Form and performance : a guide to Sonata No. 4 for violin and piano by Grażyna Bacewicz

Abstract

The purpose of this paper is to provide a comprehensive analysis of the Sonata No. 4 for violin and piano (1949) by Grażyna Bacewicz. Although this work has been briefly analyzed in several texts, this is the first in-depth analysis of the entire work. This paper is intended for performers interested in learning this work and includes notes on performance issues. Chapter One presents biographical information on the composer organized in chronological order. I begin with a summary of the four compositional periods of her output with a focus on the major events that shaped her life. In Chapter Two I concentrate on the post-war era of Social Realism to provide context to the time during which Sonata No. 4 was written. I explain how government regulations effected the compositional output of Poland during the post- war years. The second part of Chapter Two gives greater detail about how Bacewicz dealt with the obstacles of Social Realism and how this affected her work. Chapter Three begins with an overview of Sonata No. 4 for violin and piano. The second part of Chapter Three provides a detailed analysis of the form and harmony of the first movement of Sonata No. 4. An analysis of the remaining movements is covered in Chapter Four. Notes on performance issues are included in both Chapters Three and Four.