# Favourite Solo Works for Strings



## Nox

I'm currently on a violin/viola listening binge...  

Bach Partita in E Major Gavotte en Rondeau...luv it!!! I've lost track of how many times I've listened to it since Monday...

...anyone familiar with it? Is it difficult to play?...


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## Nox

...er, should we move this to the solomusic thread????...


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## Quaverion

I think this is a fine place for it.  I like Zapateado, Symphony Espagnole, Havanaise, Danse Espagnole, Hora Staccato, Tzigane, Moto Perpetuo, and Zigeunerweisen. What about you?


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## becky

There's a lot since I really love the sound of strings! 

Vivaldi's Four Seasons 
and just about anything by Vivaldi, not just music for string solo
Just about anything by Bach, be it Partita, Concerto or what not
Mozart's Concerto No. 3 in G 
Sibelius' Violin Concerto
Bruch's Scottish Fantasy

I can listen to violin music all day!


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## 009

I'm just crazy about Vivaldi's four seasons now...been listening to the dog barking that Daniel told me.


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## Nox

...just curious...it seems every pro. does a recording of The Four Seasons...seems like a bit of a rite of passage...

...but, er, hmmmm...

...how many different recordings of The Four Seasons does the world need?...

....(BTW...it's one of my favourites too...)


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## becky

Well, I only have Gil Shaham's recording of the Four Seasons, not to mention excerpts on many other CD's. A lot of violinists do the Seasons, but it's probably because it' becomes a favorite of so many people, performers too!


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## Nox

...I went through all my CDs this past week and was surprised at how often it popped up (maybe only one of the Seasons...but still)...LOL...

...I also have no-name copy of the entire work ...I think..._runs to double check..._


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## Quaverion

What does BTW mean? I'm kind of lost..


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## becky

> _Originally posted by DW_@Jul 29 2004, 08:36 PM
> *I'm just crazy about Vivaldi's four seasons now...been listening to the dog barking that Daniel told me.
> [snapback]827[/snapback]​*


What dog barking? Please share!!! :lol:


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## Nox

...BTW = by the way...

...just a little cyber short-hand...


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## oistrach13

bach, bach, and more bach  

his cello suites are wonderful, the violin sonatas and partitas are heavenly.


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## Nox

I like some Bach...probably most Bach...but not all Bach...


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## Nox

...I posted this in the violin forum...but I'll repeat it here too...just cuz I had a good evening and want to...so there...

Well...I'm in the Philharmonic (LOL...no audition necessary...so it wasn't hard!) as a 2nd violinist...

The set-up: Llocated in the Concert Band Building...it's a nice space (if somewhat shabby), padded chairs, stands all in place...and it's even tiered. There's a large side room to leave your cases...and a kitchen...so coffee at break for $0.25!  Fees are $125 (for rent and to pay the conductor a pittance and for whatever else).

There some 50 members in total...but only about 20 showed up since it's early and some are still away for the summer. The woodwind section is quite good...if it weren't for those guys...I wouldn't have had a clue as to what we were supposed to be sounding like. The bassoonist is a little hard of hearing...so he'd keep playing when the rest of us gave up cuz we were all lost... My friend the cellist came too...just for fun...she played all this stuff back when she was 14...I think she was kinda bored...but she did say it was better than anticipated...I don't know if she'll hang around for long...but she wants to see if it gets better with everyone there (there has to be better string players than the few of us who showed up last night).

The bad news: The music was, for the most part, too hard for me to sight-read to speed the first go around. :huh: 

The good news: I was able to play much more than the very sweet lady beside me...who's been practicing all summer. B) 

The music isn't that hard...but LOTS of flats in this rep. for some reason. We will be practicing:

The Pink Panther - Mancini
Die Mestersinger zu Nurnberg - Wagner
Suite: English Folk Songs - Vaughn Williams (my first sad attempt at 4 flats!)
Gavotte and Musette - Bach (I was able to play most of this one without a problem)
William Tell Selection - from Rossini
Cuban Dance - Cervantes
Radetzy-Marsch - Strauss (very easy, except it's all double stops...so good practice for me...I'm still very inconsistant).


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## Quaverion

I just discovered a new song that is great fun to play. It is called "Navarra," by Pablo de Sarasate.


