Sarasate's Caprice Basque for Viola!
We are very excited to announce the first release by violist Viacheslav Dinerchtein, a new editor at Ovation Press: Pablo de Sarasate’s Caprice Basque arranged for viola!
Originally from Belarus, Mr. Dinerchtein emigrated to Mexico in 1991. Since that time he has appeared as a soloist with orchestra, in recitals, and chamber music concerts throughout North & South America and Europe. Viacheslav Dinerchtein has had quite the exciting musical career, having been featured as a soloist of the US State Department, as well as on TV & radio broadcasts. Among the many places he has performed are the Kennedy Center, Carnegie Hall, Palacio de Bellas Artes, and numerous domestic and international festivals. He is an alumus of Northwestern University and is currently living in Switzerland, where he holds the presidency of the Swiss Viola Society.
Mr. Dinerchtein is, as Wikipedia describes, an "avid promoter of both novel and overlooked viola repertoire." He lives out that philosophy in his work, having premiered William Primrose's viola transcription of Bartok's "44 Duets for Two Violins" with Professor Roland Vamos (distinguished professor at Northwestern University and another editor atOvation Press). Mr. Dinerchtein's passion for championing the viola has won him the dedication of several compositions for the instrument, some of which have been winners of major competitions for composers.
As such a champion, it is fitting that Mr. Dinerchtein has chosen to release a transcription for viola as his first release for Ovation Press. His arrangement of Sarasate's "Caprice Basque" is a breathtaking rendition that represents the unrestrained attitude that the viola can musically conceive of the violin's possibilities and perspectives:
Purchase this irreisitible score now! You can also learn more about this score by reading the article below, written by Dinerchtein himself and originally posted on our blog String Visions.
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Sarasate’s Caprice Basque is a set of variations for violin and piano that pays homage to Paganini’s 24th Caprice. Continue reading for commentary on this arrangement for viola from the editor himself, Viacheslav Dinerchtein.
This arrangement will best suit an advanced player, prepared to set aside all prejudices of what can or cannot be played on the viola. While it is commonplace to simplify double-stops, shorten arpeggios, make cuts, and so on when making a violin-to-viola transcription, no such concessions have been made here. The absence of such concessions was a conscious decision: there is nothing in the original that could not be translated into the viola, which obliges us to bear in mind that theCaprice Basque was penned by one of the most prominent authorities in the history of string performance. As some might argue, the viola is by its nature a more difficult instrument to master than the violin. And while this may be true, having too acute a mindfulness of it may block the road to any serious attempt to expand the technical horizons of viola playing.
The truth of the matter is this: the Caprice Basque lies comfortably within the viewable horizons of what is ‘playable’ on the viola, and we cannot but remind ourselves of compositions of much greater technical difficulty that are successfully performed on the cello, whose technical command calls for yet greater physical effort.
While the solo line of the Caprice Basque was left intact, in-depth consideration has been made in regard to fingerings and bowings, which often did need to be re-adjusted to the instrumental particularities of the viola. The piano accompaniment underwent modifications as well, as to make it avoid stepping on the solo line without sinking into too low a register. The Caprice Basque lends itself beautifully to the viola timbre and does not lose any of its flare upon being transposed a fifth lower.