《Carmen Fantasy》

Pablo Martin Meliton Sarasate (1844-1908)

Pablo Martin Meliton Sarasate is a famous Spanish violinist. He followed in the footsteps of the legendary violinist Niccolò Paganini (1782-1840) , and was one of the most sought after violinists of the second half of the 19th century. Sarasate’s virtuosity was beyond this world. He always captivated his audiences with his gorgeous and exceptional technique. He plucked at the heartstrings of humanity with his magnificent melodies, full of passion and personality. He used a lot of vibrato, which was one of the main characteristics of his playing. Sarasate always captivated his audiences with his irresistible charm. Sarasate completed Carmen Fantasy, Op. 25, sometime around 1883. All of the themes are based on various parts of Bizet’s Carmen. Carmen Fantasy’s melodic lines are full of fantasy. There are five main sections in the piece, an introduction and four parts. The first part after the introduction is a Habanera dance. The second section is a “lento assai” interlude, while the third section is a Seguidilla dance, and the fourth section is a Gypsy dance. Sarasate has the violin playing all of the unforgettable melodies from the original opera, adding his own arrangements of the original melodies, and artistically infusing them with his own interpretation, allowing the piece to become something people can endlessly enjoy and cherish. At the same time, he also preserves the overall style of the original music. Carmen Fantasy and Zigeunerweisen, Op.20, are Sarasate’s most representative works. A violin made by the French luthier François Louis Pique (1758-1822) in 1802 is played in this recording.