Yvonne Smeulers, the Dutch violinist on this recording, made her debut at the Amsterdam Concertgebouw at the age of ten.
Historical Context
The Franco-Belgian Violin School, which heavily influenced the Netherlands, was founded by Charles de Bériot, Henri Vieuxtemps, and Eugène Ysaÿe.
Composer Biography
Eugène Ysaÿe composed his Six Sonatas for Solo Violin, Op. 27, without having ever taken formal composition lessons.
Composition History
Eugène Ysaÿe, a Belgian composer, was inspired to write his Six Sonatas for Solo Violin, Op. 27, after hearing Joseph Szigeti perform Bach's solo sonatas.
Composer's Artistic Vision
Each of Ysaÿe's Six Sonatas for Solo Violin is an homage to a renowned violinist, reflecting their unique artistic and compositional style.
Compositional Technique
Ysaÿe's solo sonatas are innovative in their use of new arpeggio techniques, including five- and six-voice chords, and the whole tone scale in thirds and sixths.
Instruments
Yvonne Smeulers performs on a violin built by Giovanni Battista Guadagnini in 1785, which was made available to her through a private donation.
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