So what's a fun modern violin sonata to play?

[Brian]

A violin-performance-major friend of mine is putting together her recital program for next year and we've had no trouble coming up with fun romantic music to sprinkle in from Hungary (Hubay), France (Ravel's Tzigane) and even Chinese folk music. But we hit a brick wall ... ie, the fact that all the modernist violin sonatas she's been listening to, she doesn't really like. She's very much, shall we say, tonal at heart. I've recommended Bax. Any other ideas for something contemporary but accessible and a good challenge to play?

[sul G]

If Bax counts as contemporary then I don't feel too bad suggesting Janacek. An obvious choice, but a good one!

[ChamberNut]

I was thinking most definitely Prokofiev (if that's modern enough)?

[sul G]

Or, short and demanding in just the right ways (I imagine - it packs a lot into a brief timespan), Satie's Choses vues à droite et à gauche, which despite a relatively early date in the 20th century is really quite a modernist statement (Satie being such an important composer to those who came later, including Cage who IIRC did an analysis of this piece somewhere).

(sorry - it's not a sonata! forgot that part of the question!)

[Brian]

(sorry - it's not a sonata! forgot that part of the question!)

That's definitely fine! And generally the music school wants 20th century works, but not romantic leftovers that could have been written in 1890 (like Turina, Lehar, whatnot)

[Cato]

Why not throw this bone to our resident composers, Karl, Luke, Mark, etc?

You could not find a Violin Sonata any more contemporary if they cranked one out for you!   

They might even crank it out for free, but a green picture of Abe Lincoln might speed things up!   0:)

[Cato]

Why not throw this bone to our resident composers, Karl, Luke, Mark, etc?

You could not find a Violin Sonata any more contemporary if they cranked one out for you!   

They might even crank it out for free, but a green picture of Abe Lincoln might speed things up!   0:)

But if she cannot wait for something to be contemporarily composed, and if she is allowed a piano player, she might try Alexander Tcherepnin's Sonata for Violin and Piano Opus 14.

[toledobass]

How bout the Corigliano Chaconne?

Allan

[DFO]

Shostakovich
Villa-Lobos
Schnabel
Szymanowski
Moses Pergament

[karlhenning]

Or, short and demanding in just the right ways (I imagine - it packs a lot into a brief timespan), Satie's Choses vues à droite et à gauche, which despite a relatively early date in the 20th century is really quite a modernist statement (Satie being such an important composer to those who came later, including Cage who IIRC did an analysis of this piece somewhere).

(sorry - it's not a sonata! forgot that part of the question!)

Great timing, Luke . . . I listened to this for the first time yesterday.

I was thinking most definitely Prokofiev (if that's modern enough)?

He was my first thought, too.

Shostakovich . . . .

The 'trouble' with this suggestion is the situation laid out in the OP: a violinist building a recital.  The Shostakovich is a great piece, but it's definitely the 'larger half' of a program all by itself.  A student playing a recital typically needs to demonstrate facility in a variety of styles, and so the recital should be (say) 3 to 5 pieces.  Build a recital around the Shostakovich, and your remaining pieces must all be miniatures.  In most cases, won't really work.

[Brian]

Why not throw this bone to our resident composers, Karl, Luke, Mark, etc?

You could not find a Violin Sonata any more contemporary if they cranked one out for you!   

They might even crank it out for free, but a green picture of Abe Lincoln might speed things up!   0:)

Well, whilst walking to the grocery the other day I composed a few (3) caprices for solo violin in my head, and can still remember them clearly and fully, but I found on returning to the apartment that trying to set the music down in Finale (free version) was like tilting at windmills ... don't know how to do it. 

[sul G]

Why not throw this bone to our resident composers, Karl, Luke, Mark, etc?

You could not find a Violin Sonata any more contemporary if they cranked one out for you!   

They might even crank it out for free, but a green picture of Abe Lincoln might speed things up!   0:)

I picture one movement each - like a modern FAE Sonata (the collaborative sonata by Schumann, Brahms and Dietrich). The GMG sonata, in fact! 

[karlhenning]

I'm in.

[rappy]

If she prefers tonal music, what about a neoclassical sonata? Hindemith? Poulenc!?

[Brian]

Just talked to her - her advisors have decided that since she's programmed Ravel she can balance it with a piece dating after 1950. And she's added a Beethoven Sonata (No. 3) and two miniatures by Jeno Hubay which I recommended  0:) 0:) so now she has 10-12 minutes to fill. So we're looking for a 10-12 minute piece that's recent ... Corigliano was suggested by her prof, along with Tower and Higdon. I suggested screwing the timeframe and transcribing Webern's Op. 1 for solo violin but that did not go over well 

[karlhenning]

This is certainly after 1950 

[sul G]

Bang up-to-date, tonal, attractive, about the right length (about 14 minutes, actually): John Adams, Road Movies. But it's very hard, I think. Or how about Paul Moravec's Protean Fantasy - about 10 minutes long. Or Henze's Funf Nachtstucke - also about 10 minutes. The earliest of these pieces is from 1990; they're all demanding and accessible works. I'm sure some more will spring to mind...

[Guido]

Yes, the Adams would be a great choice - I love that piece (though not the Nonesuch recording - I think the Andrew Russo and James Ehnes recording outclasses it)

The GMG sonata based on those tones G M(i) G would be great!

[ChamberNut]

I picture one movement each - like a modern FAE Sonata (the collaborative sonata by Schumann, Brahms and Dietrich). The GMG sonata, in fact! 

What a novel idea!!! I like it. 

[ChamberNut]

Yes, the Adams would be a great choice - I love that piece (though not the Nonesuch recording - I think the Andrew Russo and James Ehnes recording outclasses it)

The GMG sonata based on those tones G M(i) G would be great!

A great "GIG". 

Or, based on the initials, a KLM sonata (like the famous Soviet hockey team superstar line from the 1980's)