Monday 22nd March 2027, 7.30pm
St Paul’s Hall, University of Huddersfield
Beethoven Violin Sonata in G major, Op 96
Debussy Violin Sonata in G minor
Elgar Violin Sonata in E minor, Op 82
Join violinist Madeleine Mitchell and pianist Nigel Clayton for an evening exploring three great violin sonatas, each written at a pivotal moment in its composer’s life. The programme opens with Beethoven’s Violin Sonata in G major, Op. 96 — his final work in the form, serene and pastoral, marking his turn from the heroic middle period towards a more introspective late style.
The evening continues with Debussy’s Violin Sonata in G minor, his last completed work, written while terminally ill amid the hardship of the First World War, yet full of restless colour and quiet defiance. It closes with Elgar’s Violin Sonata in E minor, Op. 82, written in 1918 at his Sussex cottage Brinkwells during a late-life creative flowering — a warm, personal work described by the composer himself as “full of golden sounds.”
Together these three sonatas trace a fascinating journey across a century of music, each capturing its composer at a moment of transition — a fitting reflection on where a season of music has taken us. As we bring this year’s season to a close, we’d love for you to join us for one final evening together before we look ahead to next season.