Program notes for the recital

Although Johann Sebastian Bach (1685–1750) was best known as a virtuoso organist during his lifetime, his compositions for the violin testify to his superb knowledge and exceptional skill on the instrument. The So­nata in F minor is one among the six that he has composed for the violin and cembalo, written between 1717–23 during his career in Cöthen. The first movement is a four-part contrapuntal dialogue between the two in­struments, the keyboard parts building on a theme that would occur again in one of his mo­tets and the violin part entering with a motif foreshadowing the aria Er­barme dich, mein Gott (Have mercy upon me, O God) from the St. Matthew Passion. The second movement is a three-part fugue in two sections. The opening theme of the first section shifts to the bass part supporting the second theme which alternates between the violin and the right hand on the keyboard. The adagio movement consists of a harmonic progression in which arpeggios go back and forth between the two hands, accompanied by steady two-part chords in the violin. The sonata concludes with a vivace that weaves together three seemingly independent parts into a seamless, syncopated fugue.

César Franck (1822–1890) was born in Belgium and became a French citizen later in his life. He was a celebrated organist and an influential figure in French music during the second half of the 19^th century. The Sonata in A major is his only published sonata for the violin and piano, which he dedicated to the violinist Eugène Ysaÿe. It employs cyclical themes—themes that occur in two or more different movements. The first movement opens with dissonances, nostalgically yearning and searching for the “home” tonality. The second movement changes to the minor key, with quick succession of themes, some agitated and some lyrical. The melodic lines in the piano part are often embedded in sequences of semiquavers (16^th notes). The fantasia movement portrays a melancholic reverie, with a long introduction leading to new major themes. The arpeggios harmo­nizing these themes—sketched by the violin in the introduction—are among the most memorable elements of the sonata. A delightful canonic dialogue between the piano and the violin, interspersed with reprises of themes from the earlier movements, brings the sonata to an exultant con­clusion.

Manuel Ponce (1882–1948) was a Mexican composer and pianist. A “musical phenomenon,” he began taking piano lessons at the age of six and was chief organist at San Diego, Aguascalientes, at the age of 15. After some years of study in Europe, he returned to Mexico and taught at various institutions. He published the song Estrellita (“Little Star”) in 1914, which became widely loved in Latin America. Jascha Heifetz’s transcription (1927) has added a treasure to the violinist’s repertoire of short pieces.