HN216
The title "Solo per il Violino" which Haydn gave these sonatas in his "Entwurf-Katalog" (the handwritten catalogue he maintained of his own works), already gives us an indication: it is only the violin which is treated as a solo instrument in these six sonatas – the viola has an accompanying role. Haydn might have written these "soli" for himself; but they also might have been for Luigi Tomasini, the "first violinist" at Esterházy's court. Today, these duos enjoy great popularity, particularly for teaching purposes.