Recent Researches in the Music of the Classical Era

Pierre Gaviniés (1728–1800) gained his reputation in Paris where he enjoyed a long and active association with the Concert spirituel, the famous concert series that dominated the French musical scene throughout most of the eighteenth century. A Janus-like figure, Gaviniés composed these sonatas using the characteristically baroque (unrealized) basso continuo while at the same time incorporating the galant style in the violin part. As with his previous opus 1 sonatas (published as vol. 43 in this series), each of these sonatas contains three movements, and the tempo scheme fast-slow-fast predominates. Many of the fast movements show traits of the classical sonata-allegro form. The slow movements, short, lyrical, and highly expressive with few embellishments, provide contrast in mood and construction. The six Sonatas for Violin and Basso Continuo, Opus 3, are excellent specimens of the pre-classical sonata and illuminate many facets of the stylistic transition of the sonata from the late-baroque to the high-classical period.

Music Sample

Contents
Sonata I

Allegro
Adagio
Presto

Allegro
Adagio
Presto

Allegro ma cantabile
Adagio cantabile
Presto

Allegro moderato
Grave
Allegro

Allegro
Andante
Tempo di minuetto

Allegro
Adagio
Aria: Andante