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It’s a passionate and sweepingly epic work, but there’s also drama off stage in what is arguably Beethoven’s most loved and performed violin sonata, performed here in an arrangement by Richard Tognetti for solo violin and string orchestra.
Known as The Kreutzer for its dedication to the violinist Rudolphe Kreutzer (who likely never played this difficult, titanic work), what has been lost in history is its original dedication to George Bridgetower, a far more accomplished violinist of mixed European and West Indian descent, and something of a kindred spirit to Beethoven, who performed with the composer at the Sonata’s premiere.
Legend has it Beethoven was so late to finish the Sonata that the ink was still wet on the page when he and Bridgetower – the latter, not having seen the score before, sight-reading and even improvising a section – took to the stage for an early morning performance. It was a success, and a jubilant Beethoven signed the manuscript in dedication to the friend he exuberantly called “a great lunatic”.
However, in its success lay its downfall. While celebrating with a drink (or three) Beethoven and Bridgetower spectacularly fell out, and Bridgetower’s name was removed from the dedication, and from history.
But in this corner of the world he is not forgotten. In a dramatic collaboration with Belvoir St Theatre, soloist Richard Tognetti seeks to restore Bridgetower’s rightful place in history.
With these infamous origins, it is no wonder such an intensely romantic piece not only inspired a fevered Tolstoy short story – of jealousy and murder stemming from a performance of The Kreutzer – but stirred Janáček’s Kreutzer Sonata as a response to Tolstoy’s story and views on women.
From such passion this program can’t help but positively pulsate with dramatic feeling.
