Schumann once wrote of Schubert, “If fertility be a distinctive mark of genius, then Schubert is a genius of the highest order. Not much over thirty when he died, he wrote in such abundance that but half of his compositions have as yet been published . . . And what a multitude of instrumental works of every form and kind! – Trios, quartets, sonatas, rondos, dances, variations, for two and four hands, large and small, full of the strangest things, and of the rarest beauties . . .”

Schubert composed four sonatas for violin and piano at the age of 19 and 20. They are among his most charming works. Although they were originally called ‘sonatas’, his publisher changed the name to ‘sonatina’ posthumously.

The sonata in a minor was composed in 1816, a year in which he composed nearly 200 works. And this followed the year 1815 during which he composed nearly 150 songs, the second and third symphonies, a mass and other church music, piano pieces and half a dozen operettas and melodramas.

Also in 1816, Schubert applied for a position at the German Normal School at Laibach that required “a thoroughly trained singer and organist as well as an equally good violin player”. Undeterred, Schubert submitted the following application:

1. Applicant has been educated at the Konvikt [i.e., Imperial and Royal Seminary], and was a Court Chorister and composition pupil of Antonio Salieri, first Court Conductor, on whose kind recommendation he applies for this post
2. He has gained such thorough knowledge and experience in every type of composition for organ, violin, and the voice that, as the enclosed references testify, he is considered in every way the most capable among all the competitors for the post.
3. He promises the best possible application of his abilities to the carrying out of his duties should he be graciously considered a fitting applicant to fill the post

These sonatas show Mozart’s influence on Schubert. These were historically piano sonatas with violin accompaniment, but Schubert transcends the earlier models by creating more independence between the parts. The four movements represent the classical sonata, with an opening Allegro moderato, Andante, Menuetto: Allegro and final Allegro.