| Henri Vieuxtemps (1820-1881) was one of the most celebrated touring concert violinists of his time. As a performer, he mastered the instrument, adapted traditional virtuosic technique while creating his own style, and, through his extensive performances, became a legend in his own time. As a composer, he produced over sixty compositions, including eight violin concertos of which four continue to be performed regularly today. His works demonstrated a versatile writing style carefully exuded the idiomatic language of the instruments for which he wrote. They have received considerable favor by famous artists past and present in both performance and recording environments. Largely overlooked are his contributions to the unaccompanied violin and viola repertory. Pieces like his Six Morceaux for solo violin, Op. 55, and the Capriccio for solo viola, Op. 55, No. 9, which are the subject of this study, have surprisingly intended function from a historical perspective, and determining whether these and other similar works by Vieuxtemps might deserve a more prominent place in the standard violin and viola repertories. |
