Classical Music | Violin Music

Recorded on 09/16/2004, uploaded on 04/16/2009

Musician's or Publisher's Notes

Beethoven composed three sonatas for the violin in 1801 and 1802, a time when Beethoven was increasing concerned with his ill health. The sonatas were published together as his op. 30 a year later and dedicated to Czar Alexander I of Russia.

Despite the melancholy that must have dominated Beethoven’s mood during this time, the Violin Sonata No. 6 is set in the brilliant key of A major. The first movement begins with a graceful duet between the violin and piano and both instrument take on an equal role in the presentation of the first theme. The second is presented first by the piano in the key of C sharp minor and then repeated by the violin in the expected key of E major. The second movement is an expressive Adagio in D major. Much of the movement is pervaded by a dotted rhythm accompaniment in the piano, which brings to mind a similar accompaniment used in the slow movement of the Fourth Symphony. The last movement begins with a simple tune of thirty-two bars in length, followed by six variations. The first embellishes the theme with a triplet figuration and the second with sweeping runs in both instruments; the third and fourth focus mainly on the opening notes of the theme. The fifth moves to the tonic minor and is highly contrapuntal. The last is in a lilting 6/8 meter and brings the piece to an optimistic close.      Joseph DuBose

Courtesy of International Music Foundation.