Raskol's Favorite: The Folk/Classical Crossover in Solo Violin Repertoire

Raskol’s Favorite is a five-minute composition written for solo violin and designed to be approachable for violinists of both classical and folk backgrounds. The piece follows in the footsteps of many other works written across the two genres and could be performed on a concert stage or at a communal gathering. Throughout a performance, the violinist is challenged to present a simple melody with increasing levels of embellishment before the initial tune breaks down, building steadily to a joyous and energetic conclusion. The piece is also designed to be flexible enough to allow for significant changes to the ornamentation and arrangement based on a performer’s preferences. As a result, each performance may differ depending on the performer and context.

This document is a guide for how to perform Raskol’s Favorite effectively using the multiple versions of the score and referencing related works. Historical context for the piece is included as well as an explanation of the technical challenges involved. Additionally, my process for creating and performing the piece is described with guidelines on how it may be amended by future performers.