French.

The masters of the violin have left us an inheritance of numerous books of remarkable studies and caprices. But the very abundance of this precious inheritance makes that an important part of it remains without profit, because it is impossible for the pupils to acquire or study these few thousands studies scattered in fifty big volumes. Very frequently, however, these studies are not classified in a progressive manner. Result of an inspiration which the pedagogical spirit could not always dominate or guide as it liked to, the first studies address themselves sometimes to the pupils who conjugate yet their first shifts with the most easy bow strokes, while the last are always of transcendent difficulty. Whatever be the chosen studies, once the first step is sourmounted, the pupils must do great efforts to realize imperfectly and in divided movements, difficulties which are beyond them. The result of this is: a considerable loss of time and sometimes even much discouragement. It follows at all events, that instead of practising fifty or sixty caprice studies in one year\'s time, the pupils can hardly study thirty. It is the desire to remedy these multiple inconveniences, that has incited us to realize the present work and in order to accomplish it to search in the greatest works of the masters, the elements the most apt to insure rapidly to the young violinists, the most complete mecanism of the left hand and bow. These exceedingly numerous and diverse elements chosen in the old editions, have been re-examined, fingered and sometimes the nuances (shades) set by us, with the most care and then classified by degrees from the second to the eight year of study in a progressive manner. These books of studies will not bear their fruits however, unless the work is regulated from the second to the fifth year of teaching, by a good method and appropriated exercises. The studies cannot in reality during this period, replace neither a method nor the exercises, they have to be considered rather as an amplified rehearsal of elements learned elsewhere but still badly assimilated.

Caprices No.?s 1 - 6 (for unaccompanied violin) MO112

Violin Solo

Music by Mark O?Connor

36 pages - 20:00 minutes in length



Caprice No. 1 In A Major - p. 1

Caprice No. 2 In G Minor - p. 7

Caprice No. 3 In A Major - p. 13

Caprice No. 4 In D Major - p. 19

Caprice No. 5 In F Major - p. 25

Caprice No. 6 In G Major - p. 31



Caprices No.?s 1 - 6 for unaccompanied violin are among Mark O?Connor?s most critically acclaimed works. Receiving great interest from performers, teachers and students of the violin, O?Connor has contributed music here which will challenge even the most gifted virtuoso. O?Connor?s caprices, like Nicolo Paganini?s and Pietre Locatelli?s, push the violin into a new direction, musically and technically, furthering the possibilities of the instrument. ?Caprice?s No.?s 1 - 6? feature demanding techniques which are desirable for study purposes, and at the same time, are accessible to concert audiences. The violinist will find passages containing complex rhythms, broken chord arpeggios, two-handed pizzicato, various spicatto and double-stopped runs. In addition to these specialized skills, the violinist must master the works? driving and aggressive rhythms in order to perfect the performance of them. This collection is appropriate for the advanced student but isolated selections could be valuable for the intermediate.



Original music printed from the composer?s manuscripts.

Music editing, copying and engraving by Mark O?Connor

using ?Finale? on Apple Macintosh 1986 - 1994



Composed By Mark O?Connor

Caprices No.?s 1 - 6 can be heard on ?Midnight On The Water? Warner Bros. Records

Mark O?Connor - violin



Catalogue Number MO112

Copyright � 1986 by Mark O?Connor Music International

The Belgian violinist, Eugene Ysaye (1858-1931), with his impressive blend of virtuosity and poetry, was a great admirer of the young Debussy's music who led the Paris premiere of his only string quartet in December 1893. In September 1892, Debussy was planning an American tour with the financial support of Prince Andre Poniatowski that was to include his 'nearly completed three Scenes au crepuscule', inspired by the Symbolist poetry of his friend Henri de Regnier. He made 'extensive revisions' to them in 1893, even if all that seems to have survived is a series of sketches in Bibliotheque Nationale de France, MS 20632(2), most of which appear to be for violin and orchestra in E or B major. Another related, and more virtuosic, theme emerged in a Parisian sale in June 2006, which opens the main part of the present Nocturne (after a slow introduction).

We also learn from Ernest Chausson in April 1893 that Debussy was composing a work for Ysaye's first American tour in 1894-95, which at one stage was described as a 'concerto'. Then, as Debussy was putting the finishing touches to L'Apres-midi d'un faune in 1894, he told Ysaye he was now working on 'three Nocturnes for solo violin and orchestra which are destined for you', and which undoubtedly derived from his earlier 'Twilight scenes'. The first was to be 'for strings only'. the second for three flutes, four horns, three trumpets and two harps. the third combines all these instruments'. He also informed Ysaye, perhaps with Whistler's Nocturnes in mind, that they were to be like 'a study in grey in painting'. Debussy only abandoned this project in November 1896 after Ysaye told him he would not be able to premiere the Nocturnes in Brussels 'for financial reasons'.

My completion comes closest to the third Nocturne Debussy planned and to being a rondo with related episodes. The dynamic idea that emerged in 2006, which was scored by Debussy, leads naturally into the 'twilight' theme in B major beginning on solo cello and doublebasses, with the high, haunting three-note idea first heard at the outset floating above on solo violin, exactly as Debussy conceived it. All five of Debussy's themes are harmonized and they vary in length between three and thirteen bars: none of them relate to the orchestral Nocturnes of 1897-99. Rather than develop any of these themes, they are presented in changing harmonic backgrounds in the contemporary manner of L'Apres-midi d'un faune, and the whole work centres on an expansive scalar which joins the various aspects of Debussy's 'twilight' themes together in a new perspective.

Richard Galliano is a French accordionist of Italian heritage. After a long and intense period of study, at 14, in a search to expand his ideas on the accordion, he began listening to jazz and heard records by the trumpet player Clifford Brown. The second decisive meeting took place in 1980, with the Argentinean composer and bandoneonist Astor Piazzolla.
Astor strongly encouraged Richard to create the French ?New Musette?, as he himself had previously invented the Argentinean ?New Tango?.
Some later collaboration include Chet Baker, Eddy Louiss, Ron Carter, Wynton Marsalis, Charlie Haden,
Gary Burton, Michel Portal, Toots Thielemans and Kurt Elling.

This arrangement for Violin with piano of one of his most famous and performed pieces (with clear rhythmic references to the Piazzolla's "Libertango") is suitable for classroom, repertoire and recital.