This composition, the composer's third for this particular combination of instruments, began life as Two Preludes for Violin and Piano, in which form it was given its first performance in Australia in 1969. Between 1980 and 1982, the composer reworked these preludes as a two movement sonata in which form this work is now titled Sonata No. 2 for Violin and Piano.

The first movement is slow and expressive with the violin treated almost as a solo instrument. The second movement is a perpetuum mobile of considerable dramatic tension.