiere public performance was given by Ysaÿe and Bordes-Pène a few months later on December 16 at the Musée Moderne de Peinture at Brussels. The sonata was the last item on a rather lengthy program that had begun at 3pm. The setting sun and the gallery authorities’ refusal to allow artificial light threatened to leave Franck’s masterpiece unperformed. Yet, according to Vincent d’Indy, who was present at the performance, as the light continued to fade, Ysaÿe and Bordes-Pène performed the last three movements of the sonata from memory. The Violin Sonata has since appeared in transcriptions for many instruments, but only that for cello earned Franck’s official endorsement.
Adhering to both the Classical Viennese tradition Franck gravitated towards in his final years and his luscious Romantic harmonic language, the Violin Sonata spans a four-movement design of dramatic proportions. A lyrical Allegretto opens the sonata, supplanting the usual quick-paced first movement, but by no means diminished in intensity or profundity. Turbulence arrives, however, in the Allegro second movement, opening with a furious introduction from the piano, followed by a passionate melody from the violin. The length of this movement and the weightiness of his principal ideas give it the impression of an opening sonata-allegro movement, leaving one to wonder if the preceding Allegretto was not but a protracted introduction. Serving as the sonata’s slow movement is the Recitativo-Fantasia. Certainly the most striking movement, it is a piece of great depth and emotion and the darkening gloam in which it received its first performance could only have enhanced its gloomy and ghostly quality. The twilight of the third movement, however, is gloriously dispelled in the bright opening theme of the finale. Yet, even with this cheerful introduction, the last movement is not without its intense and passionate moments brought on by the intermingling of ideas from the previous movements. In radiant glory, the sonata comes to a brilliant and triumphant close.Joseph DuBose
This is a program of interesting parallels and circular links. The focus is mid-nineteenth century Paris. We open with a piece by Wieniawski, the Polish violinist who studied at the Paris Conservatory and who credits a meeting with Chopin as his inspiration for pursuing the craft of composition. We then move to Franck, who wrote a piece for his Belgian compatriot, Ysaÿe. Both composer and performer studied at the storied Parisian cultural mecca, Ysaÿe as a student of Wieniawski. In cyclic fashion, the recital closes with a beautiful Nocturne by Chopin. To draw one final parallel to the International Violin Competition of Indianapolis, we present our newest Gold Medalist Augustin Hadelich, the recipient of prizes established under the artistic direction of our founder Josef Gingold, one of the most famous students of Eugène Ysaÿe.
Sonata in A Major for Violin and Piano César Franck
llegretto ben moderato; Allegro; Recitativo - Fantasia; Allegretto poco mosso
Franck's single violin sonata is one of the most important and beloved sonatas in the violin and piano duo repertoire. The work was written in 1886 in honor of the wedding of Eugène Ysaÿe. Franck's training was first as a pianist and composer, later as an organist. His award-winning affinity for fugal writing was further developed during his employment as a church organist. For thirty years, the improvisations played during the course of a church service possibly served as the root of his compositional technique of "cyclic form". Using this technique, thematic material occurs in more than one movement as a unifying device. The Violin Sonata is unified by three motives developed in cyclic fashion throughout. Franck closes the sonata with a sunny Rondo finale which, emphasizing an adept skill in counterpoint, opens with a theme in perfect canon.
Classical Music | Violin Music
César Franck
Sonata for Violin and Piano in A Major, M. 8 Play
Recorded on 04/24/2007, uploaded on 01/23/2009
Musician's or Publisher's Notes
The Sonata for Violin and Piano in A major was César Franck’s only sonata for the instrument. It has become a staple of the violin repertoire and stands alongside the Symphony in D minor as one of the composer’s finest and most beloved compositions. Though composed in 1886, the sonata’s genesis may have actually taken place nearly three decades earlier in 1858. Franck had promised a violin sonata for Cosima von Bülow, the daughter of Franz Liszt and later the wife of Richard Wagner. The proposed sonata never materialized but it is possible that whatever shards remained, if any, from Franck’s work may have become the basis of the present work. Franck presented the A major sonata to the Belgian violinist Eugène Ysaÿe as a wedding present on September 26, 1886. After a hurried rehearsal, Ysaÿe and pianist Léontine Bordes-Pène performed the sonata for the other wedding guests during Ysaÿe’s nuptial day. Its official premiere public performance was given by Ysaÿe and Bordes-Pène a few months later on December 16 at the Musée Moderne de Peinture at Brussels. The sonata was the last item on a rather lengthy program that had begun at 3pm. The setting sun and the gallery authorities’ refusal to allow artificial light threatened to leave Franck’s masterpiece unperformed. Yet, according to Vincent d’Indy, who was present at the performance, as the light continued to fade, Ysaÿe and Bordes-Pène performed the last three movements of the sonata from memory. The Violin Sonata has since appeared in transcriptions for many instruments, but only that for cello earned Franck’s official endorsement.
