A term used in the late Baroque period (sometimes simply as ‘solo’) for a sonata for a single instrument, most commonly violin, and continuo. The title was less often applied to unaccompanied works, such as Bach’s for violin. Dario Castello and Biagio Marini were among the first to publish solo sonatas; by 1652, G.A. Bertoli, Uccellini and G.A. Leoni had published entire collections. Before the turn of the century, Biber and J.J. Walther had written violin sonatas at least as demanding as Corelli's, whose op.5 was viewed as archetypal by later violinist-composers (Geminiani, Tartini, Locatelli, Leclair). In the 18th century melodic and chordal instruments usually played the continuo part together, so that a ‘solo sonata’ required three performers; the continuo rarely matches the upper part in virtuosity. The solo sonata, favoured above the duo or trio by mid-18th-century composers, represented a substantial repertory, not only for violin but also for flute, recorder, oboe, cello and bassoon; Bach, Handel and Vivaldi are among those who contributed to it. From the 1750s it co-existed with the ‘accompanied sonata’ in which a keyboard instrument was accompanied by a violin or occasionally a flute.
See also Sonata, §I.
SANDRA MANGSEN