Sarasate was born March 10, 1844 in Pamplona, Spain in the Spanish province of Navarre.
He began to learn the violin when he was only 5 years old. His first teacher was his father.
He later moved to Madrid to study with Manuel Rodríguez Saez. As a teenager he also studied with Jean Alard at the Paris Conservatoire.

He performed public solos on the violin that he had composed and of them had a Spanish flavor. He died in 1908 in France.
Sarasate was Basque. The Basque country has been divided under the rule of Spain and France.
Basque people are found in the south west France as well as northern Spain. The Basque country is known in Basque language as Euskadi, its language is known as Euskera and it is different from spanish languages such as Castellano, Catala and Gallego.

Sarasate was a violin prodigy.
He is best know for his many violin works based on Spanish airs and dances.
I added this picture because I thought you would enjoy it. Many of us are not in a position to own such a wonderful artifact of violin playing.
Thank you, David Sanders for sharing this picture. If anyone is interested in purchase.
Pablo de Sarasate, fabulous signed cabinet photo with violin. © David Sanders

Romanza Andaluza

A challenge for your fingers

Fun! Fun! Fun!

Lets try yet, another fingering?
Zapateado

I saw Midori add this as an encore, when she opened with first
notes the audience clapped. We all know it when we hear it.

Ah, yes, harmonics.....oooooooooooooooooo

And how is your left hand?
CARAMEN - What does it take to be a goood Carmen? George Bizet (1838-1875) composed the opera CARMEN. It opened in March 3, 1875 at the Opéra-Comique in Paris. Bizet was French but the opera was set in Spain. It is the story of a gypsy girl, Carmen, and her lover, Don José. It has a lot of color and is very dramatic. Sarasate leaves the existing harmony and scoring of Bizet's Carmen intact. How can a violinist play Sarasate's Carmen Fantasy Op25. and create with-in the sound and style of playing the character of Carmen?

If you want to really hear great Sarasate,
I recommend Aaron Rosand Plays Sarasate.
• Carmen Fantasy
• Zigeunerweisen
• Spanish Dances
  • No. 1 Malaguena
  • No. 2 Habanera
  • No. 3 Romanza Andaluza
  • No. 4 Jota Navarra
  • No. 5 Playera
  • No. 6 Zapateado
  • No. 7, Op. 26
  • No. 8, Op. 26
• Navarra
• Caprice Basque

Video by Rosand - An Evening at Bel Eden, Aaron Rosand, violin; John Covelli, Piano. This is an absolutly wonderful video. You will think you are at a lovely concert in a beautiful mansion. Dress nicely when you watch. I bought my video through SHAR.
• Devil's trill Sonata
• Adagio and Rondo - Mozart
• Chaconne - Bach
• Malaguena Sarasate
• Zapateado - Sarassate
• Piece en Forme de Habanera - Ravel
• Valses Nobles et Sentinentales - Ravel-Heifetz
• Legende - Wieniawshi
• Souvenir de Moscow - Wieniawshi

Violin Music by Pablo de Sarasate
Caprice Basque, Op. 24 International Music	Carmen, Op. 25 Fantasy after Bizets Opera Carl Fischer International Music
Habanera, Op. 21, No.2 International Music	Introduction & Tarantella, Op. 43 Carl Fischer International Music
Jota Navarra International Music	Malaguena, op. No1. Schott International Music
Playera, Op. 23. No.1 International Music	Romanza Andaluza, Op. 22. No.1 Schott International Music
Zapateado, Op. 23. No.2 Carl Fischer International Music company	Zigeunerweisen, Op. 20 Schott International Music Carl Fischer Schirmer

Links about Sarasate and his music
Sarasate Biography
Sarasate.com
Sarasate 1844 - 1908
La vita di Pablo de Sarasate