Violin Sonatas by Mozart, Fauré, & Franck

These three violin sonatas are most obviously connected by their key of A major which is historically associated with brightness, lyricism, and warmth – qualities that lend themselves well to the violin’s natural singing quality. But diving deeper than that, together they form a compelling artistic trajectory.

Mozart’s Sonata for Violin and Piano in A is a staple of the classical repertoire and serves as the foundation on this musical path as it lays the groundwork for later sonatas. Next comes Fauré, who brings the element of French lyricism to the sonata structure. Fauré admired Classical form, and in his Violin Sonata in A he keeps that structure while expanding harmonic language, carrying Mozart’s clarity into a more expressive and openly passionate 19th-century version. Finally, we have our late-romantic culmination, Franck’s Violin Sonata in A, which is among his most well-known compositions and widely considered one of the finest sonatas for violin and piano ever written. This work is full of emotion and is spectacularly cyclical, meaning themes recur across movements, creating a unified narrative arc.

Program

Mozart Sonata for Piano & Violin in A, K.526
Fauré Violin Sonata in A, Op. 13
Franck Violin Sonata in A

Louisa Stonehill – Violin & Nicholas Burns – Piano