Repertoire for 3+ violins

August 10, 2006 at 04:37 PM · there's the vivaldi concerto for 4 violins

August 10, 2006 at 05:23 PM · I second the Vivaldi. Soooo much fun! There's a great recording out there from the Israel Phil's big anniversary gala, it's with Gil Shaham, Shlomo Mintz, Maxim Vengerov, and I'm embarrassed to say I've forgotten who the fourth violinist was...Menachem something?

August 10, 2006 at 08:08 PM · There's a Bach concerto for 3 violins, an arrangement by (I think) Baumgartner from a Bach 3-harpsichord concerto. I played it years ago in college. Forgot the key; sorry. Great, great piece.

Sandy

Wait, wait..D Major

August 10, 2006 at 08:10 PM · I think there's also some Telemann crap that I hated playing as a kid...anybody else remember some Telemann piece(s) for 4 violins? Or am I just hallucinating?

August 11, 2006 at 02:27 AM · You can play double concertos like Bach and Vivaldi but double the solo parts. Two firsts and two seconds.

Did you mean for students, for fun, for serious recitals? It depends on the venue of course.

August 11, 2006 at 03:32 AM · If you know other violists and cellists, definitely try the Mendelssohn Octet. It's a great piece.

August 27, 2006 at 10:29 AM · Thanks for the suggestions, although I was thinking more about fun pieces for students.

As an example, I just saw at a course a group of like 16 cello students playing an arrangement of The Beatles that was really cool!

That made me wonder if there wouldn't be pieces for violinists...

any ideas? thanks!

August 27, 2006 at 06:15 PM · There's a very famous concerto by Ludwig Maurer for 4 violins and orchestra. Joachim debuted with this concerto...playing with him was Bazzini, David, and Ernst! I wish I could have been a fly on that wall! As well the piece was performed by Ysaye, Cesar Thomson, Rodolphe Massar, and Martin Marsick (most violinists know Marsick for his famous arrangement of the Meditation from Thais.) Hopefully I don't need to explain who the others are!

Dancla wrote the Carnival of Venice variations for 4 violins with no accompaniment...which is a suprisingly difficult piece. Effective though.

Leonard also wrote a piece on spanish themes for 4 violin and piano...that's a very humorous piece. All the violin play in unison on the 4th string alone...it's hard to take a performance like that seriously!

I'm sure there's a book of pieces for for violins out there as well (arrangements) Maybe Clinton can help you?

August 27, 2006 at 08:18 PM · How about Barrage music? They're a group (there used to be two, one canadian, one european, but they merged) that plays a lot of catchy tunes from all over the world. They're considered fiddle I think, but it's not traditional Irish or Celtic, etc. I think they perform a lot at disney land or something, but they have a few books out that aren't really that difficult once you get them up to speed, but they are a crowd pleaser. Just a suggestion...

August 27, 2006 at 09:18 PM · These works for 4 Violins were in print at one time with the prices given for reference only. Order from a music dealer who will advise on availability and current price.

BACEWICZ, Grazyna (1909-1969)

Quartet for Four Violins.

Pub. PWM

6526 score & parts 39.95

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Badings, Henk ( 1907 - 1987 )

Trio No. 4 for 3 Violins

Trios: 3 Violins

Publisher: Donemus

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DANCLA, Charles ( 1817 - 1907 )

Ah vous dirai-je maman, Op.161.

4 Violins

Pub. SCHOTT

VLB0082 parts 9.95

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Delamater

All Grades for Violins,

for 3 and 4 vln

Publisher: Rubank Publications

Agent Hal Leonard

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4 VIOLINS IN CONCERT

Quartets: 4 Violin

Publisher: Schott Musik International

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Gabrielli, Ladislav, (d.1851.)

Suite For 4 Violins.

Kunzelmann ©1998

Set Of 4 Parts; $14.25

Edition #/ISBN: GM 577

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Hind O'malley, Pamela

Rounds for 4 Violins

Publisher: Stainer & Bell Ltd

Agent ECS Boston

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Jeanneret, Albert

4 Trios, For 3 Violins,

Publisher: Editions Salabert

Agent Hal Leonard

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Kvandal, Johan ( 1919 - 1999 )

Miniatures, For 4 Violins

Publisher: Musikk - Husets Forlag A/S - Oslo

Dronningensgt. 21

Oslo 1 N-0104 Norway

Tel: -425065; 22 82 59 00

Fax: -425516

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Leo, Leonardo ( Ortensio Salvatore de )

(1694 - 1744 )

Concerto for 4 Violins

Quintets: 4 Violin, Keyboard

Publisher: International Music Co.

