The violin sonata no. 1 by Robert Schumann was composed during the week of 12 – 16 September, 1851. It was given its official premiere by Clara Schumann and violinist Ferdinand David in March 1852.
The first movement begins passionately, with the theme first played by the violin. This theme serves to introduce a compact, driven sonata form movement with an economical use of rhythms. New themes often are based on some of the same rhythms as older ones, and overlap with them as well. Intensity is added by treatment of themes in canon.
The Romantic nature of the first movement reminds me of the love that the composer felt for Clara Wieck, and the opposition by Clara’s father who refused to permit her marriage to Robert Schumann…
The second movement serves as an intermezzo at a brisk pace somewhere between a slow movement and a scherzo, in the form of a rondo.
In the finale, sixteenth-note motion dominates the exposition, present in all but a few bars. A group of themes enters about halfway through the exposition. The development introduces additional new themes mostly based on the exposition’s material and treats them, again, canonically before gradually introducing a songful episode.
A transitional passage leads to the recapitulation of the main theme and a lively conclusion. Here are Daniel Trifonov and Leonidas Kavakos who now play this for you:
