List of solo violin pieces

This is a non exhaustive compilation of pieces for solo violin. See also the entries on violin and the List of compositions for violin and orchestra and list of compositions for violin and piano.

Ordering is by surname of composer.

Contents

A

Anonymous
- "Jeux interdits", Spanish Ballad, for Violin solo (transcription: Ruggiero Ricci)

B

Grażyna Bacewicz
- Sonata (No.0), for solo violin (1929) -early work, no number-
- Sonata No.1, for solo violin (1941)
- Sonata No.2, for solo violin (1958)

Johann Sebastian Bach
- 3 Sonatas and 3 Partitas, for solo violin:
  - Sonata No.1 in G minor, BWV 1001
  - Partita No.1 in B minor, BWV 1002
  - Sonata No.2 in A minor, BWV 1003
  - Partita No.2 in D minor, BWV 1004
  - Sonata No.3 in C major, BWV 1005
  - Partita No.3 in E major, BWV 1006
- Fantasia and Fugue in G minor, BWV 542 (transcription for violin solo by Tedi Papavrami, 2010)
- Toccata and Fugue in D minor, BWV 565 (transcription for violin solo by Bruce Fox-Lefriche)

Béla Bartók
- Sonata for solo violin, Sz.117, BB 124 (1944):
  - I. Tempo di ciaccona
  - II. Fuga (Risoluto, non troppo vivo)
  - III. Melodia (Adagio)
  - IV. Presto

George Benjamin
- Three Miniatures, for solo violin (2001):
  - 1. A Lullaby for Lalit
  - 2. A Canon for Sally
  - 3. Lauer Lied

Paul Ben-Haim (b. Paul Frankenburger)
- Sonata in G major, for violin solo

Luciano Berio
- Sequenza VIII,
Lennox Berkeley
- Introduction and Allegro, for Solo Violin (1949) -edited by Ivry Gitlis-^[1]

Charles Harold Bernstein
- Rhapsodie Israélienne, for solo violin (1984) -dedicated to Ivry Gitlis-
- Romantic Suite, for solo violin (1984):
  - I. A huit heure
  - II. La commande
  - III. Presto ma non troppo
  - IV. Poème trascendental

Heinrich Ignaz Franz Biber
- Passacaglia from the Rosary Sonatas

Ernest Bloch
- Suite No.1, for solo violin (1958)
- Suite No.2, for solo violin (1958)

Nimrod Borenstein
- "Quasi una Cadenza" for solo violin, Op.26

Stephen Brown
- "Takkakaw Falls", Suite (No.1) for solo violin (2003/04)
- "Four Romances and a Lunch", 5 movements for solo violin (2005)
- "There Was a Lady in the East", Suite (No.2) for solo violin (2007)

C

John Cage
- "Cheap Imitation" (1977)
- "Chorals" (1978) -from Erik Satie's Douze petits chorals-
- "Eight Whiskus" (1985)
- "One⁶" (1990)
- "One¹⁰" (1992)
- Freeman Etudes:
  - Book 1 & 2, (Etudes No. 1-16) (1980)
  - Book 3 & 4, (Etudes No. 17-32) (1990)

Elliott Carter
- "Four Lauds", for solo violin:
  - I. Statement - Remembering Aaron (1999)
  - II. Riconoscenza per Goffredo Petrassi (1984)
  - III. Rhapsodic Musings (2000)
  - IV. Fantasy - Remembering Roger (1999)

John Corigliano
- "The Red Violin" Caprices, for solo violin (1999)
- "Stomp", for solo violin (2010) -employs scordatura tuning-

John Craton
- Sonata for Solo Violin (2007)

D

Matthew Davidson
- Bergamasques (2013)

Edison Denisov
- Sonata for violin solo (1978)

Joël-François Durand
- Roman for violin solo (1982)

E

Gottfried von Einem
- Solosonate für Violine, Op.47

Heinrich Wilhelm Ernst
- 6 Études à plusieurs parties (6 Polyphonic Studies / 6 mehrstimmige Studien) for Violin Solo (publ. 1864):
  - 1. in F major
  - 2. in A major
  - 3. in E major
  - 4. in C major
  - 5. in Eb major
  - 6. Variations de concert sur l’air irlandaise The Last Rose of Summer, in G major
- Grand Caprice on Schubert's Der Erlkönig, D.328, Op.26 (1854) -transcription for solo violin-