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## BrokenViolist

i dont know wat its called, but its the last song in book 5 for viola in SUZUKI.


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## Nox

Concerto #3 in C minor by Seitz?


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## Quaverion

I don't really have any Suzuki. Should I? I would say I am sort of advanced, or does it not matter?


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## Nox

> _Originally posted by Quaverion_@Oct 3 2004, 09:09 PM
> *I don't really have any Suzuki. Should I? I would say I am sort of advanced, or does it not matter?
> [snapback]2279[/snapback]​*


No...of course it doesn't matter. It's a course of study. I didn't learn by Suzuki method way back when - and I'm not now either. But I am using the books as a source of material. The books provide some nice pieces.

That, plus my instructor is a 'Suzuki Kid' - so that's the material she's most familiar with and most comfortable teaching. We're also working on lots of other stuff...including pieces I found on my own...

...it's all good...


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## Quaverion

> _Originally posted by Nox_@Oct 3 2004, 08:25 PM
> *We're also working on lots of other stuff...including pieces I found on my own...
> ...it's all good...
> [snapback]2280[/snapback]​*


Wow. My teacher would never teach me any of the stuff I like.


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## Nox

No? If it's appropriate to your program of study, why not? The Suzuki pieces are all well-known classics.


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## BrokenViolist

right know for private lessons for me, a viola.. im on suzuki book 4, a learningf the 3rd position book and kruetzer scales book wich is really hard, long and kind of neat.. but hard butright now i broke my colar bone but i am trying out for someything tom.. i hope i dont suddenly shout in pain..lol.. it probably will happen..lol


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## BrokenViolist

O YEA.. SUZUKI I THINK IS REALLY GOOD..


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## Kate

I'm using Suzuki Book 4 for Viola right now (but i don't do Suzuki method), but I'm not having lessons at the moment. My teacher told me to ring him when I have 3rd position down. He gave me enough lessons so I knew what I was doing, but I have to make it second nature.

I play Bach, Mozart and Vavaldi mostly- basically the stuff in my books. Anything that uses first and (not so much) third position is ok by me.


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## Nox

...hey! I'm in the same spot (more or less!) . Working on the first Seitz along with a few other pieces...

I'm also in love with the little Bach Gavotte (No. 1 in my issue of Suzuki Book 5 violin)...and I've heard it played on the viola...love it either way...


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## 009

I don't really like the idea of Suzuki as a mainstream method. But the pieces inside are nevertheless wonderful. :lol:


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## altiste

*Penguins by Paul Groh*

There's now a pdf of a piece called "Penguins" for solo viola composed by violist Paul Groh. It's accessible on www.contemporaryviola.com


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## World Violist

This is actually titled "solo works for strings" and so it technically means completely unaccompanied. I'll come back to this when I feel like getting my somewhat extensive list of solo viola works together...

We violists can play both the Bach cello suites AND the violin sonatas and partitas!


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## andruini

World Violist said:


> We violists can play both the Bach cello suites AND the violin sonatas and partitas!


Yes, but neither sound quite right!


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## World Violist

andruini said:


> Yes, but neither sound quite right!


Tch, that's only a matter of opinion. For the violin pieces anyway, I think the viola sounds better.

As for Suzuki, I really don't care for it. There are so many holes in it that it basically forces you to play some pieces from outside of it, else you just can't play some pieces well enough. So really Suzuki is totally incompetent for what it intends--it isn't at all self-sustainable.


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## andruini

World Violist said:


> Tch, that's only a matter of opinion. For the violin pieces anyway, I think the viola sounds better.


Well, that is just wrong!!
But don't take me seriously, I'm a violinist myself, so our opinions are bound to collide..


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## bdelykleon

Biber's Rosary sonatas are one of the greatest solo string pieces ever written. They get my vote.


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## colin

I was recently stunned by Akiko Suwani's rendition of peices adapted by Sarasate from Bizets Carmen on BBC proms. this has been a highlight for me from the whole season. It is a peice I am rehearsing towards playing just for me. The accoustics of the Royal Albert Hall and a top class orchestra did it great justice.


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## colin

just found a video of a studio recording on you tube Akiko Suwanai - Sarasate Carmen Fantasy.


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