The Kreutzer Sonata The Kreutzer Sonata The Kreutzer Sonata (, ) is a novella by Leo Tolstoy, named after Beethoven's Kreutzer Sonata. The novella was published in 1889, and was promptly censored by the Russian authorities. The work is an argument for the ideal of sexual abstinence and an in-depth first-person description of jealous rage. The main character, Pozdnyshev, relates the events leading up to his killing his wife: in his analysis, the root causes for the deed were the "animal excesses" and "swinish connection" governing the relation between the sexes. During a train ride, Pozdnyshev overhears a conversation concerning marriage, divorce and
Violin Sonata (Strauss) Violin Sonata (Strauss) The Violin Sonata in E-flat major, Op. 18 was written by Richard Strauss between 1887 and 1888. Although not considered a milestone in violin literature, it is frequently performed and recorded. It is noted for its lyrical beauty and its technical demands made on both violinist and pianist. Following the completion of his Cello Sonata and Piano Sonata, Strauss began working on his Violin Sonata in 1887, and finished it in 1888. It was during this time that Strauss fell in love with Pauline de Ahna, the soprano whom he would later wed, and his amorous feelings