Four Virtuoso Showpieces for Unaccompanied Violin

• Various,

• Granat, Endre

This collection contains four of the most dazzling and technically demanding pieces written for the violin: H.W. Ernst’s The Last Rose of Summer and Erlkönig, P.A. Locatelli’s Labyrinth and the Preludio e Fuga by F. von Vecsey. Meticulous care and attention to every detail has been taken in the notation, bowing and fingering of these works by editor and Jascha Heifetz protégé, Endre Granat. Program Notes: Heinrich Wihelm Ernst (1812-1865) was a brilliant violinist, violist, chamber musician and composer. In his compositions he combined Paganini’s technical innovations (harmonics, double harmonics, pizzicato and use of the entire range of the instrument) with a more sophisticated and advanced compositional style. The Last Rose of Summer is a set of 4 Variations and Finale on a traditional Irish tune. This work is part of Ernst’s Polyphonic Etudes for violin. The Erlkönig (King of the Alders) is based on the famous lied by Schubert, not a transcription but a tour de force of innovative composing for violin. Pietro Antonio Locatelli (1695-1764) was a violinist and composer of virtuoso violin music. His 12 Concertos op. 3 with their 24 Caprices set the technical standard for virtuoso violinists. The unaccompanied Caprices were meant to be exercise pieces aimed at mastering the difficulties of the Concertos. Labyrinth is a treasure trove of studies of double stops, chords, arpeggios, trills, harmonics and various bowings, but most of all unusually wide stretches. Locatelli’s works have greatly influenced Paganini’s writing, especially in his 24 Caprices. Franz von Vecsey (1893-1935) was a veritable child prodigy. By age 10, he was considered one of the finest violinists in Europe. For a while Bela Bartok was his piano accompanist. At age 12 he received the dedication of the Sibelius Violin Concerto, which he performed the following year. Vecsey dedicated the Preludio e Fuga in C minor to his teacher Jenö Hubay.

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