Born into a family that had lived in Florence since the expulsion of the Jews from Spain in 1492 Mario Castelnuovo-Tedesco (1895-1968) entertained only a distant relationship with the music he heard at synagogue: a Renaissance church held more appeal for the Florentine artist than the Oriental décor of his forefathers’ place of worship. It was only when he discovered Schelemo a rhapsody for cello and orchestra written in 1916 by Ernest Bloch that he began to understand what “Jewish music” could be. It would take until the death of his maternal grandfather and the discovery of a collection of prayers set to music among his papers for the youngCastelnuovo-Tedesco to begin to explore Jewish music. In 1928 two years after publishing the Dances of King David he wrote this Vocalise-Étude for medium voice and piano at the request of vocal teacher Amédée-Landély Hettich who wanted to include it in the Répertoire moderne de Vocalises-Études published by Leduc. The piece became so popular that it led to several adaptations and the composer asked his close friend Gioacchino Maglioni (1891-1966) to transcribe it for violin and piano. Divided into three sections the work opens with a poignant lamento that grieves the tragic fate of the Jewish people. Countering what he felt to be a tendency of Jewish music to transform into a “Wailing Wall” Castelnuovo-Tedesco follows the lamento with a folk dance whose brisk “lively and stubborn” movement has great panache. The third section returns to the initial poignant theme before briefly reiterating the dance motif allowing the piece to conclude on a hopeful note.

2me Polonaise brillante pour violon avec acompagnement de piano op.21Henryk Wieniawski wrote only two polonaises. The first one, op. 4 in D minor, is one of his youthful works; the other, op. 21 in A major, is one of the last works he composed. Moreover, H. Wieniawski is the co-author of another polonaise, op. 8, for violin and piano, which he wrote with his brother Józef Wieniawski, a pianist. The latter polonaise, like the Polonaise in D minor op. 4, is also a youthful composition (1852). The polonaise as a genre, therefore, does not occupy much space in Wieniawskis heritage. Nonetheless, both polonaises, in D minor and A major, constitute an essential part of his artistic inheritance. Likewise, both polonaises had been composed in two versions: for violin and orchestra, and for violin and piano. The Polonaise in A major was completed in 1870. It is not known precisely which of the versions, the one with the piano, or the one with the orchestra first came into being. It was the version with orchestra that the composer performed for the first time on 17 March 1870, in the Grand Theatre in St. Petersburg. But merely two months later he performed the Polonaise in Warsaw, accompanied by his brother Józef at the piano. It is quite possible that Wieniawski had already performed this version of the Polonaise. It is certain, nonetheless, that both versions either appeared simultaneously, or one was composed shortly after the other. From its first public performance until the end of his concert career, Wieniawski often included this Polonaise in his concert repertoire, playing one version or another, the choice depending on the needs and circumstances. Just to mention one occasion, he played the orchestral version during a concert tour of Sweden in 1870, when he dedicated and presented a manuscript of this piece to King Charles XV of Sweden. The dedication, however, was changed in print, and both versions were eventually dedicated to François van Hal. Both versions were published simultaneously, by Schott Publishers in Mainz, with the same plate number, though the orchestral version appeared only in parts, which was a common practice in those days. The piece was most probably not published earlier than 18751. The Polonaise was praised by the critics. The reviews reported that it was a magnificent piece2, and this opinion was shared by later critical reviews, both Russian and West European. The Polonaise remained popular after the composer had died, which is evident from the number of later editions of the piece (more than ten) issued by different publishers, mostly German, and prepared by different editors. In Poland, the Polonaise was published twice after the Second World War. All the editions introduced some more or less significant changes into the text, mostly concerning performance indications, but in a sense blurring the composers intentions. All those changes were pertinent to the violin and piano version, and it was mostly in this form that the piece appeared in concert and teaching repertoires. The performances with an orchestra were much more seldom which was, among other factors, due to limited availability of the orchestral version, as it had never been published again after the first edition, until now. The Polonaise in A major was composed approximately at the same time as the Violin Concerto No. 2 in D minor3. This convergence in time had influenced a certain similarity with regard to both composition and technical means, and also to the themes. In particular, the similarity becomes quite obvious in the second theme of the Allegro in the Concerto, and in the theme of the Polonaise. The Polonaise in A major is also in a certain way similar to the first Polonaise (in D minor), the motifs of the themes in both polonaises are alike. However, both pieces differ in style. The Polonaise in D minor shows the composers fascination with technical writing. Wieniawski makes the most of double-stops, chords, and all other sophisticated virtuoso techniques. The Polonaise in A major, written 18 years later, is much more mature. Although it is a virtuosic piece as well, the techniques used are somewhat more limited and subordinated to the expression. The virtuoso character of this piece is more fragile, much closer to the brillant style. At the same time, the Polonaise is typical of Wieniawskis violin playing technique. Here the composer uses the means regarded by his contemporaries to be typical of him, e.g., long staccato fragments played with one bow. The Polonaise is a concert piece in one movement extended form with a considerably abbreviated return of the first section at the end. The middle section is contrasting in character, due to the modulation to F major, change of tempo (meno mosso) and the reduction in the number of instruments (in the orchestral version). All the sections show thematic similarity. The first section, too, consists of three subsections, including a contrasting middle subsection (in E major). Zofia Chechli?ska Footnotes 1. See The Critical Commentary, p. ' and onward. 2. See V. Grigoriev, Henryk Wieniawski. ?ycie i twórczo??. [Life and Work] Warszawa - Pozna? 1986, p. 184. 3. The first version of the Concerto No. 2 in D minor was completed in 1862, but in 1870, i.e., not until the Polonaise in A major was completed, Wieniawski had been working on the Concerto and implemented quite a few changes.Publisher: PWM/Towarzystwo Muzyczne im. Henryka Wieniawskiego w PoznaniuSeries: Henryk Wieniawski - Complete WorksCover: softbackNr ISMN: 979-0-2740-0753-9Number of pages: 34 8Format: N4 stoj. 235x305Language version of text: pol., Eng.

