ON THIS DAY | German Violinist & Composer Rodolphe Kreutzer Died in 1831

He is best known today as the dedicatee of Beethoven's Violin Sonata No. 9, even though he never performed the work, having declared it "unplayable" and "incomprehensible"

German violinist and composer Rodolphe Kreutzer died on this day in 1831, aged 65.

A student of Anton Stamitz, Kreutzer is remembered as one of the prominent violinists of the 18th and 19th centuries.

In 1795, he was appointed professor of violin at the Paris Conservatory. With solo positions at the Théâtre-Italien and Paris Opéra, his career, unfortunately, was cut short due to a carriage accident in 1810. 

Kreutzer wrote about 40 operas (Lodoïska being one of the most popular), several ballets, and numerous chamber works. His major contributions to the violin repertoire include 19 concerti, 40 Études ou caprices, and Méthode du violin, which was written alongside violinists Pierre Baillot and Pierre Rode. 

ANNE-SOPHIE MUTTER & LAMBERT ORKIS ZOHARI | BEETHOVEN | 'KREUTZER' VIOLIN SONATA NO. 9 IN A MAJOR

Beethoven: Violin Concerto & 'Kreutzer' Sonata |2 CDs|

Vadim Repin, Violin

Martha Argerich, Piano

Riccardo Muti & Vienna Philharmonic

Release Date: September 25, 2007

DG