Pablo de Sarasate's Carmen Concert Fantasy, Op. 25, transforms popular themes from Bizet's opera into such uniquely violinistic arrangements that very little reminds listeners of its operatic origin.
Composer Biography
Efrem Zimbalist, who arranged themes from Rimsky-Korsakov's opera 'The Golden Cockerel', knew the composer personally, having been a student at the St. Petersburg Conservatory where Rimsky-Korsakov taught.
Compositional Technique
Heinrich Wilhelm Ernst's arrangement of Schubert's 'Erlkönig' for solo violin not only captures the original piano accompaniment's complexity but also differentiates the vocal roles (child, father, Erlking) through varied tonal shadings.
Historical Context
The 18th and 19th centuries were considered the 'golden age' of virtuoso musicians, with violinists often leading the advancement of instrumental playing through their own compositions.
Composer Biography
Niccolò Paganini, a paragon of virtuoso violin playing, achieved a level of fame and public adoration comparable to today's pop stars.
Composition History
Fritz Kreisler composed his Recitativo and Scherzo-Caprice for Solo Violin, Op. 6, around 1910 specifically for the Belgian violin virtuoso Eugène Ysaÿe, who is also featured on this album.
Instruments
Elina Rubio performs on an 1863 Jean Baptiste Vuillaume violin, generously loaned to her by the Maggini Foundation in Switzerland.
