Jean-Marie Leclair (1697-1764)
who started as a dancer at Rouen, then at Turin as ballet master, started studying the violin professionnally only around 1722 (otherwise than as ballet master just playing it to give a musical ground to his dancers), with Somis. Then followed a long series of concerts in Europe. He composed numerous works for the violin, ballets, and various works for chamber ensembles.
He died, murdered on the street, in front of his house, and for a still unknown reason.
In his sonatas, the Italian style is very present (He studied in Italy), but closely imbued in the French spirit, particularly in his slow movements. This at that time was called « Les goûts réunis »: combining at that time at that time, the most opposed styles in Europe. Almost as opposed as the French and English cuisine.
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Ignace Pleyel (1757-1831)
Austrian musician, pupil of Haydn, and who finally established himself in France. There he later founded a pianoforte manufacturing firm where his son succeeded him. He produced a great amount of very good pieces for the violin, the pianoforte, and various ensembles.
These works were of such quality that Haydn mistook one piano trio for his own and included it in his catalog, thereby attracting a court debate with Pleyel. It must be admitted that Haydn wrote a great number of works, particularly trios.
This brings to mind a similar anecdote but the otherway round.
Schubert, on entering a salon, where someone was singing a Lieder, stopped suddenly, listening intently, and, at the end of it, enthousiastically asked who wrote it. And was answered "someone called Franz Schubert… Schubart or something like that"…
This duet for violin & viola has 2 movements :
I) Allegro
II) Theme with 6 variations.
Æsthetically both movements belong to the period between Bach and Mozart (together with Emmanuel Bach, Stamitz, etc), and who, renouncing complex counterpoint seek above all melodic charm.
In the preceeding pieces by Leclair, the 2 violins were sharing themes to be played together, but here with Pleyel, the viola and the violin are exchanging melodies and accompaniment formulas.
Baroque violin : Marie-Luce Gillet
Baroque viola (but the difference with the modern viola is small !) : jean-Claude Féret
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18th century : one century of violin music 2
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Sonate n° 4, à 2 violons
Duo n° 2 pour violon & alto
Sonates n° 5, à 2 violons
