Carl Maria von Weber: Six Violin Sonatas

Although primarily remembered today for his stage works, especially the opera Der Freischütz, Carl Maria von Weber wrote a number of charming instrumental works that defined the musical language of the early German Romantic era. Weber’s six Violin Sonatas were composed in 1810, and first published in Berlin by Simrock as Six sonates progressives, Opus 10, the following year. Assigned the “J” numbers 99-104, according to the chronological sequence of Weber’s works established by Friedrich Wilhelm Jähns, the six violin sonatas were completed the year before Weber’s two popular clarinet concertos. Five of the opening movements of Weber’s six violin sonatas are cast in sonata form, and all of them contain a novel treatment of the conventional sonata design.