Beethoven's 'Kreutzer' Sonata Premiered in 1803

Afro-Polish virtuoso George Bridgetower gave the premiere alongside Beethoven

Ludwig van Beethoven composed a total of 10 complete violin sonatas during his lifetime – two of which acquired conventional nicknames that have become more famous than their actual opus numbers.

Beethoven's Violin Sonata Op. 47 No. 9 in A Major – also known as the 'Kreutzer' Sonata – was composed in 1803 and was dedicated to Afro-Polish virtuoso George Bridgetower. Together, Bridgetower and Beethoven gave the premiere of the sonata on May 24, 1803, with great success.

It's believed that the two later had a falling out, prompting Beethoven to rededicate the sonata to French virtuoso Rodolphe Kreutzer in 1805 before its publication – despite him strongly despising the work and most likely never performing it in public.

Beethoven's 'Kreutzer' Sonata continued as a prominent repertoire for violinists, later becoming the foundation for Russian writer Leo Tolstoy.

In 1889, Tolstoy wrote a short novel, The Kreutzer Sonata, indirectly associating Beethoven's sonata with love, jealousy, and murder. Although the two had no direct correlation with each other, The Kreutzer Sonata elevated the power of emotions through music.

ANNE SOPHIE MUTTER & LAMBERT ORKIS | BEETHOVEN 'KREUTZER' SONATA NO. 9 FOR VIOLIN & PIANO