Airs variés of the "Hungarian boy"
Mendelssohn called Joseph Joachim the "Hungarian boy". His fantasies on Hungarian and Irish themes are virtuoso.
From the age of 16 to 21, Joseph Joachim toured Europe extensively as a violin virtuoso and composed solo variations with orchestra from Hungarian verbunkos and Scottish songs. The London Evening Standard compared Joachim with Paganini's successor Camillo Sivori. H. W. Ernst wrote: "... the Scottish Fantasy ... is suitable for demonstrating the excellent quality of style, mechanics and expression which this violinist is said to possess." In the Morning Post was written: "Mr. Joachim mastered the difficulties of the piece ... with a skill that borders on magic."
Joachim prevented the distribution of these works, which he regarded as a guarantee of success for his tours. The autograph was discovered in 1989 in the library of the University of Lodz (Poland), where it had been removed from Berlin in 1943. - It is now finally in print! The simple themes are continuously diminished, with runs of thirds, octaves, chromaticism, arpeggios, leaps, staccatos and unaccompanied cadenzas to moto-perpetuo endings - a challenge for young virtuosos.
The detailed German and English preface by Katharina Uhde, the internationally active violinist and musicologist, contains valuable information on the performance practice of the time, including that of Ferdinand David (1810-1873) and Joachim himself: Bow strokes, double stops, portamento, vibrato and rubato. The critical commentaries demonstrate great editorial care. Incidentally, Katharina Uhde privately has orchestral material for her concertos - just like the young Joachim!
Joseph Joachim: Fantasie über Ungarische Motive, Fantasie über Irische (Schottische) Motive for violin and orchestra, edited by Katharina Uhde, piano reduction and violin part, BA 7898-90, € 26.95, Bärenreiter, Kassel
