Joseph Martin Kraus is a hero in Swedish music history, but he was born and educated in Germany, where he was introduced to the Sturm und Drang movement. The sonatas on this disc, performed by Vaughan Schlepp,
Antoinette Lohmann, and Frank Wakelkamp on period instruments, are good examples of how Kraus applied Sturm und Drang principles to his chamber music. The primary characteristic of his writing is the way he so loosely applies the standard Classical sonata structure. His long and varied themes are developed in a much less straightforward way than in Mozart's or Haydn's music, so that development sections become almost freeform experiments, and he doesn't necessarily stick to the usual tonic-dominant modulation patterns either. The result is music that is full of character, but not overly dramatic or moody. The sonatas for piano and violin do have the characteristic of their time of not being true duo sonatas. The violin is more an accompaniment to the fortepiano, although there are occasional moments of role reversal and it's not at all a mere time-beating accompaniment. In the Trio, the cello takes on the accompanimental role, much the same way it does in Haydn's trios. The Sonata in E flat major appears here in a solo keyboard version and in a version for keyboard and violin, making for an interesting contrast (however, the versions are not on the same disc, making it a little awkward to compare them without a disc changer).
Lohmann stands out for her finely colored tones and phrasing, which make the most of the violin parts in the sonatas. All of the players give Kraus' music a naturalistic energy and lively spontaneity that makes for very enjoyable listening.