Paganini La Streghe Op. 8 for Violin String Orchestra

Paganini: Le Streghe, Op. 8 (Arr. Violin and String Orchestra)

Le Streghe ("The Witches") is a set of variations on a theme from Süssmayr's ballet Il noce di Benevento, written by Paganini as a concert vehicle that plays directly to his reputation for the diabolical and the supernatural. It sits in the same corner of the repertoire as the Caprices and the concertos: music that is unapologetically about the violin and what it can do in the hands of a player at the very top of their abilities. This arrangement replaces the original full orchestra with a string ensemble, redistributing the wind and brass parts into the string texture while keeping the solo line exactly as Paganini wrote it.

The piece moves through a series of variations that shift in character from the dramatic to the delicate, each one finding a new angle on the opening theme. The theatrical frame, the title, and the tradition of performance that surrounds this music all add to its effect in the concert hall. Nine minutes of Paganini at this level is a substantial programme item, and one that carries a story the audience already half-knows.

At nine minutes it works well as a first-half centrepiece or a strong opening to the second half, and the string-only accompaniment makes it practical for chamber and period orchestras that want to programme major Paganini without the full symphonic forces.

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: Solo Violin + String Orchestra (Violin I, Violin II, Viola, Cello, Double Bass)
• Original instrumentation: Violin and Full Orchestra
• Difficulty: Diploma / Professional
• Duration: approximately 9 minutes
• Orchestration: wind and brass parts redistributed into the string ensemble; solo line faithful to Paganini's original
• Format: PDF download, full score and all parts

This suits professional and conservatoire soloists looking for a major Paganini work that can be performed without a full symphony orchestra, and string or chamber orchestras wanting a headline solo vehicle with the theatrical weight this repertoire carries. It also fits naturally in programmes built around Romantic virtuoso repertoire or Italian music of the period.