Three Dutch Violin Sonatas

[chill319]

@mark reply 14: Would Raff's first violin sonata be found on the first volume of CPO's traversal? 

[eschiss1]

vol. 1 of both sets, I think (cpo and Tudor).

[Mark Thomas]

Indeed. Personally, I'd marginally recommend the Tudor pairing of Daskalakis and Ishay because they give warmer and more  romantic performances, but others may prefer the edgier dramatics of Turban and Nemtsov on cpo.  Both are technically excellent and well recorded. I have both sets, and wouldn't be without either.

[eschiss1]

BTW about violin sonatas btw. 1830 and 1855, I'm surprised I forgot a "sonata" I like very much indeed- Alkan's duo.
I would have mentioned others from the period I expect I would like if I knew them (I'm not as convinced as matesic it's quite so barren a period as that) - I just don't know them yet, or very poorly. Sonatas by Ries, Kalkbrenner, Reissiger, and several others published (composed?) during this period I expect I'd probably enjoy- not the same as answering your question, though, I know. Still, do try the Alkan

[matesic]

Does this forum accept Excel graphs? Evidently not. I don't know about violin sonatas but when I roughly analysed the data for recorded string chamber music after 1800 (all the sources I could find on the web) I found that the number of composers producing pieces in any given year peaked at about 4 from 1800 to 1815, dropped to below 2 between 1845 and 1870 and increased steadily to 4 in 1880, 6 in 1900 and 8 in 1910. These of course all qualify as "sung" composers, so it might just be a function of current tastes rather than actual practice at the time. I think these trends are fascinating and might make a nice topic for someone's thesis.

[eschiss1]

I'm assuming you went by publication year btw since composition year so often has to be guessed at or is just not known, while the former can usually be estimated with more certainty (if not always as certainly as one would like, though that can be an academic consideration )? Or no? ...

[matesic]

Since I wasn't aiming to write a thesis I was satisfied to be within about 5 years of the actual composition date. For pieces outside the popular canon I found Ray Silvertrust's site the best guide to whether or not a piece had been commercially recorded, but didn't attempt to track down broadcasts. I did say it was rough!

[Alan Howe]

Finally got hold of this CD. The Schlegel's a gorgeous late-romantic outpouring - and, by the way, it's superbly played by Bob van der Ent and René Rakier. Bob's tone is particularly ravishing throughout. This is a magnificent release.

[Mark Thomas]

Yes, I downloaded this one a few week's ago and it's given me lot of pleasure. For me the major hit of the three works is the earliest one. van Eijken's is an intensely dramatic piece, and a very strong and forward-looking piece for its time, I think. But Schlegel's is a real rosy-glow fin de siècle composition too, and also a great find. I'm left a bit cold by Brandts-Buys' Sonata, but it's far from being a bad piece, it just suffers slightly by comparison with the other two. All are played magnificently. Overall though, I thoroughly endorse Alan's recommendation.