Description
In his "Autobiographical Sketch," Ravel described "Tzigane" as a "virtuoso piece in the style of a Hungarian rhapsody." Composed in 1924, this work exists in three versions: for piano, orchestra, and luthéal, a keyboard device that extends the instrument's timbre. Ravel had promised a virtuoso piece to the Hungarian-English violinist Jelly d'Aranyi in 1922, inspired by Liszt's "Hungarian Rhapsodies." Though d'Aranyi only received the music four days before the premiere, she still gave a brilliant performance.
