Sonata for Solo Violin (Bartók)
Encyclopedia
The Sonata for Solo Violin Sz. 117, BB 124, is a sonata for unaccompanied violin
composed by Béla Bartók
. It was premiered by Yehudi Menuhin
, to whom it was dedicated, in New York
on 26 November, 1944.
commissioned a work for solo violin from Bartók in November 1943. It was written in New York and in Asheville, North Carolina
, where Bartók underwent treatment for leukemia
. Bartók finished composing the piece in March 1944. He wrote letters to Menuhin in April and June 1944 to agree on minor changes to make the Sonata easier to play.
The Tempo di ciaccona is essentially a sonata-form movement written somewhat in the style of a chaconne
, even though it is not its form. It is full of typical Hungarian folk intervals and harmonies. The Fuga begins with a three-voice fugue
on a pulsating, staccato
melody. After a section where the melody is accompanied quietly with fast running notes, it returns as a series of chords
, alternately played with the bow
and plucked
. Nevertheless, it is not a strict fugue, as every episode introduces new material to the subject. The Melodia begins with a lyrical melody, stated alone and in all different registers of the instrument. It continues in sixths
, octaves
, and tenths, accompanied by trills
and tremolos
. The Presto alternates between a very quiet, fast, bumblebee-like passage played with a mute
, and a cheerful melody. Bartók originally wrote the rapid passages in quarter-tones
, but many violinists choose to perform a version, suggested by Menuhin, that only uses the standard 12 notes of Western classical music. Three contrasting themes appear throughout this movement, all of which re-appear in the final coda
.
The Solo Sonata presents violinists with many difficulties and uses the full gamut of violin techniques: several notes played simultaneously (multiple stops
), artificial harmonics, left-hand pizzicato
executed simultaneously with a melody played with the bow, and wide leaps between pitches.
Violin
The violin is a string instrument, usually with four strings tuned in perfect fifths. It is the smallest, highest-pitched member of the violin family of string instruments, which includes the viola and cello....
composed by Béla Bartók
Béla Bartók
Béla Viktor János Bartók was a Hungarian composer and pianist. He is considered one of the most important composers of the 20th century and is regarded, along with Liszt, as Hungary's greatest composer...
. It was premiered by Yehudi Menuhin
Yehudi Menuhin
Yehudi Menuhin, Baron Menuhin, OM, KBE was a Russian Jewish American violinist and conductor who spent most of his performing career in the United Kingdom. He was born to Russian Jewish parents in the United States, but became a citizen of Switzerland in 1970, and of the United Kingdom in 1985...
, to whom it was dedicated, in New York
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
on 26 November, 1944.
Composition
Violinist Yehudi MenuhinYehudi Menuhin
Yehudi Menuhin, Baron Menuhin, OM, KBE was a Russian Jewish American violinist and conductor who spent most of his performing career in the United Kingdom. He was born to Russian Jewish parents in the United States, but became a citizen of Switzerland in 1970, and of the United Kingdom in 1985...
commissioned a work for solo violin from Bartók in November 1943. It was written in New York and in Asheville, North Carolina
North Carolina
North Carolina is a state located in the southeastern United States. The state borders South Carolina and Georgia to the south, Tennessee to the west and Virginia to the north. North Carolina contains 100 counties. Its capital is Raleigh, and its largest city is Charlotte...
, where Bartók underwent treatment for leukemia
Leukemia
Leukemia or leukaemia is a type of cancer of the blood or bone marrow characterized by an abnormal increase of immature white blood cells called "blasts". Leukemia is a broad term covering a spectrum of diseases...
. Bartók finished composing the piece in March 1944. He wrote letters to Menuhin in April and June 1944 to agree on minor changes to make the Sonata easier to play.
The Sonata
The Sonata consists of four movements:- Tempo di ciaccona
- Fuga. Risoluto, non troppo vivo
- Melodia. Adagio
- Presto.
