Hall An Arabian Love Song for Violin and Piano

Frederick Hall: Arabian Love Song (Violin & Piano) — New Edition

Arabian Love Song by Frederick Hall is a violin and piano salon miniature published in 1931 as part of the Violin Gems series. This new edition prepares the original publication for modern use.

Written in E minor, the piece has the warm, modal atmosphere typical of early 20th-century salon writing in an "eastern" vein. Sustained melodic lines, gentle harmonic colour, and a character built on beautiful playing rather than technical difficulty. At around ABRSM Grade 2, the demands are almost entirely musical, but several specific bow and left hand skills are built into the solo part in ways that make it a useful study piece.

Bow technique is central. Long tied notes on the down bow call for a slow, controlled bow speed and a supported, singing tone; some quick retakes require good control over the bow at the heel. On the left hand, fourth finger appears across string crossings, particularly moving from a higher string down to the adjacent one, which tests good hand and arm position. Several chromatic notes require a finger to shift slightly forward on the string, a technique that sharpens both intonation accuracy and flexibility in the left hand frame.

At a minute and a half, this is a short piece that earns its place on a programme through teaching value rather than scale. Students can get it concert-ready in a few weeks, and there is real musical shaping to develop along the way.

See and hear the difference

Check the score and parts preview images above, then watch the complete score video below. They'll give you a clear picture of the engraving quality and overall difficulty before you buy.

Key features

• Instrumentation: Violin and Piano
• Difficulty: approximately ABRSM Grade 2
• Duration: approximately 1 minute 30 seconds
• Style focus: bow distribution and retakes, feathery bow strokes, fourth finger across strings, chromatic intonation
• Format: PDF download, score and separate violin part
• Edition: newly edited from the original 1931 publication

Who it's for

A good choice for Grade 2 student recitals where something lyrical and characterful is needed rather than a technical exercise. Works well as a teaching piece for bow awareness, fourth finger development, and early chromatic intonation. Short enough to work as an encore or as a contrast piece between larger items in a concert programme.