The Violin Sonata No. 2 in

E major E major (or the key of E) is a major scale based on E, consisting of the pitches E, F, G, A, B, C, and D. Its key signature has four sharps. Its relative minor is C-sharp minor and its parallel minor is E minor. Its enharmonic equivalent, ...

, Op. 102, was written by

Camille Saint-Saëns Charles-Camille Saint-Saëns (; 9 October 183516 December 1921) was a French composer, organist, conductor and pianist of the Romantic music, Romantic era. His best-known works include Introduction and Rondo Capriccioso (1863), the Piano C ...

from February to March 1896, and premiered on 2 June 1896 in Paris.

History

The sonata was composed in

Egypt Egypt ( ar, مصر , ), officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, is a transcontinental country spanning the northeast corner of Africa and southwest corner of Asia via a land bridge formed by the Sinai Peninsula. It is bordered by the Mediter ...

from 17 February to 15 March 1896. It was dedicated to Léon-Alexandre Carembat, who won first prize for violin at the

Conservatoire de Paris The Conservatoire de Paris (), also known as the Paris Conservatory, is a college of music and dance founded in 1795. Officially known as the Conservatoire National Supérieur de Musique et de Danse de Paris (CNSMDP), it is situated in the avenue ...

in 1883 and played for the Orchestre de l'Opéra, and his wife Marie-Louise Adolphi, who won first prize for piano at the Conservatoire in 1883. The couple had given several concerts with Saint-Saëns' works. The first performance before the official premiere was given by

Eugène Ysaÿe Eugène-Auguste Ysaÿe (; 16 July 185812 May 1931) was a Belgian virtuoso violinist, composer, and conductor. He was regarded as "The King of the Violin", or, as Nathan Milstein put it, the "tsar". Legend of the Ysaÿe violin Eugène Ysaÿe ...

and

Raoul Pugno Stéphane Raoul Pugno (23 June 1852) was a French composer, teacher, organist, and pianist known for his playing of Mozart's works. Biography Raoul Pugno was born in Paris and was of Italian origin. He made his debut at the age of six, and with t ...

on 18 May 1896. The premiere itself, as part of Saint-Saëns' 50th anniversary concert on 2 June 1896 at Salle Pleyel, was given by

Pablo de Sarasate Pablo Martín Melitón de Sarasate y Navascués (; 10 March 1844 – 20 September 1908), commonly known as Pablo de Sarasate, was a Spanish (Navarrese) violin virtuoso, composer and conductor of the Romantic period. His best known works include ...

and Saint-Saëns for the benefit of the Association des artistes musiciens.

Structure

The sonata consists of four movements. A performance takes approximately 21 minutes. Compared to the first violin sonata, which is a brilliant concert piece, the second differs in character. Saint-Saëns himself called it a "very serious chamber work" that "will only be understood after the eighth performance". The sonata signalled a stylistic change in Saint-Saëns' music, with a lighter, clearer sound for the piano, characteristic of his music from then onwards.

Legacy

As with the first violin sonata, the second sonata was quickly picked up by a number of leading violinists soon after publication.

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Violin Sonata No. 2 (Saint-Saëns) Chamber music by Camille Saint-Saëns Saint-Saëns 1896 compositions Compositions in E-flat major Music with dedications Sonatas by Camille Saint-Saëns