Beethoven and the Influence of Viotti and the French School on Nineteenth Century Violin Repertoire

Abstract

No one can deny the giant impact that Ludwig van Beethoven has had on the history of Western music in the Classical tradition. Indeed, it is Beethoven's compositions that are considered to be the pivot between the Classical and Romantic eras. However, I argue that the development of the violin virtuoso shaped the direction of nineteenth century violin music and repertoire and, more specifically, that Beethoven's violin compositions were shaped by the influence of outside forces, such as the political and social changes of the day, and also by performers, especially Viotti and the French school of violin playing. There can be no question that Beethoven's violin compositions are testaments to his creative genius but even so, his violin music and how it was played and performed was shaped by historical, political, socio-economic circumstances of the day as well as by the newly emerging French School of violin playing.