music introduction
Sonata for Violin and Piano in A Major - César Franck
Embedded Files
Imagine receiving a musical masterpiece as your wedding gift. That’s exactly what happened to the brilliant Belgian violinist Eugène Ysaÿe in 1886.
The composer? César Franck, a humble but deeply spiritual man known more as a church organist than a violin composer.
Franck wrote this sonata as a heartfelt wedding gift for Ysaÿe. The story goes that, although Franck could not attend the wedding, their close friend Charles Bordes delivered the score that morning. After a hurried rehearsal, Ysaÿe and pianist Marie-Léontine Bordes-Pène performed the piece for the guests. It became one of Ysaÿe’s most beloved works, which he performed passionately for over 40 years.
One of the most fascinating aspects of this sonata is its cyclical structure: Franck cleverly reuses melodies from earlier movements in later ones, giving the whole piece a sense of unity and emotional continuity. It’s like hearing the same memories from different angles.
For example, listen to how the first movement begins:
Now listen to the second movement - bold and dramatic. Do you hear something familiar?
The piece is further notable for the difficulty of its piano part, when compared with most of the chamber repertoire. It is filled with fast runs, wide leaps, and big hand stretches that reflect Franck's own large hands. Even professional pianists sometimes need to share notes between hands to make it playable!
Have a listen to the opening of the second movement - it is famously difficult for the pianist!
However, Franck never lived to see this sonata gain the love it enjoys today. He passed away less than four years after its public premiere, and only experienced true public success in the final year of his life.
Since then, the sonata has become a favorite in concert halls and recordings, now firmly part of the core repertoire for leading violinists around the world.
The conductor Pierre Monteux once said:
"How I regret not having told César Franck of my profound admiration for him and his music. After playing his Sonata for violin for the first time, I nearly wept over certain phrases. The beauty of it overwhelmed me."
What makes this sonata so special is not just its technical brilliance but how human it feels. It speaks directly to the heart - a love letter written not in words, but in music.
Google Sites
Report abuse