Ludwig van Beethoven - Violin Sonatas, Op. 30 (Francesca dePasquale; Peter Takács)

Information

Composer: Ludwig van Beethoven

• Violin Sonata No. 6 in A Major, Op. 30 No. 1
• Violin Sonata No. 7 in C Minor, Op. 30 No. 2
• Violin Sonata No. 8 in G Major, Op. 30 No. 3

Francesca dePasquale, violin

Peter Takács, piano

Date: 2025

Label: Leaf Music

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Violinist Francesca dePasquale and pianist Peter Takács present Beethoven’s Violin Sonatas, Op. 30—three compositions mark the beginning of his “heroic” middle period. Completed in 1802 and dedicated to Tsar Alexander I of Russia, the sonatas were written during one of the most tumultuous years of Beethoven’s life. Around this time, he penned the now-famous Heiligenstadt Testament, a poignant letter revealing his despair over his worsening hearing loss. Though it reads like a farewell, the letter ends with a vow to persevere in the service of art. That inner struggle—between hopelessness and determination—finds voice in the music as Beethoven begins to push the familiar classical forms to new expressive ends.

Violinist Francesca dePasquale is acclaimed for her expressive artistry, described as having “sincerity, intensity, and individual voice” by the Philadelphia Inquirer. She won First Prize at the 2010 Irving M. Klein International String Competition and received prestigious honors including the Leonore Annenberg Fellowship (2014–2016) and the 2015 Classical Recording Foundation Young Artist Award. She is currently on the violin faculty at Oberlin Conservatory and previously taught at Juilliard Pre-College. A student of renowned teachers such as Itzhak Perlman, Catherine Cho, and Robert Lipsett, she also studied with Hirono Oka, Charles Parker, and William dePasquale, with mentorship from Norman Carol and Arnold Steinhardt.

Peter Takács is a critically acclaimed pianist known for his expressive and insightful interpretations. He began his studies at the Conservatoire de Paris at age 14 and later received full scholarships to Northwestern University and the University of Illinois. He completed his training with a fellowship at the Peabody Conservatory under Leon Fleisher. Takács has performed as a soloist with major orchestras in the U.S. and abroad and has appeared at renowned festivals including Tanglewood, Music Mountain, and Tel Hai. His 2011 recording of the complete Beethoven piano sonatas on the Cambria label received widespread praise.

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