Mozart's Sonatas for Piano and Violin

A detailed and clearly written presentation of Mozart's sixteen piano and violin sonatas, forming a guide to their history, analysis, and performance, intended both for musicians and for music lovers.

Among Mozart's innumerable masterworks there are some hidden treasures that deserve to be performed and studied more often. Mozart wrote sixteen sonatas for Piano and Violin over the span of a decade from 1778, the period of his greatest creativity. Usually, a violin student will play one or two of these sonatas, and sometimes they are included in recital programs, but many of them remain unknown to music lovers. A closer look at each of these sonatas reveals them to be among Mozart's highest achievements in the field of chamber music. Moreover, they represent some of the earliest instances of these two instruments (violin and piano) collaborating in real dialogue, simultaneously serving both as soloists and accompanists throughout each composition.

Mozart's Sonatas for Piano and Violin presents a comprehensive view of these marvelous works. A chapter is devoted to each sonata, allowing the reader to concentrate on one work at a time, as needed. Within each chapter the authors explain how the sonata came into being, present a clear view of its structure, and offer suggestions on interpretation, based on their lifelong experience as, respectively, a violinist, and a pianist and musicologist. The book is aimed at music students and teachers, as well as amateurs with some musical background. It summarizes previous research on these works, but goes further, offering many new insights and revelations.