Vivaldi achieved popularity throughout Europe with his collection “L’estro armonico” Op.3. He wrote the cycle which consists of twelve violin concertos (including Concerto Op.3 No.3 featured here) for the orchestra of the “Ospedale della Pietà” where he was teacher and director for many years.The two fast outer movements from opus 3/3 feature ritornelli combined with more virtuosic solo sections as was prevalent at the time. This ritornello form gives structure to the movements. It also gives the student who plays both the solo and tutti sections in this edition the opportunity to vary the returning motives interms of dynamics and ornamentation. In the short but expressive Largo distinct quarter notes alternate with patterns of sixteenth across all the strings. This allows the student to practise various bowing techniques.

Originally written for Violin and Orchestra between 1873 and 1877 Dvo ák?s Romance immediately followed his String Quartet in F minor (1873) and draws on the theme from its slow movement. He probably wrote the Romance for his friend the Violin virtuoso Franti?ek Ond ek who later premiered Dvo ák?s Violin Concerto in 1883.This Barenreiter edition is the first to avail itself of the recently rediscovered autograph of Dvo ák?s own version for Violin and Piano. Compared to the well-known Piano reductions it differs from the Orchestral version in several important respects and is also one barshorter.This new edition containing the composer?s more authentic version can nevertheless also serve as a Piano reduction to the Orchestral version.First edition of the Piano version based on Dvo ák?s autograph.Foreword by David R. Beveridge (Cz/Eng/Ger).Critical Commentary (Eng) by the editor.

