Gipsy Airs (Zigeunerweisen), Op. 20

Pablo de Sarasate (1844–1908) was a Spanish violin virtuoso and composer who became one of the most celebrated musical figures of the late 19th century.
Born Martín Melitón de Sarasate y Juan in Pamplona, Spain, in a family of a military bandmaster and violinist. He started to play violin at age five. His talent was so immediate that he gave his first public concert in A Coruña at age eight. His performance caught the attention of wealthy patrons and Queen Isabella II, who provided him with a scholarship and a precious Stradivarius violin to support his education. At age 12, he moved to France to study at the Paris Conservatory under Jean-Delphin Alard. He won the conservatory's prestigious Premier Prix at just 13 years old, followed by a first prize in solfège and harmony.
Sarasate spent his entire adult life touring the globe, from Europe to the Americas and Asia. He was famous for a style that favored purity of intonation and "lightness" over the heavy, dramatic vibrato common in the German school of the time. His playing inspired a massive portion of the standard violin repertoire. Works dedicated to him include Saint-Saëns’ Introduction and Rondo Capriccioso and Violin Concerto No. 3, Max Bruch’s Scottish Fantasy, and Édouard Lalo’s Symphonie espagnole.
As a composer, he focused almost exclusively on his own instrument. His works, such as Zigeunerweisen (1878) and the Spanish Dances, are characterized by their folk-inspired melodies and extreme virtuosic requirements, often incorporating operatic transcriptions (such as his Carmen Fantasy).
Despite his global fame and Paris residence, Sarasate remained deeply connected to his roots, returning to Pamplona every year for the San Fermín festival.