10.20 A Recital by Alfred Cave (Violin)

One specially interesting thing about the Mozart Sonatas for violin and pianoforte is that he could play either of the instruments himself. His amazing feats as a pianist at a ridiculously early ago are made so much of in all the books about him that it is easy to forget how well he played the violin, too. His father was particularly anxious that he should shine as a fiddler and kept him to his practice with scoldings and encouragements at different times. On at least one occasion he assured his son that if he could only play with more confidence, he might be as great a violinist as he was a pianist. Mozart neglected the instrument latterly, but his knowledge of it was always turned to good account in his chamber and orchestral music, and his violin parts are always admirably suited to the fine qualities of the instrument; in the affectionate slang of performers, they play themselves well.'

Pugnani was one of the foremost violinists of the age which succeeded Tartini, whose most famous pupil he was. He is regarded as having carried on the fine traditions of Corelli and Tartini, and as handing them on to the succeeding ago of which a leading light was his own pupil, Viotti. He composed much, although very little of his own music has survived except such occasional pieces as this; Kreisler has arranged it as a very effective solo.

In the brilliant and effective music which Sarasato left for the instrument he played so well himself, he often made use of actual tunes from his native Spain, lending them a brilliance which, added to their own vivid and rhythmic qualities, makes very effective pieces of them. There was a time when Sarasate's solo pieces appeared in violinists' programmes with almost the same unfailing regularity as Kreisler's original pieces and transcriptions do now.

Accompanist, Henry Bronkhurst