Iván Erőd
- Drei Stücke für Violine solo, Op.27 (1979)
- "GeburtstagsPRÄSENT dem treuen Freund GErHArD", o.Op. (2007)

F

Richard Flury (1896-1967)
- 10 Capricen für solo violine (1950/52)

Urs Joseph Flury (b.1941)
- Sonate für Violine solo
- Fantasie für Violine solo

Jean Françaix
- Theme and 8 Variations, for violin solo (1980) -dedicated to Michael Goldstein-

G

Jorge Grundman
- Terezin Through the Eyes of the Children (2012)

H

Karl Amadeus Hartmann
- Sonata No.1, for solo violin (1927)
  - I. Toccata. Sehr lebhafte Achtel / II. Ruhige Viertel, sehr fliessend / III. Verrückt schnell, unschön spielen!! / IV. Breit!! Mit viel Ausdruck / V. Fuge (Toccata). Heiter, burschikos
- Sonata No.2, for solo violin (1927)
  - I. Langsam, breite Achtel. Sehr lebhaft und kräftig / II. Variationen über eine rhythmische Idee:… / III. Sehr langsame Achtel mit viel Empfindung / IV. Fuge. Sehr wild und roh im Vortrag (schnelle…
- Suite No.1, for solo violin (1927)
  - I. Canon. Lebhaft / II. Fuge. Munter! / III. Rondo. Nicht zu schnell / IV. Dreiteilige Liedform. Breit / V. Ciaccona: Lebhaft
- Suite No.2, for solo violin (1927)
  - I. Lebhaft / II. Fliessend / III. Stürmisch / IV. Jazz Tempo, sehr robust. Presto

Hans Werner Henze
- Sonata for violin solo (1977)

Gilad Hochman
- Variations for violin solo (2003) ^[2]

Arthur Honegger
- Sonata for solo violin (1940)

Paul Hindemith
- Sonata for Solo Violin, Op. 31/1 (1924)
- Sonata for Solo Violin, Op. 31/2 (1924)

K

Aram Khachaturian
- Sonata-Monologue, for unaccompanied violin (1975)

Fritz Kreisler
- Recitative and Scherzo-Caprice Op.6, for violin solo (1910)

Ernst Krenek
- Sonata No. 1 for solo violin, Op.33 (1925)
- Sonata No. 2 for solo violin, Op.115 (1948)

Rodolphe Kreutzer
- 42 études ou caprices

L

Yury Levitin
- Variations on a theme by Glinka (collaborative work by Shostakovich, Kabalevsky, et al.) Op.45

Franz Liszt
- Sonata in B minor for solo violin (transcription: Noam Sivan, 2007)
- Mephisto Valse No.1 "Der Tanz in der Dorfschenke", S. 514 (LW A189) for violin solo (arr. Nathan Milstein)

Pietro Antonio Locatelli
- "The Harmonic Labyrinth" 24 Caprices (from 12 Violin Concertos "Il Labirinto armonico" Op.3)

Theo Loevendie
- Dance (1986)

M

Bruno Maderna
- "Pièce pour Ivry", for solo violin (1971)

Jean Martinon
- Sonatina No. 5, for solo violin, Op.32/1 (1942)
- Sonatina No. 6, for solo violin (1958)

Donald Martino
- Romanza (2000)
- Sonata (2003)

Gerardo Matos Rodríguez
- "La Cumparsita" (arrangement for solo violin by Vicente Zito; edited by Ruggiero Ricci) ^[3]

Pavle Merkù
- Calmo espressivo, per violino solo

Ernst Hermann Meyer
- 6 Preludes for solo violin (1966/1973):
  - No.1 - Allegro
  - No.2 - Adagio
  - No.3 - Allegro assai
  - No.4 - Andantino liberamente
  - No.5 - Allegro
  - No.6 - Andante sempre un poco rubato

Konstantin G. Mostras
- Esquisse No. 2 (published in Strad magazine, 2006)
- Caprice (Recitativ and Toccata)

Alexander Müllenbach (b.1949)
- Capriccio per Niccolò Paganini, for solo violin (1994)

