Violin Recital June 2025--Beethoven Spring Sonata

As part of my recital in June, I performed Beethoven Violin Sonata No. 5 in F, Op. 24 “Spring”. Those who have seen earlier posts know that I don’t consider myself an exemplary violinist, but I do love to engage in the practice of art such as music performance. I currently study with @swizardal, a wonderful violinist, with the aim to overcome any technical limitations to musical ideas.
 
Beethoven composed Violin Sonata No. 5, Op. 24 between 1800 and 1801 for Count Moritz von Fries, a keen amateur musician and one of the richest men in Vienna at the time. The nickname “Spring” was attached long after its composition, likely by some publishers. There is no specific historic attribution, but starting in the mid-1800s, the name “Spring” was often attached to the sonata. This was likely due to the bucolic, lyrical nature of the composition, particularly exemplified in the first movement. Beethoven was known to take nature walks, and one can imagine the undulating eighth notes at the opening representing the gentle flowing of water over rocks in a stream. The key of F lends a sonority of woody tones, with the sustained opening A in the violin descending in rapid sixteenth notes to lower notes sounding like the exchange of birds in the trees. One could imagine a storm could being portrayed by the contrasting second theme in a minor key.
 
Throughout the second movement, piano and violin take turns carrying the melody or providing commentary on their partner’s phrases. As with all of Beethoven’s slow movements, within the lyricism, there is a driving underlying rhythm propelling even his slow movements. The third movement is a playful scherzo—the Italian word for jest. Previous to Beethoven, the third movement would be a stately minuet, a dance in 3/4 time. The Scherzo in the Spring Sonata is particularly short and fast, lasting less than two minutes, playing jokes with the rhythm and notes in wrong places, for example, with the violin constantly playing one beat behind the pianist. The fourth movement is a Rondo, a musical form of rounds, such as in “Row, Row, Row Your Boat”.

#violin #recital #Beethoven #springsonata

code

00:00 First Movement--Allegro
10:30 Second Movement---Adagio
16:18 Third Movement--Scherzo
17:45 Fourth Movement--Rondo