Entwined Legacies – The Kreutzer Sonata

Samhengi welcomes Duo Ingolfsson-Stoupel on Friday October 10 at 12:15 in Dynjandi.

Presented by Duo Ingolfsson-Stoupel, this lecture-concert offers an opportunity to explore the vibrant musical landscape surrounding Ludwig van Beethoven's Kreutzer Sonata, Opus 47, by pairing it with the Grande Sonata of its dedicatee, Rodolphe Kreutzer. Through these works, we will uncover the artistic and historical interplay between Beethoven, Kreutzer, and Jean-Louis Adam, three pivotal figures in the worlds of performance and composition. Beethoven's Kreutzer Sonata, now widely celebrated, has an intricate and revealing history of creation and dedication. The work was first performed in 1803 with Beethoven at the piano and violinist George Bridgetower as soloist. While Bridgetower was the original dedicatee, a series of negotiations and shifting intentions eventually led Beethoven to dedicate the published sonata solely to Kreutzer in 1805. Intriguingly, Jean-Louis Adam, also considered at one point for the dedication, is the dedicatee of the second movement of Kreutzer's own Grande Sonata, composed several years earlier and representative of the classic French sonata tradition. Juxtaposing Kreutzer's Grande Sonata with Beethoven's radical Op. 47 highlights a pivotal moment in musical style. Kreutzer's sonata exemplifies the late eighteenth-century approach: a work for pianoforte with violin accompaniment, where the piano is in the foreground and the violin adopts a supporting role. In contrast, Beethoven's Kreutzer Sonata reconfigures the genre as a true partnership, as signaled by its subtitle, scritta in uno stile molto concertante, quasi come d'un concerto, written in a very concertante style, almost like a concerto. Here, the piano and violin are equal collaborators, marking a bold step towards modern chamber music. By exploring these two sonatas side by side, this concert offers a window into a fascinating crossroads in the violin and piano repertoire, one that not only illuminates the beginnings of a new musical era, but also honors the legacies and relationships of the remarkable figures behind them. 100 Word Duo Biography: Violinist Judith Ingolfsson and pianist Vladimir Stoupel formed the Duo Ingolfsson-Stoupel in 2006, earning international acclaim for their compelling interpretations and inventive programming. Celebrated soloists in their own right, they bring deep musical insight and emotional power to their collaborations, performing at prestigious venues such as the Konzerthaus Berlin and the National Gallery of Art in Washington, DC. Their repertoire spans the traditional canon and overlooked gems of the 20th century, reflected in their award-nominated recordings. Dedicated to education and artistic leadership, they direct music festivals in France and Germany. Both have been honored as Chevaliers de l'Ordre des Arts et des Lettres.