the bridgetower sonata

In April 1803 George Bridgetower, a young virtuoso violinist, has just arrived in Vienna.  At a reception he’s introduced to Ludwig van Beethoven, the brilliant pianist and composer. When Bridgetower discovers that Beethoven’s background makes him almost as much of an outsider as he is himself, he is eager to strike up a friendship.

Would you compose something for me to play, Sir?

Born in Poland in 1778, George Bridgetower was an Afro-European musician who lived in England for much of his life.  Beethoven wrote his great Violin Sonata Number 9 for Bridgetower, and the two men performed it together at its premiere in Vienna in May 1803.  Soon afterwards a row broke out between them when Bridgetower made an offhand  remark about one of the composer’s women friends. Beethoven was furious, and rededicated the piece to a famous Parisian violinist.  So what should have been the Bridgetower Sonata became the Kreutzer Sonata.  Bridgetower and Beethoven never met again.

The Bridgetower Sonata was performed for the first time at St.Giles Cripplegate on 11 October 2024 as part of Black History Month.