TheViolin Sonata inE-flat major,Op. 18 was written byRichard Strauss in 1887 and published in 1888. Although not considered a milestone inviolin literature, it is frequently performed and recorded. It is noted for its lyrical beauty and its technical demands made on both violinist andpianist.[1]
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Following the completion of hisCello Sonata andPiano Sonata, Strauss composed his Violin Sonata in 1887. It was during this time that Strauss fell in love withPauline de Ahna, thesoprano whom he would later wed, and his amorous feelings can be heard throughout the piece.[2]
Like all of his chamber music, Strauss' sonata follows standard classical form, though it is considered the last of his works to do so.[3] The piece is in three movements, and takes approximately thirty minutes to perform:
The first movement opens with a brief piano solo, followed by lyrical violin interludes, through which the thematic material is presented.This movement follows typicalsonata-allegro form, and although it begins in a melancholy tone, the movement ends jubilantly.
The second movement is unique in that it is anImprovisation; that is, the tranquil violin passages give the impression of improvisational material. This movement maintains a beautiful singing tone throughout, and ends meditatively. It is internary form.
The third and final movement begins with a slow, meditative piano introduction which then leads into an exuberantAllegro. After a rush of virtuosic passages from both performers, the sonata comes to an explosive end.
The earliest recording of the sonata was by Jascha Heifetz with pianist Arpad Sandor for RCA in 1934 (he went on to record it twice more, in 1954 and 1972, and performed it in his "final recital" with pianist Brooks Smith).[4]
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