Classical Music | Violin Music

Recorded on 02/20/2013, uploaded on 07/21/2013

Musician's or Publisher's Notes

Despite having been composed in France in 1942-43, this rebellious and emotionally charged work seems not to rebel against the violence of the time, but rather against a less temporal human suffering. Throughout the piece, the markings "très violent" appear at key moments to express the ferocity of Mankind, but oddly never to represent its destructive side. The relatively simple 2nd theme and accompanying harmonies remind the listener of the beauty and power that music and ideas can have over concrete sounds or structures. The second movement carries the subtitle - "La guitare fait pleurer les songes" which means "The guitar makes the daydreams cry” - a perfect description of the calm, plaintive, very human, yet very ethereal atmosphere. It is a wonderful respite before the tumultuous Presto Tragico which rounds out the piece through the creative use of rhythm, and heightens the tension until the very last note. To me, the sonata broaches the subject of Fate and whether Man can control it.  The work meets the criteria that define a masterpiece: technically superbly constructed with many obvious and subtle layers of meaning so that each individual listener can find whatever emotional response he/she wants to have.      Brendan Conway

Courtesy of International Music Foundation.