Beethoven published this violin sonata in 1802, after Symphony No. 2 and Piano Concerto No. 3. He originally composed it for and dedicated it to George Bridgetower, a virtuoso violinist, and the two played it in a successful small morning concert performance in Vienna. However, soon afterward, Bridgetower made an unflattering comment about one of Beethoven's female friends. Beethoven was so upset that he removed the dedication to Bridgetower, replacing it with a dedication to Rudolphe Kreutzer, considered Europe's greatest violin virtuoso of the time.

Oddly, Kreutzer never played the wonderful violin sonata named for him - he said it was impossible to play...

My favorite part of Beethoven's Kreutzer sonata is the first movement. Here is the Stuffed Animal Players rendition of the Adagio sostenuto; Presto