In the early 20th century, composers reshaped chamber music by blending tradition and innovation.

Prokofiev’s Sonata for two violins (1932), written for a Paris festival, astonished with its clarity and restraint. Lili Boulanger’s Two Pieces (1911–14) reveal delicate lyricism, balancing Romantic warmth with French colour.

Stravinsky’s Suite Italienne (1932), drawn from Pulcinella, looks back to 18th-century themes with modern flair.

And in contrast, Moszkowski’s Suite for two violins and piano (1903) offers lush Romantic melodies and virtuosity, a final flourish before modernism’s arrival.