Eugène Ysaÿe, the composer, conceived the idea for his Six Sonatas for Solo Violin, Op. 27, after hearing his contemporary Joseph Szigeti play Johann Sebastian Bach in July 1923.
Performer Biography
Anca Vasile Caraman, the violinist on this recording, began studying violin at age 4 in Romania and has won 9 national and 3 international prizes, including 'Rovere d'Oro 2010'.
Composition History
Ysaÿe sketched out all six sonatas of Op. 27 within 24 hours after being inspired, though it is doubted such a significant work could be an extemporaneous act.
Critical Reception
Despite being dedicated to leading virtuosos, Ysaÿe's Op. 27 cycle initially did not achieve great fortune, and his qualities as a composer were long overshadowed by his fame as a performer.
Composer's Artistic Vision
The dedicatees of the sonatas include renowned violinists Joseph Szigeti, Jacques Thibaud, George Enescu, Fritz Kreisler, Mathieu Crickboom, and Manuel Quiroga.
Composer's Artistic Vision
Each sonata in Op. 27 is modeled on the specific qualities of a different virtuoso violinist of Ysaÿe's time, rather than addressing a technical difficulty or extra-musical program.
Compositional Technique
The sonatas of Op. 27 are divided into three pairs: the first and fourth refer to Baroque models, the second and fifth have programmatic indications, and the third and sixth are in a single movement.
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