Violin Sonata in A major, K.526

The last of the three late sonatas (written between 1784 and 1787) is generally regarded as Mozart’s greatest achievement in his violin and piano works. He had long before demonstrated the potential of the two instruments as equal partners and, now that he had absorbed the influence of Bach’s counterpoint and applied it to the duo texture, the evidence was overwhelming. The similarity of key between this and the “Kreutzer” Sonata, and the very quick outer movements they have in common, inevitably remind one of Beethoven’s most popular violin sonata. But it would be a pity to restrict one’s admiration for Mozart’s work simply to its likeness with Beethoven’s. The latter is more dramatic; the former is more subtle, particularly in rhythmic matters.

From the outset Mozart’s violin and piano agree to disrupt the regular 6/8 jog of the baroque gigue by phrasing across the beats or by syncopation. The sound is bright but individual virtuosity is confined to a modest display of semiquavers on the piano just before the chromatic lead-in to the second subject. Expressions of brilliance are reserved mainly for the later part of the exposition and, of course, the corresponding point at the end of the movement.

Movement in even quavers, such as the Molto allegro resisted, seems at first to underpin the Andante with the firmness of a Bach bass line. But this is only to create a false sense of security and so make the bold changes of harmony and rhythmic irregularities all the more striking. Moreover, once the quavers are replaced by semi-quavers to accompany the violin’s more agitated A minor melody, the original regularity is not easily regained. On the first attempt, the pianist’s right hand fails by a fraction to synchronise with the left. On the second attempt, in the development, the steady rhythm is re-established but not the original key; and when D major is regained, by way of another harmonic adventure, the pianist’s hands are set a semi-quaver apart again, making the recapitulation a rather different experience.

The most Bach-like of the three movements, each of which shows some sort of baroque influence, is the Presto. At least, that is the impression given by the distinct (if modest) three-part writing of the rondo theme itself. But Mozart is careful to open the texture in each of the episodes. So what the movement amounts to is a classically proportioned sonata-rondo as varied in style as it is in mood within its impulsive tempo.