Vecsey--Valse Triste

January 13, 2008 at 06:59 AM · Clarification to the original question: do you know of anywhere in the United States from where I can ORDER a copy of the sheet music. I don't want to pay shipping from Europe but I'd rather do that than road-trip to New Jersey or somewhere in my spare time...

January 13, 2008 at 07:01 AM · ...yes, that was probably unnecessary, but it's two in the morning and I'm bored.

January 13, 2008 at 03:11 PM · Never mind. :) A good v.commie was just kind enough to email me a pdf file of the music. :) Cheers!

January 13, 2008 at 04:17 PM · Glad you solved your problem. I was going to suggest that if you are "bored", you could learn the Joseph Szigeti transcription of Scriabin's "Etude in Thirds". You can find it in Carl Fischer's "The Joseph Szigeti Collection", compiled by Eric Wen, editorial genius. But of course, you already have that collection, don't you? (Insert smiley face here).

January 13, 2008 at 11:14 PM · No, actually I don't have that particular collection...and given the trouble I've historically had with thirds *anyway*, I'm not sure I want to try any of Joska's transcriptions! (Ever played anything transcribed by him? It's marvelously artistic but damn, awkward to play...) :)

January 14, 2008 at 12:04 AM · Oh, you really should get this collection! It is readily available from many fine retailers...it includes his arrangement of the Tartini D Minor Concerto, which is fascinating to compare to the Gingold edition (International), but I digress...

What is nice about the Scriabin is in the back of the book, Szigeti gives a whole page of notes, including such lovely gems as this:

"It goes without saying that I am always assuming that the composer is never guilty of ignorance of the technical possibilities of the instrument and also that the quality of his musical message justifies the efforts that he demands of us..." (p. 36)

Isn't that just great?

He also provides a whole slew of preparatory work, based on Kreutzer #32 and #11, and two pages of fun little extra doodles...something for everyone.

And no, I haven't worked on the Scriabin (Too Chicken, and Too Lazy), but maybe next decade. Have fun working on your Vecsey!

January 14, 2008 at 04:10 AM · Ohhh, Joska...gotta disagree with him there. Some composers really just DO NOT know how to write for the violin in a non-awkward way.

I love his literary style though, his other books are full of gems like that. he was such an aristocratic gentleman. :)