× Upcoming Events Dean's Circle Donate Email Sign-up Staff Shenandoah Conservatory Past Events
Guillaume Lekeu
Sonata in G Major for Violin and Piano
Sonata in G Major for Violin and Piano (1892)

Belgian composer Guillaume Lekeu wrote his violin sonata in 1892 at the request of the celebrated violinist Eugène Ysaÿe, to whom the work is dedicated. A student of César Franck and Vincent d'Indy, Lekeu developed a distinctive musical language characterized by intense emotional expression, expansive melodies, and rich harmonies. 

The first movement begins with a deeply expressive theme that gradually develops into passages of heightened passion. The second movement offers a lyrical and contemplative contrast, while the animated finale brings back earlier thematic material, unifying the entire work. 

Lekeu died in 1894 at the age of twenty-four, leaving behind a relatively small but remarkable body of compositions. His violin sonata remains one of his most significant works and an expressive example of late-Romantic chamber music.