Written originally for violin and piano or luthéal (a mechanism invented in 1919 that attaches to a piano, producing a sound similar to the rich overtones of the Cimbalon), the premiere took place in London in April 1924. The composer had finished the work only days beforehand. Ravel later orchestrated "Tzigane" and both versions remain a "must" for music-lovers and aspiring violinists today. Jelly D’Aranyi performed both versions regularly throughout her long career.
This Urtext edition presents the first scholarly-critical edition of Ravel’s masterpiece. It is published both in the orchestral version, complete with full score and performance material, as well as in the composer’s earlier version for violin and piano. All known sources, including letters, have been drawn on for the new edition; one of the available sources, consulted for the first time, was a copy of "Tzigane" from the estate of Jelly D’Aranyi, which is today part of a private collection.