Performance-practice issues in Bartók’s Sonata for solo violin (1944)

Abstract

The Sonata for Solo Violin was composed by Bela Bartók in 1944 as a commission by the American violinist Yehudi Menuhin. The piece represents one of Bartók’s last works. This Solo Sonata is a four-movement work with the following movements: “Tempo di ciaccona,” “Fuga,” “Melodia,” and “Presto.” The entire piece is approximately twenty minutes in length. The Solo Sonata stands as one of the most important 20th-century compositions for solo violin. The author has investigated the circumstances in which the Solo Sonata was created and its performance-practice issues. Therefore, this dissertation discusses Bartók’s life and work in the United States of America, his encounter with Yehudi Menuhin, and the compositional history, performances, and reviews of the Solo Sonata. In addition, this document analyses briefly the form, style, and performance-practice challenges of each movement, appointing possible solutions.