# Favorite Pieces or Cycles for Violin and Piano



## neoshredder

What are some of your favorite pieces or cycles from a Composer for Violin and Piano? From what I've heard, I really like Grieg's 3 Violin Sonatas. Mozart's Violin Sonatas I'm listening to now.


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## brotagonist

The obvious ones:

Shostakovich's Violin Sonata
Mozart's Violin Sonatas
Beethoven's Violin Sonatas
Brahms' Violin Sonatas
Xenakis' Dikhthas

My exposure is limited to my own collection.


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## joen_cph

One favourite is Debussy´s Sonate in an unorthodox recording by Gitlis and Argerich


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## elgar's ghost

I'm fond of violin sonatas in general and 20th century ones in particular - in addition to the already-mentioned Shostakovich I'm also keen on the sonatas by Prokofiev, Hindemith, Bloch, Bartok, Ravel, Poulenc and Schnittke, but there are many others.


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## Schumann

I love especially the violin sonatas by Bach, Beethoven, Schumann, Brahms & Grieg.


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## Mahlerian

_Distance de fee_ by Takemitsu, heavily influenced by Messiaen, comes immediately to mind.






And here's Messiaen's own _Theme and Variations_.






Finally, Stravinsky's lively _Duo Concertant_, performed by the composer and the piece's dedicatee, Samuel Dushkin.


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## hreichgott

The Dvorak romances are lovely.


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## jimsumner

brotagonist said:


> The obvious ones:
> 
> Shostakovich's Violin Sonata
> Mozart's Violin Sonatas
> Beethoven's Violin Sonatas
> Brahms' Violin Sonatas
> Xenakis' Dikhthas
> 
> My exposure is limited to my own collection.


Xenakis is obvious?

My, I need to get out more.

The Franck sonata is an acknowledged masterpiece.


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## brotagonist

jimsumner said:


> Xenakis is obvious? My, I need to get out more.


I have been a keen Xenakis admirer for decades. His work has been a companion for so long, that its presence in that list didn't seem incongruous ;-)


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## Bas

Let us not forget the remarkable violin and violin de gamba (if I may be so bold to broaden the interpretation of your question) sonatas Bach has given us: BWV 1014-1019, BWV 1027-1029!


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## Alydon

I'd kick off with complete Beethoven & Mozart cycles.


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## Ukko

Szimanowski's Mythes, Tartini's sonatas, Biber's sonatas.


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## Don Fatale

Having aggregated a list of all the TC top lists (which I'm progressively listening to), the missing list seems to be the piano/violin sonatas. It would be nice to have one.

Beethoven's Kreutzer is easy choice.
Franck's sonata is great (I'm a big fan of his work in general)
Brahms sonatas have become a recent favourite.
I recently attended a concert with Grieg and Prokofiev sonatas and enjoyed the pieces very much. A preview listen on Spotify is invaluable on these occasions.

I'd love to get hold of more, but as I like to get LP recordings it can be quite hard to find some pieces.


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## jimsumner

brotagonist said:


> I have been a keen Xenakis admirer for decades. His work has been a companion for so long, that its presence in that list didn't seem incongruous ;-)


I admire your advocacy.

A bit more approachable are the two sonatas for violin and piano by Bela Bartok. Add Prokofiev, Ives and Ravel to the list.


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## ComposerOfAvantGarde

I'm not a huge fan of this type of duo, but a few standout works for me are Schoenberg's Phantasy (rather famous, so no link to that one) and Henze's 5 Nightpieces:


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## KenOC

Listening tonight to several Beethoven violin sonatas, performed by Midori Seiler and Jos. van Immerseel. The instruments are those of Beethoven's day, giving the music a far different sound than I'm used to. Quite nice really!

http://www.amazon.com/Complete-Sona...23877&sr=1-1&keywords=beethoven+violin+seiler


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## PetrB

Mahlerian beat me to two I would list:
Messiaen ~ Variations for Violin and Piano
Stravisnky ~ Duo Concertant

I would add 
John Adams ~ Road Trips
Janacek ~ Sonata


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## aleazk

Ravel's Violin Sonatas.


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## jimsumner

PetrB said:


> Mahlerian beat me to two I would list:
> Messiaen ~ Variations for Violin and Piano
> Stravisnky ~ Duo Concertant
> 
> I would add
> John Adams ~ Road Trips
> Janacek ~ Sonata


My favorite Stravinsky in the genre is Suite Italian, derived from his ballet Pulcinella.


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## Klavierspieler

A few that haven't been mentioned (at least not explicitly):

Medtner's Sonatas, especially No. 3 "Epica"
Bartok's Rhapsodies
Elgar's Violin Sonata
Saint-Saens' First Violin Sonata
Webern's _Four Pieces_, Op. 7


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## Quartetfore

Add to the list the beautiful 1st Violin Sonata of Faure. I will also cast my vote for Elgars lone Sonata, It is one of my very favorite works in any genre.


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## Guest

I like the Sonata No.1 by Bartok and Bloch's Sonata No.1 quite a bit.


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## Art Rock

Brahms, Franck, Shostakovich.


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## ComposerOfAvantGarde

There are always pieces by Wieniawski for violin and piano accompaniment which are always awesome. 

Scherzo Tarantelle is fantastic:


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## MaestroViolinist

ComposerOfAvantGarde said:


> There are always pieces by Wieniawski for violin and piano accompaniment which are always awesome.
> 
> Scherzo Tarantelle is fantastic:


WIENIAWSKI!!!!!!!!!!!!!  *sneaks away again*


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## MaestroViolinist

As for a proper contribution to the thread, Schubert sonatas/sonatinas are good.


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## ComposerOfAvantGarde

MaestroViolinist said:


> WIENIAWSKI!!!!!!!!!!!!!  *sneaks away again*


I was listening to Légende and thinking about you today <3


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## MaestroViolinist

ComposerOfAvantGarde said:


> I was listening to Légende and thinking about you today <3


I should finish playing that for you one day, shouldn't I?


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## ComposerOfAvantGarde

MaestroViolinist said:


> I should finish playing that for you one day, shouldn't I?


What I have already heard was beautiful, I simply cannot wait to hear you play it in its entirety.


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## MaestroViolinist

ComposerOfAvantGarde said:


> What I have already heard was beautiful, I simply cannot wait to hear you play it in its entirety.


Thank you.  But don't hold your breath. ut:


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## ComposerOfAvantGarde

MaestroViolinist said:


> Thank you.  But don't hold your breath. ut:


I would probably pass out! HURRY UP AND PLAY ME THE DAMN PIECE ut:


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## SIoannou

dvorak romance op.11
Hindemith meditation
Dvorak Songs my mother taught me (although not originally for violin)


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## Klavierspieler

I don't think that this has been mentioned:

Rebecca Clarke - _Midsummer Moon_

She also wrote several other pieces for violin and piano.


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## Andrei

The Kreutzer Sonata and Franck's Violin Sonata are my favourites. I do have an absolutely charming LP on the EMI Angel Label. It contains the following:

Dvorak: Sonatina in G op 100
Smetana: From My Homeland
Dvorak: Four Romantic Pieces Op 75.

Itzhak Perlman and Samuel Sanders are the players. The combining theme in these pieces is the unrelenting melodic invention. Just very beautiful music.


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## ccravens

Right now, I'm liking Walter Piston's violin sonata.


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## hpowders

Brahms-three sonatas for violin and piano.


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## Blake

Tartini and Leclair are violin virtuosos. I recommend looking their way.


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