N

Carl Nielsen
- Praeludium og Tema med Variationer, Op. 48, FS.104 (1923)
- Preludio e Presto, Op. 52, FS.128 (1927/28)

P

Niccolò Paganini
- Sonata for solo violin, in C major MS 6 "Duo merveille" (1805/9)
- 24 caprices for violin, in the form of études, Op.1, MS 25 (1818 ant.)
- Introduction and variations on "Nel cor più non mi sento" from La molinara by Giovanni Paisiello, MS 44 (1827)
- Capriccio (aka. Preludio) in G major, MS 54 (1828)
- "God Save The King" Variations on the English national anthem, Op.9, MS 56 (1829)
- Caprice d'adieu (Farewell Caprice - Dedicated "A mon ami M. E. Eliason"), MS 68 (1833c)
- 60 Variations on the Genoese folksong "Barucabà" Op.14, MS 71 for violin solo (1835)
  - Part 1: Tema, in A major, with 20 Variations
  - Part 2: Tema, in C major, with 20 Variations
  - Part 3: Tema, in D major, with 20 Variations
- "Valtz" for violin solo, MS 80
- "Inno patriottico" (Patriotic hymn), Allegro and 6 Variations in A major, MS 81
- "Tema variato", Theme and 7 Variations in A major, MS 82
- "Sonata" for solo violin in A major, MS 83

Gerard Pape
- "Le Fleuve du Désir IV" (1994-2002)

Hilda Paredes
- "Permutaciones", for solo violin (1978)

Krzysztof Penderecki
- Cadenza, for solo violin or viola (1984)
- Capriccio, for solo violin (2008)

Paolo Pessina (b.1969)^[4]
- Divertimento Op. 3 for violin solo (1994) ^[5]
  - I. Preludio
  - II. Ciaccona
  - III. Capriccio
  - IV. Danzante
  - V. Variazioni (Thema - Var.I-XIV - Fuga)
- Suite No.2, in D minor, a Violino solo senza basso (2010/11)
  - I. Prelude
  - II. Double en Courant
  - III. Saraband
  - IV. Valse perdu
  - V. Rigodon

Johann Georg Pisendel
- Sonata in A minor for solo violin (1730)

Hermann Markus Preßl
- YLOP, für Geige allein (1992) -experimental- ^[6]

Sergei Prokofiev
- Sonata for solo violin in D major, Op. 115 (1947)

Zoltan Paulinyi
- Entre Serras e Cerrado (1995)
- Flausiniana (1996)
- Abstrato (2003)
- Acalanto No. 1 (2003)

Gerhard Präsent
- Sonata regina per S.F. (1987)

R

Max Reger
- (4) Violin solo Sonatas, Op. 42 (1900)
  - No. 1 D minor (I.Allegro energico; II. Adagio con gran expressione; III. Scherzo. Prestissimo assai; IV. Fuge. Allegro energico)
  - No. 2 A major (I. Allegro con grazia; II. Andantino; III. Prestissimo. Scherzando)
  - No. 3 B minor (I. Pesante. Allegro; II. Canon. Andante semplice; III. Gigue. Prestissimo; IV. Vivacissimo à la Capriccio)
  - No. 4 G minor (I. Sostenuto - Fuge. Allegro energico; II. Scherzo. Allegretto con grazia; III. Chaconne. Andante con moto)
- Prelude and Fugue for Violin, A minor, Oh.Op. (1902)
- (7) Sonatas for Violin Solo, Op. 91 (1905)
  - No. 1 A minor (I. Grave; II. Vivace; III. Andate sostenuto; IV. Allegro energico)
  - No. 2 D major (I. Allegro moderato; II. Larghetto; III. Vivacissimo)
  - No. 3 B flat major (I. Allegro moderato; II. Scherzo. Prestissimo; III. Vivace)
  - No. 4 B minor (I. Allegro energico; II. Larghetto; III. Vivace; IV. Allegro energico)
  - No. 5 E minor (I. Allegro moderato; II. Con moto; III. Larghetto; IV. Allegro energico)
  - No. 6 G major (I. Allegro commodo; II. Allegretto; III. Andante; IV. Vivacissimo)
  - No. 7 A minor (I. Allegro energico; II. Scherzo. Vivace; III. Chaconne. Grave)
- (8) Preludes, Fugues and Chaconne, for Solo Violin, Op. 117 (1909/12)
  - No. 1 B minor
  - No. 2 G minor
  - No. 3 E minor
  - No. 4 G minor (Chaconne)
  - No. 5 G major -on themes by J.S.Bach-
  - No. 6 D minor
  - No. 7 A minor
  - No. 8 E minor
- (6) Preludes and Fugues for Solo Violin, Op. 131a (1914)
  - No. 1 A minor
  - No. 2 D minor
  - No. 3 G major
  - No. 4 G minor
  - No. 5 D major
  - No. 6 E minor
- Prelude for Violin, E minor, Oh.Op. (1915)

