Sonata for Solo Violin

The Sonata for Solo Violin (1969) demonstrates the consummate craftsmanship and refinement in Edwin Carr’s writing. Central to this work is an exploration of the melodic and expressive possibilities of the violin within the framework of a 12-tone system. A variety of meticulous bowing articulations are juxtaposed against one another throughout the four contrasting movements of the work. The score also calls for extreme dynamic and registral changes, which adds to its virtuosic and challenging appeal as a highly expressive work. It is also intriguing to study as a representative 12-tone work in considering the reception of European modernism within New Zealand composition during the late 1960s.