Jo Lamb (Violin); Annie Shore (Violoncello ); John Wills (Pianoforte)

Jo Lamb and John Wills
Sonata in D, Op. 12, No. 1 Beethoven

The First Movement of Beethoven's first Violin Sonata (he wrote it when he was twenty-seven) is a quick, vigorous, run-about piece. It has two main tunes. The first is the jerky one, strutting up and down the chord of D Major at the opening, with the tags which Violin, and then Piano, attach. The second main tune is a sort of slow four-finger exercise, first introduced unobtrusively, high up on the Piano.
The Second Movement consists of a lengthy Air and four Variations, with a brief Coda, rounding the Movement off.
The Third Movement (Quick) is a very skittish dance-a Rondo. The tune with which the Piano starts off, and which the Violin repeats, dominates the Movement.

Here is a bracing piece of music, if ever there was one! It has the tonic effect of a tramp in the fresh, keen air of spring.
The vigorous First Movement is built upon two main tunes, the first of which, crisp and brief, is heard right away at the opening. After some episodical matter, the Violin and Violoncello give out, in octaves, the broad second main tune.
The Second Movement is in 'Scherzo' style - light, quick and lithe, and the Last Movement is as vigorous as the First.