George Rochberg
- 50 Caprice Variations, for violin solo (1970)

Joaquin Rodrigo
- Capriccio, para violìn solo (1944)

S

Leon de Saint-Lubin
- Fantasy on sextet "Chi mi frena in tal momento" from Donizetti's "Lucia di Lammermoor", for violin solo, in D major Op.46 (1844)

Alfred Schnittke
- Fuga for solo violin, -Moderato- (1953)
- Prelude "in memoriam Dmitri Shostakovich", for violin and tape (1975)
- "A Paganini" for solo violin, -Andante- (1982)

Salvatore Sciarrino
- 6 Capricci for solo violin (1975/76)
  - No.1 - Vivace
  - No.2 - Andante
  - No.3 - Assai agitato
  - No.4 - Volubile
  - No.5 - Presto
  - No.6 - Con brio

Roger Sessions
- Sonata for solo violin

Rodion Shchedrin
- "Echo Sonata", for solo violin (1984) -Written for the 300th Anniversary of J.S. Bach's birth. First performance on 27 June 1985 in Cologne by Ulf Hoelscher-
- "Balalaika", for violin solo (1997) -For Maxim Vengerov. First performance on 29 March 1999 in Budapest by Maxim Vengerov-
- "Variations and Theme", for violin solo (1998) -Composed for the 4th International Violin Competition "Leopold Mozart" in Augsburg. First performance on 21 November 1999 in Augsburg-
- "Duo", for violin solo (2000)

Erwin Schulhoff
- Sonata for Solo Violin (1927)
  - I. Allegro con fuoco
  - II. Andante cantabile
  - III. Scherzo. Allegro grazioso
  - IV. Finale. Allegro risoluto

Nikos Skalkottas
- Sonata for Solo Violin, AK 69 (1925)
  - I. Allegro furioso, quasi presto
  - II. Adagietto
  - III. Allegro ritmato
  - IV. Adagio quasi recitativo - Allegro molto moderato - Adagio quasi recitativo

Igor Stravinsky
- Elegy, for solo violin or viola (Élégie) in G minor (1944) -"to Germain Prevost" violist of Quatuour Pro Arte, in memory of the ensemble's leader Alphonse Onnou.-

T

Eric Tanguy
- "Sonata breve", for Violin solo (1999)

Francisco Tarrega
- "Recuerdos de la Alhambra" for Violin solo (transcription: Ruggiero Ricci)

