The myth of Beethoven as a solitary genius belies the fact that his music was not conjured up from a magical combination of starlight, suffering and solitude, with no external influences whatsoever. These violin sonatas were written after Beethoven had settled in the bustling capital city of Vienna, determined to make a name for himself. As a working musician, he was mindful of the demands of patrons, publishers, other performers and the public. He responded to the conventions, instruments and musical language of his time, continuously pushing the boundaries of his craft.

Around the turn of the 19th century, chamber music was very much in vogue amongst the aristocracy and well-educated music lovers in Vienna. Beethoven was as celebrated a pianist as he was a composer, and it was very likely that he may have performed some of his earlier violin sonatas at aristocratic salons. These were private musical gatherings where rich patrons would invite some of the best professional musicians to perform or even play chamber music with them. Many music-lovers also took pride in being proficient at an instrument or indeed ensuring that their daughters took piano lessons! They were eager not just to listen to Beethoven’s sonatas but to purchase the published sheet music to play it for themselves.

With a rise in private music-making, the piano was quickly established as the fashionable instrument of choice. As a result, the convention in instrumental sonatas was to have the piano part dominate, while the melodic instrument was cast in a more subservient role, often simply doubling the pianist’s right hand. (This contrasts with the way we sometimes think of pianists as mere accompanists to superstar violinists today!) However, Beethoven began to subvert this convention, democratically dividing the important thematic material between the two instruments in a back-and-forth conversation. By the time we arrive at the 9th Sonata, which begins with a solo introduction in the violin, the two instruments are very much on equal footing, merging and blending their unique qualities to form a dramatic, cohesive partnership.

Beethoven’s first published set of violin sonatas, Op. 12, was reviewed in the influential Allgemeine Musikalische Zeitung in June 1799. The critic complained of “strange modulations, an objection to customary associations, a heaping up of difficulties on difficulties till one loses all patience and enjoyment”. The Op. 12 sonatas certainly defied the expectations of Beethoven’s audience, who might have been more accustomed to simpler compositions tailored for domestic music-making. Sonatas No. 1 and 2 whirl off on unexpected harmonic detours just as the listener thinks the music has arrived at a stable key, while Sonata No. 3 demands a truly fearsome level of dexterity from the pianist. These pieces would have provided a thrilling, entertaining showcase for Beethoven in his performances at musical soirees.

Beethoven dedicated Sonatas No. 4 and 5 to Count Moritz von Fries, an important patron who hosted many private concerts. The two sonatas were originally meant to be published together, but a confusion over paper formatting during printing resulted in the works being reissued as separate publications. The Sonatas complement each other as a yin-and-yang pair. The open-hearted sunniness of the posthumously-nicknamed “Spring” Sonata contrasts with the agitation and volatility of Sonata No. 4, one of only two minor-key Sonatas in the cycle. Sonata No. 4 keeps us on our toes with ever-shifting outbursts and barely-suppressed tension while the Spring Sonata luxuriates in long-spun melodic lines.

The three Op. 30 Sonatas were composed in the summer of 1802, a deeply troubling time for Beethoven as he started to come to terms with his encroaching deafness. However only the Sonata No. 7 in C minor, full of pathos and high-octane drama in the outer movements, reveals any hint of Beethoven’s personal anguish. Sonata No. 6 contains some of Beethoven’s most sublime lyrical writing while Sonata No. 8 sparkles with good humour and high spirits.

Sonatas No. 9 and 10 were both conceived primarily for performance rather than publication. Beethoven had specific well-known performers in mind for the premieres of the two Sonatas: George Bridgetower and himself for No. 9 and his pupil Archduke Rudolf and the visiting French violinist Pierre Rodé for No. 10. He tailored both Sonatas to their respective personalities and preferences. Described by Beethoven as “quasi-concerto-like”, Sonata No. 9 is cast on a truly epic scale, in terms of length, virtuosity, emotional range and the ambitious scope of the soundworlds. It is a monumental, heroic artistic statement, raging at the forces of fate while exulting in the joys and beauty of life. Sonata No. 10, composed 10 years later in 1812, is more intimate, containing moments of understated beauty. The piano and violin parts are engaged in a closely-knitted musical dialogue, journeying together as kindred spirits.