In this performance at Merkin Hall, master presenter Rob Kapilow explains why Beethoven’s Sonata No. 9 for piano and violin (“Kreutzer”), Op. 47, was a milestone in the history of Western music. Kapilow argues that this is the first “radically individual” violin sonata, comparable in importance to other ground-breaking works from Beethoven’s middle period such as the Eroica Symphony.

Pour yourself a drink, find a comfortable seat, and prepare to be astonished.

For more from Rob Kapilow, visit What Makes It Great on the WWFM website.