César Franck’s Violin Sonata in A Major: The Significance of a Neglected Composer’s Influence on the Violin Repertory

For this project, I examined a total of eight different recordings of Franck’s Violin Sonata in A Major from different time periods. Based on my close observations of different recordings and various interpretations of Franck’s Violin Sonata in A Major, I have found that the modern performances I have examined take Franck’s original markings in the score much more literally than earlier performances, while still adding a sense of personal interpretation. This quality is especially emphasized when comparing these newer recordings to recordings from as early as the 1930s, which contrastingly seem to be much more individualistic and provide wholly new interpretations of the piece. This contrast is apparent when comparing the pronounced differences of various aspects of performance practice such as tempi, bowings, articulations, and vibrato usage from each recording