Camille Saint-Sa ns wrote the Introduction et Rondo Capriccioso for the virtuoso violinist Pablo de Sarasate in 1863. Although originally intended as the finale for his first violin concerto, this concert favorite was not published until 1870 in a violin and piano arrangement by Georges Bizet. The slow introduction is a brooding lament, which is followed by a sardonic rondo with accents on all the wrong beats. The solo violin part is very virtuosic featuring fast scale and arpeggio passages, double stopped melody, rapid harmonics and a short cadenza with triple stops. This favorite for violinists and audiences is presented in a new, and beautifully engraved edition by Richard W. Sargeant, Jr. and is a must for all enthusiasts.
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