Jean-Joseph de Cassanéa de Mondonville (1711-1772) lived mainly in Paris. The fact that he was accepted into the Concert spirituel, where he acted as principal director and conductor, speaks for the high reputation he enjoyed as a violin virtuoso and as a composer of motets, operas and instrumental works. The present sonata is the second of a collection of six sonatas for violin and figured bass op. 4 ( about 1735). They represent an innovation in the history of violin playing in that the flageolet is used in them for the first time. This remains limited to the natural harmonics. Mondonville's notation of the harmonics is not yet the one in use today, as he marked them with small wavy lines, which have been replaced in our edition by the signs used today. In the last movement of the sonata (bar 11) there are even flageolet double stops.
The bass part intended for the violoncello is also occasionally provided with harmonics.
As these sonatas were written primarily for technical and pedagogical purposes, the omission of elaborate work is justified. A copy of the original edition, which is in the possession of the Library of Congress, Washington, and bears the following title ‘ Les Sons Harmoniques Sonates à Violon seul avec la Basse Continue.Œuvre 4e ’
The dynamic indications and bowings added by the editor have been marked in the usual way.
Content:
- Andantino
- Allegro
- Aria (Gratioso)
- Giga (Allegro)
