Initially dedicated to another violinist, Beethoven finally dedicated his sonata to the great French composer and violinist Rodolphe Kreutzer. Ironically, Kreutzer never played the sonata, which, like many of his contemporaries, he considered too difficult for the public. Yet today it is one of Beethoven's most frequently performed works, at least in its violin-piano version. It was Beethoven himself who wrote the version for strings that we present here. As we have often demonstrated over the last 20 years, transcription is an integral part of the creative process... to the point where, as here, the composers transcribe themselves! A "precious" view of music would have us believe that what was intended for one instrument could never be played by another and that a transcription is just a stopgap. But the whole history of music shows us otherwise, to the point where sometimes the transcribed version is much better than the original.
It's hard to talk about Beethoven without mentioning Mozart, even though the latter failed to see the genius of the former. In the original version of this 'concertante', Mozart himself often played the principal viola part. On this subject too, the great composer-performers of past centuries were more adventurous than we might imagine. Mozart and Beethoven... does the term 'classical' really suit them? We see them more as creators capable of overturning all conformism! You be the judge!