The 6 Violin Sonatas (Sonates pour le violon et pour le clavecin) are a collection of chamber works by Élisabeth Jacquet de La Guerre, published in Paris in 1707. They are among the earliest examples of violin sonatas in France and are notable for their blending of Italian formal structures with French melodic and ornamental styles. They represent a significant contribution to the chamber music repertoire of the late Baroque period by one of France's most celebrated female composers.

Background

Élisabeth Jacquet de La Guerre (1665–1729) was a renowned French composer and harpsichordist, celebrated as a prodigy at the court of Louis XIV. While she first established her fame with keyboard suites and vocal works, in her later years she turned to the sonata, a genre still new to France.

This 1707 collection was dedicated to her longtime patron, King Louis XIV, and was reportedly performed before him in June or July of that year. In a review from the period, the King remarked that her sonatas "resembled nothing," a compliment understood to mean they were unique and original. These works were innovative not just for their style, but for treating the harpsichord as an equal partner to the violin, rather than as a simple accompaniment instrument.

Structure

The collection consists of six sonatas. While the title specifies violin and harpsichord, the instrumentation is for violin and basso continuo, typically realized by harpsichord and a bass instrument like the viola da gamba or cello. Each sonata alternates between slow and fast movements, generally following the Italian sonata da chiesa (church sonata) model while retaining a distinct French character.

However, the keys and movement titles in your original list are incorrect and do not match the 1707 publication. The actual scheme is as follows:

1. Sonata No. 1 in D minor: Adagio, Presto, Adagio, Presto – Adagio, Presto, Aria, Presto

2. Sonata No. 2 in D major: Presto, Adagio, Presto, Presto

3. Sonata No. 3 in F major: Adagio, Presto, Adagio, Presto, Aria, Adagio

4. Sonata No. 4 in G major: Lent – Presto, Presto – Lent, Presto, Adagio, Aria

5. Sonata No. 5 in A minor: Lent, Presto – Adagio, Aria, Sarabande, Gavotte, Presto

6. Sonata No. 6 in A major: Adagio, Allegro – Adagio, Presto, Adagio, Aria

A complete performance of all six sonatas lasts approximately 60–70 minutes.