1001 Nights in the Harem. Par SAY FAZIL. 'My Violin Concerto consists of four movements whose inspiration is loosely connected with Scheherazade’s One Thousand and One Nights. The first movement is set inside the harem; a variety of women from the harem are introduced, each with her own different personality. The second movement is a frenzy of dance – in effect a party night with an abundance of different types of dance music. The third movement depicts the next morning and consists primarily of variations on a well-known Turkish song. The fourth movement begins dramatically, but develops during the course of the movement more and more into a reminiscence of all the previous events and the work culminates dreamily in a happy mood with sensuous oriental sounds. As appropriate for an oriental soundscape, the orchestra includes a series of Turkish percussion instruments such as a kudüm or bendir, but also glockenspiel, marimba und vibraphone, celesta and harp. It is however the solo violin which tells the story and also accompanies the listener through the entire work. The violin part is highly virtuoso and unites the four movements into an intensely atmospheric whole in which the solo violin soars off into a solo cadenza between each movement, sometimes accompanied by one of the percussion instruments. As is customary, the present piano reduction is initially intended as an aid for the study of this work, but during my tour programmes with Patricia Kopatchinskaya and Burhan Öçal we have utilised this material to create a trio version for violin, piano and percussion.' Fazil Say/ Répertoire / Violon et Piano

Piano Reduction-This concerto in three movements by one of today's greatest composers is now available for violin and piano. Includes program notes by Bolcom. Duration ca. 20 minutes.

Serenata Notturna by Edward Gregson was first performed by Helena Smart (violin) and Caroline Jaya-Ratnam (piano) at the String Final of BBC Young Musicians 2000 Royal Northem College of Music Manchester 23 February 2000.'As the title suggests my Serenata Notturna evokes the atmosphere of night music. Following a reflective opening where the pitch development outlines a twelve-note series the music gradually becomes more agitated developing into a kind of danse macabre eventually reaching a powerful climax. The music then subsides into a much more tranquil atmosphere and the previous dissonant material transposes itself into a simple melody(like a lullaby) uttered by the violin the outline of which both melodically and in terms of the accompaniment figuration has already been present in the piece since the beginning. Thus the turmoil of the first part of the work becomes transfigured into something much more peaceful - hence the quotation that prefaces the score: ?out of darkness cometh light?. After I finished the work it became apparent to me that it might become the sketch for the slow movement of a Violin Concerto on which I had just begun working. It did indeed form the basis of that slow movement and the concerto was premiered by Lyn Fletcher and the Halle Orchestra conducted by Kent Nagano at Bridgewater Hall Manchester in February 2000 the same month as Serenata Notturna itself was first played in public.'Edward Gregson

for Violin and Piano Reduction-The multi-talented Andre Previn composed this three-movement concerto on commission from the Boston Symphony Orchestra for violinist Anne-Sophie Mutter. The concerto was actually written during the months before the marriage ofMutter and Previn. It was premiered on March 14 2002 at Symphony Hall Boston. The composer's feelings and admiration for Mutter and the BSO come through in this expansively tuneful warm music. The piece reflects Previn's earlychildhood memories of Germany incorporating a German children's song in the third movement.

Nocturne. Par DUTILLEUX HENRI. Henri Dutilleux was born in Angers, France, in 1916. This ten-minute Nocturne in one movement was first performed in London by Anne-Sophie Mutter. The demanding solo part has closely alternating virtuoso and lyrical passages. The orchestra accompanies and engages in a dialogue with the solo violin in a colourful and elegant manner that is typically French. The violin part in this edition contains bowings and fingerings by Anne-Sophie Mutter./ Répertoire / Violon et Piano

Nocturne Klavierauszug mit Solostimme - KA SoloSt - violin and orchestra Henri Dutilleux was born in Angers, France, in 1916. This ten-minute Nocturne in one movement was first performed in London by Anne-Sophie Mutter. The demanding solo part has closely alternating virtuoso and lyrical passages. The orchestra accompanies and engages in a dialogue with the solo violin in a colourful and elegant manner that is typically French. The violin part in this edition contains bowings and fingerings by Anne-Sophie Mutter.

Originally written for solo violin and string orchestra. In three movements: 1. Romanza 2. Valse funèbre and 3. Cakewalk. Advanced Level. Written for the famed violinist Nadja Salerno-Sonnenberg and the San Francisco-based New Century Chamber Orchestra.