The Sonata for Solo Violin (1969) demonstrates the consummate craftsmanship and refinement in 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.
Throughout his extensive musical output, Edwin Carr demonstrated a consummate craftsmanship and refinement. Regarded as the most cosmopolitan of the elder generation of New Zealand composers, he was particularly noted for his strident opposition to what he felt were attitudes of insular nationalism and intellectual pretension.
