Violin Sonata No. 25 (Mozart)

History#

The work was the third of six violin sonatas published in Vienna by Artaria and Co. in November 1781. This piece was dedicated to the pianist Josepha Barbara Auernhammer. The work, along with its companion sonatas, received a warm review in 1783 from an anonymous author in the pages of Magazin der Musik: These sonatas are the only ones of their kind … They are rich in new ideas, showing traces of the great musical genius of their author. … Moreover, the violin accompaniment is so ingeniously combined with the piano part that both instruments are continuously employed; and thus these sonatas demand a violinist as accomplished as the pianist.” The reviewer’s remarks reflect the status of the violin sonata in Mozart’s time; it was construed primarily as a piano sonata, with the violin part serving as accompaniment; Mozart’s work reflects the beginning of the move toward coequal status in this genre. The popularity of the work is also attested by the fact that five other publishers, in three other cities, issued their own editions: *Boyer, Paris, ca. 1785 *Hummel, Amsterdam, ca. 1786 *London, Longman and Broderip, ca. 1790 *London, Birchall, ca. 1790 *London, John Bland, ca. 1790

I. Allegro#

\header tagline = ##f \layout indent = 0 ragged-last = ##t \context \Score \remove “Bar_number_engraver” \context \Voice \remove “Dynamic_engraver” violin = \relative c’ \key f \major \time 2/2 \override TupletBracket.bracket-visibility = ##f \tuplet 3/2 4 \set baseMoment = #(ly:make-moment 1/4 ) % quarter note is a beat \set beatStructure = 1,1,1,1 % four beats per bar \set beamExceptions = #’() f8\pp f f c c c c’ c c bes bes bes \omit TupletNumber a a a g g g f f f e e e d d d g g g bes bes bes a a a g g g f f f e e e g g g f f f es es es rightI = \relative c’ \key f \major \time 2/2 2 \acciaccatura f32 g a4. g8 f4-! e-! d-! c-! bes r \acciaccatura d32 e fis g4. f8 e4-! d-! c-! bes-! a r leftI = \relative c \key f \major \time 2/2 2 r2 R1 2 pianoPartI = \new PianoStaff > \score > \layout \midi \tempo 4 = 132 It has been said that this movement “overflows with energy”. This movement contains multiple triplets and unexpected parts.

II. Andante#

\header tagline = ##f \layout indent = 0 ragged-last = ##t \context \Score \remove “Bar_number_engraver” \context \Voice \remove “Dynamic_engraver” rightII = \relative c \key d \minor \time 2/4 \partial 8 a8_“Thema” d ( \acciaccatura e32 d cis d f4) d8 e ( \acciaccatura f32 e d e g4) e8 d ( \acciaccatura e32 d cis d f4) d8 4 leftII = \relative c \key f \major \time 2/4 \partial 8 r8 \clef treble 4 q q q pianoPartII = \new PianoStaff > \score > \layout \midi \tempo 4 = 48 This movement contains a theme and six variations in D minor, foreshadowing the finale of his upcoming String Quartet in D minor, K. 421. The sixth variation is a in time.

III. Tempo di menuetto#

\header tagline = ##f \layout indent = 0 ragged-last = ##t \context \Score \remove “Bar_number_engraver” \context \Voice \remove “Dynamic_engraver” rightIII = \relative c’ \key f \major \time 3/4 f4_“dolce” (a ) f r r \acciaccatura d32 g bes d2~ d16 c-. bes-. a-. g4 r r g (bes a) g r8 g-! bes-! d-! > f r r leftIII = \relative c’ \key f \major \time 3/4 2 ( 4) a r r \ \voiceTwo f2 c4 d4 r r \slurDotted 2.( 4) r r \slurSolid \set doubleSlurs = ##t 2 ( 4) r r c2. f4 r r » pianoPartIII = \new PianoStaff > \score > \layout \midi \tempo 4 = 112 Two sections of the menuet are repeated – with slight variations – and the violin is only present on the repeats. The trio section is in B major, and the movement ends with repeat of the menuet and a coda.

External links#

• , Henryk Szeryng, violin and Ingrid Haebler, piano
• , Anne-Sophie Mutter, violin, and Lambert Orkislk, piano