Need ideas for short and nice pieces that can be played solo

July 29, 2012 at 06:15 PM · Dear friends,

I am to play a small concert where i will play alone, just many short pieces. The crowd is a sort of 'high society' type. these are not the concerts i usually play, but this came up. i need a substantial amount of pieces.

Im thinking along the lines of some bach movements, kreisler favorites, meditation from thais, ysaye, paganini caprices, 2nd movements of some concertos, etc.

Please tell me your ideas for nice pieces that can be played solo (they don't have to be written originally for solo violin)

please nothing by Ernst :)

Thank you!

Replies (16)

Emily Hogstad

July 29, 2012 at 06:34 PM · I'm assuming you're in the background for that length or time, and not giving like a two hour solo concert?

I have a binder of such stuff for when I play at garden tours or historical society events or such. Here's what's in it...

Waltz - Brahms - Suzuki book 2

Themes from Rosamunde - Schubert - from a book of easy violin solos

Humoresque - Dvorak - Suzuki book 3 (with advanced fingerings, which add A LOT to this transcription)

Romance from the second concerto - Wieniawski

Ave Maria - Schubert/Wilhelmj arrangement

La Cinquantaine - Gabriel-Marie, whoever the heck that is

Greensleeves/Lovely Joan - from a book of easy violin solos

Meditation from Thais - Massenet

Le Cygne (The Swan) - Saint-Saens - violin transcription

Nocturne from the second string quartet - Borodin - from a book of easy violin solos

Salut d'amor - Elgar

Londonderry Air - from book of easy violin solos

Kreisler - Liebesleid

Kreisler - Schoen Rosmarin

My advice would be to get 1) some kind of book of easy violin solos with popular classical tunes in them, 2) a book of Kreisler pieces, 3) a book of fiddle tunes, and 4) stuff from IMSLP. You'll be set for a very long time.

I go through a version of the above list every 45 minutes, adding and taking in things as I like. I honestly don't think you need more than that. Only the diehard violin fans will recognize you've begun the cycle again. I can't tell you how many events I've gone to where the solo instrumentalists just play various pieces from the Suzuki books over and over again...and no one in the crowd notices, much less minds. Much much better to learn 45 minutes worth of stuff really, really well, and feel really, really comfortable with it than to have, say, three hours of music to learn for one event.

Kitty Jingga

July 29, 2012 at 09:51 PM · In your 'high society' setting, are you playing to provide background music or playing as a performer in centre stage?

If it for background music, I suggest you wear a really expensive suit. It doesn't matter what you play. They're all busy sipping their champagne and keeping up with the 'high society' gossips anyways.

If you're on stage, a recital like programme would be suitable. But am not too sure about solo violin. Rachel Barton did a solo recital...but it's all Paganini Caprice. I'm not sure the audience would appreciate Meditation without an accompaniment.

Paul Deck

July 29, 2012 at 11:45 PM · Humoresque is quite nice, but please ... the real thing, not the Suzuki reduction.

Emily Hogstad

July 30, 2012 at 03:04 PM · I don't know, I disagree, Paul. I think the Suzuki version can be very effective if you have the appropriate fingerings and bowings. We're just used to hearing it being (to be frank) butchered.

But, if you can play the original (by original, do you mean the Kreisler or Powell transcriptions?), and have the sheet music, then by all means, go ahead and do that. :)

Paul Deck

July 30, 2012 at 03:28 PM · I don't know which version I mean -- except to say that it's the one Isaac Stern played SO wonderfully.

Laura Mozena

July 30, 2012 at 05:55 PM · I don't have anything against the Suzuki reductions of any piece. In fact I was going to recommend that you get all the Suzuki books. and just go through them (leaving out the inappropriate faster pieces of course). I have done this myself at gigs like this. I started with the three minuets at the end of book 1 then played Waltz by Brahms, Minuet in G - Beethoven, Minuet - Boccerini from book 2 etc. etc. The Mozart Minuet in book 7 is nice and there are easily over 3 hours of playing time in all the books including sonatas and Vivaldi concertos. Click on these links to see complete piece lists:

July 30, 2012 at 09:34 PM · Much much better to learn 45 minutes worth of stuff really, really well, and feel really, really comfortable with it

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Good advice, thank you.

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I'm not sure the audience would appreciate Meditation without an accompaniment.

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But why not...?

Joyce Lin

July 30, 2012 at 10:22 PM · Hungarian Dances by Brahms (arranged by Hubay/Joachim/Kreisler) - that's 21 pieces already.

12 Fantasias for Solo Violin by Telemann

Introduction et tarantelle and Zigeunerweisen by Sarasate

Nocturne in C-sharp Minor by Chopin (arranged by Milstien)

Romance (from the Gadfly) by Shostakovich

D Kurganov

August 9, 2012 at 12:22 AM · thank you for your replies. this won't be background music, it is a performance, but the event is several evenings, each of which i need to perform for. so I am thinking to not repeat music, but maybe i should. i'm afraid suzuki books won't work though :) not that kind of gig

brahms hungarian dances are a great idea!

thanks again for everyones comments

elise stanley

August 9, 2012 at 12:45 AM · some of the handel sonatas make nice solos...

Graham Clark

August 9, 2012 at 01:18 AM · Can you improvise?

Or do something more pop?

Film Themes (there are some big and beautiful ones)

Show tunes

Gershwin etc

I had to do a similar thing ad they wanted James Bond theme tunes all night.

Paul Deck

August 9, 2012 at 01:25 AM · Based on my own experience I can comfortably say that if a man who is too drunk to stand asks you to play Mr. Bojangles, you can get away with saying you don't know that one.

Graham you will be interested to know that my daughter played "Chelsea Bridge" on her last recital. I transposed it into a more violinistic key and played an improvised piano accompaniment. That tune is very nice on the violin.

Nairobi Young

August 9, 2012 at 02:43 AM · I've played the Meditation as a solo before and many people recognize it even if they aren't into classical music. It's beautiful and soothing and a nice solo or duet piece. I would recommend that.

Hendrik Hak

August 9, 2012 at 03:33 AM · Theme from Schindler's list.

If you use the second movements from violin concertos you may want to fill in the rests for the solo violin with the first violin, flute - or whichever instrument has the melody - parts.

Beethoven Romances

Charlie Gibbs

August 9, 2012 at 06:32 PM · Paul Deck: "Based on my own experience I can comfortably say that if a man who is too drunk to stand asks you to play Mr. Bojangles, you can get away with saying you don't know that one."

"...but here's another tune with a lot of the same notes."

Or, if you really do know it: "This is one of your favourite songs, and we hope that very soon it will be one of ours."