Nigun (Improvisation) from Baal Shem for Violin by Ernest Bloch, published by Carl Fischer, is a profoundly expressive solo that transforms the violin into a voice of prayer and longing.
Key features
•Deeply emotional and spiritual
•Vocal, improvisatory violin writing
•Demands expressive intensity and sincerity
•A landmark work of 20th-century violin repertoire
Nigun (Improvisation) from Baal Shem for Violin by Ernest Bloch, published by Carl Fischer, is one of the most emotionally charged and immediately recognizable works in the modern violin repertoire; drawn from Bloch’s Baal Shem (Three Pictures of Chassidic Life), Nigun unfolds as an intense, improvisatory outpouring in which the violin sings, cries, and prays, channeling deep spiritual longing through raw melodic line, flexible rhythm, and a uniquely Jewish musical voice that transcends cultural boundaries.
Key features:
A powerful example of music as prayer, marked by emotional urgency and spiritual depth
Treats the violin as a human voice, demanding expressive freedom and vocal phrasing
Built on an improvisatory character, encouraging personal intensity and narrative flow
Explores extremes of tone color, vibrato, and dynamic shaping
Deeply rooted in Jewish musical idiom while speaking universally to performers and audiences
Ideal for cultivating emotional honesty and interpretative courage
A staple recital piece that leaves a lasting emotional impression
Simchas Torah (Rejoicing) No. 3 from Baal Shem for Violin by Ernest Bloch is a thrilling, dance-driven work that captures spiritual joy through raw energy and rhythmic brilliance.
Bloch: Sonata for Violin and Piano by Ernest Bloch, published by Masters Music, is a powerful modern masterpiece that challenges performers with its emotional intensity and uncompromising expressive depth.
Key features
•Intense, psychologically charged chamber music
•Equal partnership between violin and piano
•Demands expressive courage and stamina
•Essential major work of the modern violin repertoire