Amy Beach's Sonata For Violin and Piano in A Minor, op.34: analysis and its Implications for violin Performance

Abstract

Amy Marcy Cheney Beach (1867–1944) is a largely forgotten American master composer of the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. Her Sonata for Violin and Piano in A minor, op. 34 dates from 1896 and is a masterwork worthy of study and performance. Presently, the Sonata remains under-appreciated, which is a significant loss. This document consists of the following components: 1) Beach's biographical sketch; 2) Beach’s general compositional style and background on her Violin Sonata; 3) theoretical analysis of four movements; 4) technique difficulties in each movement; 5) three different interpretations played by Gabrielle Lester duo, Tasmin Little duo, and Vera Vaidman duo. The historical overview, analysis, and performing editions into Beach’s Violin Sonata serve to aid performers to learn and form their own interpretations of this Sonata.