Philipp Scharwenka - Violin Sonata No. 1, Op. 110 (1900)

Ludwig Philipp Scharwenka (16 February 1847, Samter, Grand Duchy of Posen – 16 July 1917, Bad Nauheim) was a German composer and teacher of music. He was the older brother of Xaver Scharwenka.

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Violin Sonata No. 1 in b minor, Op. 110 (1900)
Dedication: Willy Burmester (1869-1933)

1. Allegro (0:00)
2. Largamente - Andante con moto - Allegretto con moto (8:23)

Natalia Prischepenko, violin and Oliver Triendl, piano

Details Edition Silvertrust:
Scharwenka's Violin Sonata in b minor, composed around 1900, is certainly one of the most exciting and original late romantic sonatas ever written. The big opening movement, Allegro, in the form of a moto perpetuo, begins with brilliant, flashing downward strokes in the violin over an agitated tremolo in the piano. The development and expansion are breath-taking. This is very impressive and powerful writing so original as to be virtually unique. The huge second movement, Largamente--Andante con moto--Allegro con moto--is three movements in one, in the form of a fantasia. The Largamente opens in highly dramatic fashion creating great suspense. The writing is in the form of a recitative, tinged with Hungarian overtones. Without pause, the Largamente seamlessly becomes an Andante con moto. Here, the violin, in its highest register, plays a lovely song of hope. Again, as you can hear from our sound-bite, the Andante, seamlessly turns itself into an exciting finale, Allegro con moto.

This sonata is an unqualified masterwork. Out of print for many years now, we hope that hearing this great work will convince violinists looking for something special to acquaint themselves with amazing sonata.

Scharwenka dedicated the Sonata to his friend Willy Burmester. Burmester was a famous violinist renowned for his marvelous technical feats, especially his left hand pizzicato, and rapid runs in thirds and tenths.
Jean Sibelius originally dedicated his Violin Concerto to Burmester, who promised to play the concerto in Berlin. For financial reasons, Sibelius decided to premiere it in Helsinki in 1903, and since Burmester was unavailable to travel to Finland, Sibelius engaged Viktor Nováček, a violin teacher at the Helsinki Conservatory. The premiere performance was a disaster.[1] Sibelius revised the work and the new version premiered in 1905. Willy Burmester was again asked to be the soloist, but he was again unavailable, so the performance went ahead without him, the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra's leader Karel Halíř stepping into the soloist's shoes. Burmester was so offended that he refused ever to play the concerto, and Sibelius re-dedicated it to the Hungarian "wunderkind" Ferenc von Vecsey.