Richard Strauss (1864–1949) is known for large-scale works, both in terms of instrumentation and musical scope, such as orchestral works, operas, and music dramas. However, in his youth, he also composed piano works and chamber music. This Violin Sonata, written in 1888, marks the culmination of these early compositions. It is a fine work that combines the mature idiom of late Romanticism with a youthful expansiveness.