Hubay Minuet, Op. 52 No. 2 for Violin and Piano

Hubay's Minuet, Op. 52 No. 2 is a salon piece in the truest sense: refined, intimate, and built around a singing violin line that rewards careful bow work and an ear for phrasing. This is a new edition of the original violin and piano version, re-engraved for clarity and accuracy.

The piece sits at around ABRSM Grade 7, and the technical challenge is almost entirely about tone, bow control, and phrasing rather than speed or virtuosity. The writing is a genuine study in Bel Canto playing: sustained cantabile, well-controlled vibrato, sensitive bow distribution, and the kind of expressive rubato that needs to be felt rather than applied mechanically. It was a favourite of Hubay's own students for good reason. The piece simply asks the violinist to play beautifully.

At three to four minutes, it works well where something short, self-contained, and immediately appealing is needed in a recital or examination programme. Salon repertoire of this kind often travels better than audiences expect: unpretentious, direct, and warmly received without any introduction.

See and hear the difference

Check the score and parts preview images above, then watch the complete score video below. They'll give you a clear picture of the engraving quality and overall difficulty before you buy.

Key features

• Instrumentation: Violin and Piano
• Difficulty: approximately ABRSM Grade 7 (violin)
• Duration: approximately 3–4 minutes
• Style focus: Bel Canto phrasing, cantabile tone, expressive rubato
• Format: PDF download, full score and separate violin part

Who it's for

This suits advancing violinists at Grade 7 who are working on tone production, expressive playing, and musical phrasing and need repertoire that targets those skills directly. It works well for student recitals and examinations where something polished and musically mature is wanted, and for teachers looking for a piece that develops Bel Canto playing in a genuinely musical rather than purely technical context.