CHI-CHI Nwanoku OBE is on a mission to bring light and deeper understanding of Black musicians contribution to the classical musical landscape and that takes the shape of a special BBC Radio 3 feature on George Bridgetower, the virtuoso violinist who inspired the best in the industry.

The piece should never have been Kreutzer’s sonata at all. It was originally composed for the African-European violinist George Polgreen Bridgetower

Richard Tognetti

Bridgetower was a mixed-race virtuoso, admired by royalty, a pupil of Haydn and friend of Beethoven – who was so inspired by the artist that he wrote one of his greatest pieces for him – the Sonata Op.47.

But the work is known today as the Kreutzer Sonata, because of a subsequent dedication to a French aristocrat.

Nwanoku, world renowned double-bassist, founder of Chineke! Orchestra and tireless campaigner for racial equality in the music world, goes on a journey to find out more about Bridgetower’s life and why – or whether – he fell out with Beethoven.

“One of the most seminal works for violin in the whole classical canon – Beethoven’s Sonata in A major, Op.47 – has become universally known as the Kreutzer Sonata, but that title honours someone who never even played the work at the expense of the man who inspired and premiered it – the mixed race musician George Augustus Polgreen Bridgetower,” Nwanoku explains.

She adds: “The commonly known story – as far as anything about Bridgetower is commonly known – is that he and Beethoven fell out.

“But this is based on a single, second-hand source from over 50 years after the event: the violinist J.W. Thirlwell writes in a newspaper in 1858 that – ‘In respect to the Kreutzer Sonata, Bridgetower told me that when it was written, Beethoven and he were constant companions, and on the first copy was a dedication to his friend Bridgetower, but when it was first published, they had some silly quarrel about a girl, and in consequence Beethoven scratched out the name of Bridgetower and inserted that of Kreutzer, a man whom he had never met.'”

Presented and curated by Nwanoku the programme explores the musician’s life and connections, and discusses the facts behind the change in Beethoven’s dedication.

Nwanoku said: “When I first heard about the story surrounding Beethoven’s piece and its dedication, I was astonished to discover that in his day George Polgreen Bridgetower was a celebrated virtuoso, a star who was patronized by royalty and rubbed shoulders with great composers.

“I decided that Bridgetower’s name needed to be restored to history, so I set about contacting the movers and shakers of the music world who could help make it happen – today’s great violin soloists, Beethoven scholars, concert hall managers, and music publishers.

“One of the main keys to restoring this overlooked virtuoso’s name to Beethoven’s sonata is music publishers. Over the past months, I have spoken to the major publishers.

“The most positive response came from Edition Peters and its president Kathryn Knight. And what seemed like a distant possibility has now turned into reality: soon there will be  a new edition of Beethoven’s work: the Bridgetower Sonata!”

Contributors to the programme include American poet Rita Dove, jazz pianist Julian Joseph, acclaimed violinist Anne-Sophie Mutter, celebrated violinist/conductor Richard Tognetti and rising-star American violinist Randall Goosby. 44

Ahead of the programme Knight told the Voice Online: “The extraordinary relationship between Beethoven and the phenomenally talented musician George Bridgetower is very little known and comes as a revelation that speaks urgently to our time.

“There is no doubt that Bridgetower was the catalyst for Beethoven’s composition of his virtuosic Sonata No.9 in A Op.47. Originally dedicated to Bridgetower, the work was clearly created in close collaboration with the 24-year-old violinist, who was also admired by Beethoven as a composer, and it was first performed by them both in May 1803.”

She added: “However, Beethoven’s tendency to use formal dedications as currency to attract patrons and support meant that he ended up re-dedicating the work to the already world-famous violinist Rodolphe Kreutzer – who disliked the work and never played it – and Bridgetower’s name faded into obscurity.

“One can only wonder how things would have been different, had Beethoven kept the original dedication: generations of black musicians from that time would have instead felt much greater ownership of this great classical canon and tradition, and a creative part of its performance practice.

“This hugely important project is about ‘reclaiming history’ and restoring a major black presence into the music narrative of the last 200 years. The white-washing of classical music’s history resonated particularly with us at Edition Peters.”

Speaking to the way in which Bridgetower helped to define the musical landscape and the value that it brings to this day Goosby enthused: “Were it not for the prolific skills and musicianship he possessed, we would not be able to enjoy this masterpiece, and one might even say that Beethoven’s music as we know it may not have been the same.

“For a violinist, having a sense of Bridgetower’s life and experiences could totally change one’s interpretation of this piece. It is crucial that we dig deeper into the lives and works of figures like Bridgetower, because until we do, the true breadth of experience encapsulated in this music cannot be known.”

Just as passionate as Nwanoku is about ensuring plaudits and recgnition are correctly attributed, violinist, composer, and artistic director Tognetti said: “The piece should never have been Kreutzer’s sonata at all. It was originally composed for the African-European violinist George Polgreen Bridgetower, but Beethoven withdrew the dedication, instead dedicating it to French violinist Kreutzer, who never played it. What went wrong for Bridgetower?

He’s been an under-utilised symbol of excellence whether African, European, Asian, Polynesian or Inuit

Julian Joseph – Pianist, composer and broadcaster

“Perhaps you’ve probably heard the rumours. But like all good yarns, it’s hard to ascertain the truth. Beethoven had a history of crossing out dedications.

“He famously withdrew his third symphony’s dedication to Napoleon Bonaparte. Bonaparte’s name and connection to the symphony lives on despite the withdrawal. Bridgetower’s name and connection to his sonata died because of it.

“Hence it is of key importance to reclaim the sonata for Bridgetower, shining a light on the life and art of this unjustly forgotten virtuoso.”

“There is still a lot more to discover about the amazing George Bridgetower, and I hope more of his compositions will resurface, but I’m so proud and heartened that major recognition is finally coming to him,” Nwanoku said.

She concluded: “It is never too late, though I often find myself wondering what the classical music would look like if Beethoven’s dedication had remained in place: how many young musicians from diverse backgrounds would have found in Bridgetower the confirmation that classical music is their world too?

“How many of them would have found in him a role model; an inspiration; a validation to their passion for classical music.

“In my generation, few people from diverse backgrounds were allowed into this world – it was considered a world where we did not belong; and the lack of predecessors made embracing our passion very difficult. But we are hopefully at a turning point.”

Echoing the sentiments centred on the need for recognising the souls that illuminate the world for the better, pianist, composer and broadcaster Joseph said: “The spirit of our world is lifted when we take an interest and concern ourselves with understanding, witnessing, acknowledging and illuminating the broader and more diverse truth that black and brown artists have been contributors to the very foundations of the sacrosanct artistic endeavours and conveniently left out and forgotten. 

“Bridgetower is one in a long line of exceptional figures throughout history, known but under celebrated as his story interweaves the narrative of a diverse and yet common history.

“He’s a Classical virtuoso violinist, magnificent musician who played with and had the admiration of Beethoven. He’s been an under-utilised symbol of excellence whether African, European, Asian, Polynesian or Inuit.

“Let us reconnect with and embrace the story of George Polgreen Bridgetower.”

July 4 | BBC Radio 3 | Sunday Feature: Reclaiming the Bridgetower Sonata | 18:45 – 19:30

Chineke! and Christian Aid collaborate