Beethoven: Vn Sons Nos. 1 2 & 3 In Demand

Most of Beethoven’s ten violin sonatas were composed within a time span of no morethan 6 years (1797-1803), with the exception of the last one, op. 96, which he beganin 1812, taking probably a further 3 years to revise to his satisfaction. This means theset as a whole represents a relatively young Beethoven, though his development fromthe early Op. 12 sonatas to the “Kreutzer” Op. 47 clearly demonstrates a formidableinner creative force. His cello sonatas, string quartets and symphonies are moreevenly spaced throughout his life, but the violin sonatas lack nothing in invention,range of expression and feeling. As so often in Beethoven’s early works the intensityof the slow movements stands out.