Use Your Imagination 3
The Virtuoso Violin

The violin was made for virtuosos, those gifted people able to conjur up the most amazing variety of sounds from the instrument. These people often had phenomenal skills, well beyond the normal range of human endeavour, and there were frequent suspicions of pacts with the Devil.

But the violin has had many other enduring associations, beyond the selling of souls for skills. Violins figure prominently in Spanish and European Gypsy music, in Kletzmer, in Celtic fiddling, and more recently, in intimate candle-lit dinners.

In classical music it is the premier instrument. It dazzles in the range of sounds it can produce, in the speeds of notes that can be achieved and in the wide range of notes that it can play.

While the violin can be a devilish show off, this selection highlights the wider range of moods that the instrument can summons. There are devilish inspirations in the music of Paganini and Tartini. Gypsy influences dominate the music of Monti, Sarasate, Saint-Saens and Ravel. "Ethnic" influences infuse the music of Lalo and Bruch.

In complete contrast, we have the quiet intimacy of Kreisler's salon music. Last, but not least, there is the monumental, chaste, Chaconne of Bach.

1. Bach – Partita (for Violin Solo) no 2 in D minor, BWV 1004 - 5. Chaconne
2. Bruch – Scottish Fantasia for Violin and orchestra, op.46 - 4. Finale: Allegro guerriero
3. Kreisler – Liebesfreud, Liebeslied, Schön Rosmarin, etc.
4. Lalo – Symphonie Espagnole in d minor, op.21 - 5. Allegro con fuoco
5. Monti – Csárdás
6. Paganini – Caprices, op.1 - no.24 in a minor
7. Ravel – Tzigane, rhapsodie de concert
8. Sarasate – Zigeunerweisen (Gypsy Airs), Op. 20
9. Saint-Saëns – Introduction and Rondo Capriccioso, Op. 28 & Havanaise, Op. 83
10. Tartini – Sonata for Violin and Basso Continuo in G minor, 'Devil's Trill' op.1, no.4, B. g5