Sarasate Zigeunerweisen Op.20 for Violin and String Orchestra

Zigeunerweisen needs no introduction. Sarasate's showpiece has been a fixture of the violin repertoire since 1878, and the solo part is as demanding now as it was then: a full test of the player's technique, temperament, and ability to hold an audience across seven minutes of contrasting moods and styles.

The practical problem has always been the orchestra. The original full orchestral accompaniment puts the work out of reach for many ensembles, regardless of how good the soloist is. This arrangement by Paul Wood gives string orchestras a complete, performable version of the accompaniment without cutting or simplifying the solo line. Sarasate's writing for the violin stays exactly as he left it.

Reducing a full orchestral texture to strings involves choices, and the approach here is to keep the harmonic argument intact and give the string sections enough to work with rhythmically and dynamically, so the accompaniment can respond to what the soloist is doing rather than just marking time.

Key features:

• Solo violin with string orchestra accompaniment
• Professional/diploma standard; duration approx. 7 minutes
• Original full orchestral accompaniment arranged for string orchestra by Paul Wood
• Solo violin part unchanged from the original
• Practical alternative to the full orchestral version for ensembles without access to winds and brass

Who it's for: Diploma and professional-level violinists looking to perform Zigeunerweisen without a full orchestra; conductors and ensemble directors wanting to programme a major showpiece with strings only.