Violin Sonata Op. 18

- Richard Strauss' Sonata for Violin and

Piano in E flat major op. 18 is a work

with a Janus face, illustrating the past

and the present and pointing ahead to

the future.

- It mirrors the composer's musical roots,

such as in the second movement which

contains references to Beethoven's

'Pathetique' and Schubert's Der Erlkönig,

whilst the first and final movements

are influenced by Schumann, on the

one hand, and express Strauss' current

enthusiasm for Wagner's Tristan, on

the other.

- By contrast, the hidden allusions to his

own tone poem Don Juan show the way

the composer wanted to go in the near

future.