The Tempo di ciaccona is essentially a sonata-form movement written somewhat in the style of a chaconne
Chaconne
A chaconne ; is a type of musical composition popular in the baroque era when it was much used as a vehicle for variation on a repeated short harmonic progression, often involving a fairly short repetitive bass-line which offered a compositional outline for variation, decoration, figuration and...
, even though it is not its form. It is full of typical Hungarian folk intervals and harmonies. The Fuga begins with a three-voice fugue
Fugue
In music, a fugue is a compositional technique in two or more voices, built on a subject that is introduced at the beginning in imitation and recurs frequently in the course of the composition....
on a pulsating, staccato
Staccato
Staccato is a form of musical articulation. In modern notation it signifies a note of shortened duration and separated from the note that may follow by silence...
melody. After a section where the melody is accompanied quietly with fast running notes, it returns as a series of chords
Chord (music)
A chord in music is any harmonic set of two–three or more notes that is heard as if sounding simultaneously. These need not actually be played together: arpeggios and broken chords may for many practical and theoretical purposes be understood as chords...
, alternately played with the bow
Bow (music)
In music, a bow is moved across some part of a musical instrument, causing vibration which the instrument emits as sound. The vast majority of bows are used with string instruments, although some bows are used with musical saws and other bowed idiophones....
and plucked
Pizzicato
Pizzicato is a playing technique that involves plucking the strings of a string instrument. The exact technique varies somewhat depending on the type of stringed instrument....
. Nevertheless, it is not a strict fugue, as every episode introduces new material to the subject. The Melodia begins with a lyrical melody, stated alone and in all different registers of the instrument. It continues in sixths
Sixth
Sixth can refer to:* The ordinal form of the number six* Sixth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution* A keg of beer equal to 5 U.S. gallons or 1/6 barrel of beer.* A fraction, such as 1/6-Music:*Interval*Major sixth*Minor sixth...
, octaves
Octave
In music, an octave is the interval between one musical pitch and another with half or double its frequency. The octave relationship is a natural phenomenon that has been referred to as the "basic miracle of music", the use of which is "common in most musical systems"...
, and tenths, accompanied by trills
Trill (music)
The trill is a musical ornament consisting of a rapid alternation between two adjacent notes, usually a semitone or tone apart, which can be identified with the context of the trill....
and tremolos
Tremolo
Tremolo, or tremolando, is a musical term that describes various trembling effects, falling roughly into two types. The first is a rapid reiteration...
. The Presto alternates between a very quiet, fast, bumblebee-like passage played with a mute
Mute (music)
A mute is a device fitted to a musical instrument to alter the sound produced: by affecting the timbre, reducing the volume, or most commonly both.- Musical directions for muting :...
, and a cheerful melody. Bartók originally wrote the rapid passages in quarter-tones
Quarter tone
A quarter tone , is a pitch halfway between the usual notes of a chromatic scale, an interval about half as wide as a semitone, which is half a whole tone....
, but many violinists choose to perform a version, suggested by Menuhin, that only uses the standard 12 notes of Western classical music. Three contrasting themes appear throughout this movement, all of which re-appear in the final coda
Coda
Coda can denote any concluding event, summation, or section.Coda may also refer to:-Acronyms:* Calgary Olympic Development Association, the former name of the Canadian Winter Sport Institute, a non profit organization...
.
The Solo Sonata presents violinists with many difficulties and uses the full gamut of violin techniques: several notes played simultaneously (multiple stops
Double stop
A double stop, in music terminology, is the act of playing two notes simultaneously on a melodic percussion instrument or stringed instrument...
), artificial harmonics, left-hand pizzicato
Pizzicato
Pizzicato is a playing technique that involves plucking the strings of a string instrument. The exact technique varies somewhat depending on the type of stringed instrument....
executed simultaneously with a melody played with the bow, and wide leaps between pitches.
Sources
- Bartók, Béla (1994). Sonata for Solo Violin: Urtext Edition. New York: Boosey and Hawkes.
- Menuhin, Yehudi (1976). Unfinished Journey. New York: Alfred Knopf.