Pablo de Sarasate (1844-1908)
Pablo Martín Melitón de Sarasate y Navascués , better known as Pablo de Sarasate, was the pinnacle of 19th-century “fiddledom”.
He started violin lessons at five, gave his first public performance at eight, and rocketed past the best local teachers so quickly that he was sent to the Paris Conservatoire for further instruction. Queen Isabella presented him with a Stradivarius violin and personally authorized the subsidy of his expenses! In 1859 he set off on tours of Europe, Africa, North and South America and the Orient making him one of the foremost musicians of his time.
Sarasate’s predecessor, Paganini was noted for his flamboyant technical wizardry and emotional exuberance. Whereas, Sarasate was famed for his elegance, precision, apparent ease of execution and his stream of beautiful sound.
To appeal to Eastern exoticism of the German and Austrian musical appetites of the day, Sarasate composed a concert work for violin and piano in 1878 based on Hungarian melodies that he titled “Zigeunerweisen”(Gypsy Airs.) The closing section of the piece is a blazing dance in the most brilliant Gypsy manner energized by an entire fusillade of pyrotechnics.
Violin Music to Zigeunerweisen
My Performance
When I first heard this piece I grew fascinated with the challenge of performing this last section. My first teacher, Harold Firestone recognized my interest and arranged the piece as a marimba solo with piano accompanist.
Performing Sarasate’s Zigeunerweisen on a marimba, reaching for perfection, is an extreme athletic challenge requiring strength, endurance, and speed. Whatever your own art form of expression, I encourage you to invest yourself fully on the journey.
Op. 32 (Gypsy Airs) Pablo de Sarasate (Arranged for Marimba by Harold Firestone)