Giuseppe Tartini
- 30 Sonate "piccole" per violino solo (from "Padua manuscript", 1750/55):^[7]
  - Sonata No. 1, in G major (I. Molto andante; II. Allegro cantabile; III. Allegro; IV. Giga)
  - Sonata No. 2, in D minor (I. Siciliana; II. Allegro; III. Allegro affettuoso)
  - Sonata No. 3, in D Major (I. Andante cantabile; II. Allegro; III. Giga; IV. Allegro assai)
  - Sonata No. 4, in C major (I. Andante cantabile; II. Allegro assai; III. Grave; IV. Presto)
  - Sonata No. 5, in F major (I. Andante cantabile; II. Allegro; III. Allegro assai; IV. Il tormento di questo cuore)
  - Sonata No. 6, in E minor (I. Andante cantabile "senti lo mare"; II. Allegro cantabile; III. Giga)
  - Sonata No. 7, in A minor (I. Adagio; II. Allegro; III. Tema con variazione; IV. [Allegro assai])
  - Sonata No. 8, in G minor (I. Andante; II. Allegro; III. Affettuoso; IV. Allegro assai)
  - Sonata No. 9, in A major (I. Largo andante; II. Allegro; III. Allegro; IV. Allegro assai; V. Menuet)
  - Sonata No. 10, in B flat major (I. Largo; II. Allegro; III. Subito affettuoso; IV. Menuet)
  - Sonata No. 11, in E major (I. Andante cantabile; II. Allegro; III. [Siciliana]; IV. Menuet; V. Allegro assai)
  - Sonata No. 12, in G major (I. Tasso; II. Grave "Il tormento di quest'anima"; III. Canzone Veneziana; IV. "Quanto mai felici siete"; V. Tema con Variazioni)
  - Sonata No. 13, in B minor (I. Andante; II. Allegro assai; III. Giga; IV. Allegro affettuoso)
  - Sonata No. 14, in G major (I. Andante cantabile; II. Allegro assai; III. Andante cantabile; IV. Allegro)
  - Sonata No. 15, in G major (I. Grave; II. Allegro; III. Allegro)
  - Sonata No. 16
  - Sonata No. 17, in D major (I. Andante cantabile; II. Allegro assai; III. Aria del Tasso; IV. Furlana)
  - Sonata No. 18
  - Sonata No. 19
  - Sonata No. 20
  - Sonata No. 21
  - Sonata No. 22
  - Sonata No. 23
  - Sonata No. 24, in D major
  - Sonata No. 25
  - Sonata No. 26 (27)
  - Sonata No. 27
  - Sonata No. 28
  - Sonata No. 29
  - Sonata No. 30

Georg Philipp Telemann
- Twelve Fantasias

Eduard Tubin
- Solo violin sonata (1962)

V

Flausino Vale
- 26 Preludes for solo violin
  - No. 15, "Ao pe da fogueira" (arr. J. Heifetz for violin and piano)
- Variações sobre a canção "Paganini", for violin solo (from Operetta "Paganini" by Franz Lehár - to Jascha Heifetz)

Franz von Vecsey
- Preludio e Fuga in C minor (1914 -dedicated to Jenő Hubay)

Johann Joseph Vilsmayr
- Six Partitas (Artificiosus Concentus pro Camera)

Giovan Battista Viotti
- "Duetto a un violino solo... per il suo amico Cherubini", WV:23 (15.III.1821 / rev. Pietro Spada, 1984)

W

Melia Watras (b.1969) ^[8]
- "Luminous Points", for violin solo (2013)

Mieczysław Weinberg (Moisei Vainberg)
- Sonata No. 1 for violin solo, Op.82 (1964)
- Sonata No. 2 for violin solo, Op.95 (1967)
- Sonata No. 3 for violin solo, Op.126 (1979)
Johann Paul von Westhoff
- 6 Partitas for solo violin
- Suite in A major, for solo violin (1683)

Henryk Wieniawski
- "L’École Moderne", Études-Caprices for Violin Solo, Op.10 (1854)
  - 1. Le Sautillé
  - 2. La Vélocité
  - 3. L’étude
  - 4. Le Staccato
  - 5. Alla Saltarella
  - 6. Prélude
  - 7. La Cadenza
  - 8. Le Chant du bivouac
  - 9. Les Arpéges - Variations on the Austrian Hymn
  - addendum: 10. Exercices en trilles

Charles Wuorinen
- "The Long and the Short" (1969)
- "Violin Variations" (1972)

X

Yannis Xenakis
- "Mykka(s)", dedicated to Ivry Gitlis (1972)

Y

Eugène Ysaÿe
- 6 Sonatas for Solo Violin, Op. 27 (1924)
  - No. 1, G minor, "Joseph Szigeti"
  - No. 2, A minor, "Jacques Thibaud"
  - No. 3, D minor, "Georges Enescu"
  - No. 4, E minor, "Fritz Kreisler"
  - No. 5, G major, "Mathieu Crickboom"
  - No. 6, E major, "Manuel Quiroga"

Isang Yun
- "Koenigliches Thema" for violin solo (1976)
- "Li-Na im Garten", Five Pieces for violin solo (1984/85)
- "Kontraste", Two Pieces for violin solo (1987)

Z

Maciej Żołnowski
- Sonata I (2014)
- Sonata II (2014)
- Sonata III (2014)

References

The Canon of Violin Literature