For many classical music lovers, Beethoven’s eighth violin sonata lives in the long, fiery shadow of the ninth, better known as the “Kreutzer”. This is easy to understand, as the Kreutzer is a prime example of the stormy side of Beethoven—the one many listeners see as his most exciting and revealing trait. However, just as his eighth symphony is the kinder, gentler companion to his towering, formidable ninth, the eighth violin sonata, shorter and less aggressive than the ninth, shows a more lyrical side of Beethoven.