Like many composers of the 19th century, Richard Strauss produced a fair amount of chamber music in his earlier years as a composer, touching upon the major genres of the string quartet, the piano trio and quartet, and the solo sonata. However, with the composition of his Sonata for Violin in E-flat major in 1887, Strauss curiously exited, for the most part, the world of chamber music. Throughout the remainder of his career, he produced little that was of considerable import, and even less that were truly original compositions. Nevertheless, Strauss’s sudden adieu to chamber music is a worthy piece in its own right, and though it may not be ranked with the greatest essays in the genre from composers such as Beethoven and Brahms, it is nonetheless frequently performed and recorded.
The composition of the Sonata for Violin more or less overlaps with that of the symphonic fantasy Aus Italien and the tone poem Don Juan, as well as the beginning of his love affair with the operatic soprano Pauline de Ahna, whom he would later marry, and all three influences can be heard in the luscious melodies and beautiful lyricism of the piece. Despite being a sonata written by a composer aligned with the so-called “New German School” of the great feud that engulfed classical music in the latter half of the 19th century, it is a rather Classically designed piece, laid out in three movements, as opposed to the four-movement symphonic structure that had become commonplace, and which follow the usual ordering.
The first movement, in the usual sonata form, opens with a heroic idea announced by the piano, answered by the violin, and later followed by a beautifully lyrical second subject in the dominant key. Following this dramatic first movement, the middle Andante cantabile is further marked as an “improvisation.” Curiously, the movement displays little of what might be considered “improvisatory,” but is instead a hauntingly beautiful movement, led by the violin’s enchanting song, and carried along by a superb craftsmanship. The piano gives an eerie Andante introduction to open the Finale, before erupting into a heroic Allegro, and is soon after joined by eruptions of joy from the soloist in the form of rising sixteenth-note passages. The movement is pervaded by a sense of urgency, but it is not without its moments of lyrical beauty that recall the tone of the previous movements. With fervent energy and a final statement of the opening theme, the sonata comes to a heroic, symphonic ending.Joseph DuBose
Sonata for Violin in E-flat Major, Op. 18 Richard Strauss
Allegro, ma non troppo; Improvisation: Andante cantabile; Finale: Andante - Allegro
The Sonata for violin and piano in E flat major, Op. 18, of 1887 is really the last original chamber piece to come from Strauss' pen, which did not draw the composer's focus during most of his mature creative years. The Sonata is roughly contemporaneous with the famous symphonic fantasy Aus Italien and the famous tone poem Don Juan, and the proximity is apparent in the music. Velvety melody and a refined manner fill the work's three movements. However, in the finale the velvet is ruffled a bit, and there is a stronger urgency.
The piano announces the beginning of the Allegro ma non troppo first movement with a gently heroic idea whose basic contours will ultimately generate a fair portion of the movement's stock. A beautiful, flowing melody emerges some 20 bars later, but this is just a subsidiary to that opening idea. Another beautiful, flowing melody, this one in B flat major and marked espressivo e appassionato, serves as the proper second theme.
The second movement is called Improvisation and marked Andante cantabile. Improvised it is not: this is a very carefully crafted instrumental song. The finale begins with nine bars of an Andante introduction for the piano alone; Allegro is the tempo of the movement proper, whose initial, symphonic thrust is so compelling that it prompts the violin to explode with a frenzy of sixteenth notes. When everything has been said, the two instruments agree on blatant heroism for the close of the Sonata. Livia Sohn
Classical Music | Violin Music
Richard Strauss
Sonata for Violin in E-flat Major, Op. 18 Play
Recorded on 03/31/2011, uploaded on 03/31/2011
Musician's or Publisher's Notes
Like many composers of the 19th century, Richard Strauss produced a fair amount of chamber music in his earlier years as a composer, touching upon the major genres of the string quartet, the piano trio and quartet, and the solo sonata. However, with the composition of his Sonata for Violin in E-flat major in 1887, Strauss curiously exited, for the most part, the world of chamber music. Throughout the remainder of his career, he produced little that was of considerable import, and even less that were truly original compositions. Nevertheless, Strauss’s sudden adieu to chamber music is a worthy piece in its own right, and though it may not be ranked with the greatest essays in the genre from composers such as Beethoven and Brahms, it is nonetheless frequently performed and recorded.
The composition of the Sonata for Violin more or less overlaps with that of the symphonic fantasy Aus Italien and the tone poem Don Juan, as well as the beginning of his love affair with the operatic soprano Pauline de Ahna, whom he would later marry, and all three influences can be heard in the luscious melodies and beautiful lyricism of the piece. Despite being a sonata written by a composer aligned with the so-called “New German School” of the great feud that engulfed classical music in the latter half of the 19th century, it is a rather Classically designed piece, laid out in three movements, as opposed to the four-movement symphonic structure that had become commonplace, and which follow the usual ordering.
The first movement, in the usual sonata form, opens with a heroic idea announced by the piano, answered by the violin, and later followed by a beautifully lyrical second subject in the dominant key. Following this dramatic first movement, the middle Andante cantabile is further marked as an “improvisation.” Curiously, the movement displays little of what might be considered “improvisatory,” but is instead a hauntingly beautiful movement, led by the violin’s enchanting song, and carried along by a superb craftsmanship. The piano gives an eerie Andante introduction to open the Finale, before erupting into a heroic Allegro, and is soon after joined by eruptions of joy from the soloist in the form of rising sixteenth-note passages. The movement is pervaded by a sense of urgency, but it is not without its moments of lyrical beauty that recall the tone of the previous movements. With fervent energy and a final statement of the opening theme, the sonata comes to a heroic, symphonic ending. Joseph DuBose
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Sonata for Violin in E-flat Major, Op. 18 Richard Strauss
Allegro, ma non troppo; Improvisation: Andante cantabile; Finale: Andante - Allegro
The Sonata for violin and piano in E flat major, Op. 18, of 1887 is really the last original chamber piece to come from Strauss' pen, which did not draw the composer's focus during most of his mature creative years. The Sonata is roughly contemporaneous with the famous symphonic fantasy Aus Italien and the famous tone poem Don Juan, and the proximity is apparent in the music. Velvety melody and a refined manner fill the work's three movements. However, in the finale the velvet is ruffled a bit, and there is a stronger urgency.
The piano announces the beginning of the Allegro ma non troppo first movement with a gently heroic idea whose basic contours will ultimately generate a fair portion of the movement's stock. A beautiful, flowing melody emerges some 20 bars later, but this is just a subsidiary to that opening idea. Another beautiful, flowing melody, this one in B flat major and marked espressivo e appassionato, serves as the proper second theme.
The second movement is called Improvisation and marked Andante cantabile. Improvised it is not: this is a very carefully crafted instrumental song. The finale begins with nine bars of an Andante introduction for the piano alone; Allegro is the tempo of the movement proper, whose initial, symphonic thrust is so compelling that it prompts the violin to explode with a frenzy of sixteenth notes. When everything has been said, the two instruments agree on blatant heroism for the close of the Sonata. Livia Sohn
More music by Richard Strauss
Der Rosenkavalier
Sonata for Violin in E-flat Major, Op. 18
Die Zeitlose, from Letzte Blätter
Sonata for Violin in E-flat Major, Op. 18
Divertimento, op. 86
Ophelia-Lieder, op. 67
Sonata for Violin in E-flat Major, Op. 18
Einerlei, Op. 69, No. 3
Romanze for clarinet and orchestra in E flat major op.61
Mädchenblumen, Op. 22
Performances by same musician(s)
"Fantasie Brilliante" on themes from the opera Carmen
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