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MULDOWNEY, Dominic (b.1952)

Sonata for Four Violins and String Orchestra (1994).

Pub. FABER MUSIC ©1994

51545-2 large score 13.95

130419 4 violins and piano (special print order)

Commissioned by ESTA for their 21st birthday with funds from Ealing Strings. Premiered at the ESTA Fiesta by the Junior Royal college of Music Ch.Orch. in December 1994. Duration: 11 minutes.

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Makris, Andreas ( 1930 – died ? )

Scherzo for 4 Violins

Publisher: Mediterranean

No current address or agent

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Maurer, Louis Wilhelm ( 1789 - 1878 )

Concertante in A For 4 Violins And Orchestra Op.55

Pub. Edition Peters

P02908 4 violin & piano 18.00

large score and orchestra materials on rental

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Nelson, Sheila

Fours, For 4 Violins

Publisher: Boosey & Hawkes, Inc.

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Szelenyi, Istvan ( 1904 - 1972 )

Kleine Suite, For 4 Violins

Publisher: Schott Musik International

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Takahashi, Yuji, (1938-)

Stoicheia (Six Elements In Succession)

For 4 Violins.

New York: C. F. Peters

Score 14.25

Edition EP 66238

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TELEMANN, Georg Philipp (1681-1767)

Concerto for Four Violins in A (TWV 54:A1) (Payne).

Pub. SEVERINUS PRESS

score & parts (1 of each part) 82.76

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TELEMANN, Georg Philipp (1681-1767)

Concerto for Four Violins in C (Gingold).

Pub. INTERNATIONAL MUSIC

2360 score & parts 9.50

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TELEMANN, Georg Philipp (1681-1767)

Concerto for Four Violins in D (TWV 40:202) (Engel).

Pub. BAERENREITER VERLAG

score & parts 19.00

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TELEMANN, Georg Philipp (1681-1767)

Concerto in G for 4 Violins

Publisher: Bote & Bock/ Boosey & Hawkes

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VIVALDI, Antonio (1678-1741)

Concerto for Four Violins in D (RV549, F.IV:7, Op. 3/ 1)

Pub. EDWIN F. KALMUS

A6359 large score/harpsichord 15.00

A6359 set ({2,2,1,1},{1,1},1,1) 40.00

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VIVALDI, Antonio (1678-1741)

Concerto for Four Violins in E minor (RV550, F.I:174, Op. 3/ 4)

Pub. EDWIN F. KALMUS

A6360 large score/harpsichord 15.00

A6360 set (incl{2,2,1,1}{1,1},1,1) 40.00

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VIVALDI, Antonio (1678-1741)

Concerto for Four Violins in B-flat (RV553, F.I:59, Op. 27/ 5).

Pub. RICORDI

0584 octavo score 15.00

Parts on rental

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VIVALDI, Antonio (1678-1741)/ UPMEYER, Walter , editor

Title: L'Estro Armonico, Op. 3; No. 9:

Concerto for Four Violins in F, RV567/F.IV: 9

Pub. EDWIN F. KALMUS

Instrumentation: strs: 4vn (soli/tutti), 2va, vc/cb, hpchd in sc

Duration: 7'

A6358 Full Score/hpchd: 10.00

Baerenreiter BA 3715 Piano Reduction 16.95

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Weinreich, Justus, (1858-1927.)

Four Pieces : For 4 Violins In The First Position.

Edited from the original edition by Bernhard Paeuler. First published in 1898 by Johann Andre in Offenbach, and dedicated to the Allgemeinen Musikbildungs- Anstalt in Karlsruhe. The editor concludes that the composer was very interested in music education, and possibly taught at this establishment.

Amadeus Verlag ©1999 BP 1049 $10.50

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The databases do not list an in print edition of:

Dancla Carnival of Venice variations for 4 violins with no accompaniment...

Leonard also wrote a piece on spanish themes

Jon do you have the publisher for these two titles?

This research was done at Jon's request.

Clinton Nieweg

August 28, 2006 at 12:54 AM · Hi Clint,

That Leonard piece is called "Serenade Humoristique a l'espagnole" Published by Schott's Sohne of course! It's actually for 3 Violins and piano, not 4 :-x

August 28, 2006 at 01:26 AM · Yeah, I played the telemann, not much fun, its boring and kind of repetitive

I've never heard the bacewicz, but i played a polish caprice by her that's kind of obscure, but fun and catchy

the mendelsohn octet is fun for advanced players, probably not students though

i've also heard this arrangement of the Bach vc for four violins, don't know where you could find it though

August 28, 2006 at 02:54 AM · That Bacewicz quartet is great! The third movement is especially accessible, kind of quirky and folk-like.