Adhering to both the Classical Viennese tradition Franck gravitated towards in his final years and his luscious Romantic harmonic language, the Violin Sonata spans a four-movement design of dramatic proportions. A lyrical Allegretto opens the sonata, supplanting the usual quick-paced first movement, but by no means diminished in intensity or profundity. Turbulence arrives, however, in the Allegro second movement, opening with a furious introduction from the piano, followed by a passionate melody from the violin. The length of this movement and the weightiness of his principal ideas give it the impression of an opening sonata-allegro movement, leaving one to wonder if the preceding Allegretto was not but a protracted introduction. Serving as the sonata’s slow movement is the Recitativo-Fantasia. Certainly the most striking movement, it is a piece of great depth and emotion and the darkening gloam in which it received its first performance could only have enhanced its gloomy and ghostly quality. The twilight of the third movement, however, is gloriously dispelled in the bright opening theme of the finale. Yet, even with this cheerful introduction, the last movement is not without its intense and passionate moments brought on by the intermingling of ideas from the previous movements. In radiant glory, the sonata comes to a brilliant and triumphant close. Joseph DuBose
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This is a program of interesting parallels and circular links. The focus is mid-nineteenth century Paris. We open with a piece by Wieniawski, the Polish violinist who studied at the Paris Conservatory and who credits a meeting with Chopin as his inspiration for pursuing the craft of composition. We then move to Franck, who wrote a piece for his Belgian compatriot, Ysaÿe. Both composer and performer studied at the storied Parisian cultural mecca, Ysaÿe as a student of Wieniawski. In cyclic fashion, the recital closes with a beautiful Nocturne by Chopin. To draw one final parallel to the International Violin Competition of Indianapolis, we present our newest Gold Medalist Augustin Hadelich, the recipient of prizes established under the artistic direction of our founder Josef Gingold, one of the most famous students of Eugène Ysaÿe.
Sonata in A Major for Violin and Piano César Franck
llegretto ben moderato; Allegro; Recitativo - Fantasia; Allegretto poco mosso
Franck's single violin sonata is one of the most important and beloved sonatas in the violin and piano duo repertoire. The work was written in 1886 in honor of the wedding of Eugène Ysaÿe. Franck's training was first as a pianist and composer, later as an organist. His award-winning affinity for fugal writing was further developed during his employment as a church organist. For thirty years, the improvisations played during the course of a church service possibly served as the root of his compositional technique of "cyclic form". Using this technique, thematic material occurs in more than one movement as a unifying device. The Violin Sonata is unified by three motives developed in cyclic fashion throughout. Franck closes the sonata with a sunny Rondo finale which, emphasizing an adept skill in counterpoint, opens with a theme in perfect canon.
Notes by Catherine Partlow Strauss,
International Violin Competition of Indianapolis
More music by César Franck
Prelude, Figue and Variation for organ, Op. 18
Alegretto Moderato, from Sonata for Violin and Piano in A Major, M. 8
Sonata for Violin and Piano in A Major (transcribed for cello)
Sonata for Violin and Piano in A Major, M. 8
Prélude, Choral et Fugue
Prelude, Fugue et Variation, op. 18
Prelude, Chorale and Fugue
Violin Sonata in A Major, Allegro
Sonata for Violin and Piano in A Major, M. 8
Sonata for Violin and Piano in A Major, M. 8
Performances by same musician(s)
Nocturne in c-sharp minor for Violin and Piano
Polonaise de Concert in D Major, Op. 4
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Courtesy of International Music Foundation.