Lyrical Alternatives to Massenet’s Méditation by Women Composers
“Méditation” from Thaïs is a favorite for student violinists (and violists) looking to develop their vibrato and lyrical phrasing. It happens to be an audience favorite as well, making it a good choice to play for non-musician family members. But there is so much music beyond Massenet’s famous intermezzo that can serve the purpose of developing musical phrasing that are performed far less often.
While there is a huge body of lyrical repertoire for violin and piano available, in creating this list of alternatives to “Méditation” from Thaïs, I wanted to focus on women composers. While women artists in visual media are gaining greater visibility, women composers remain even more underrepresented in performance and pedagogy. Exploring works written by women composers expands our repertoire as musicians and brings under-played voices to the practice room and to audiences.
Note for violists: While many of these pieces were composed for violin, I note if viola transcriptions are easily available below.
Florence Price – The Deserted Garden, Adoration, Album Leaf
Price’s shorter works for violin and piano are warm and lyrical with a distinctly American style. These three lyrical pieces are an excellent alternative to “Méditation,” offering space to explore vibrato, tone, and phrasing while being technically approachable.
Sheet music:
- Adoration – On IMSLP (versions for violin and viola available along with numerous chamber music arrangements)
- The Deserted Garden – Music by Black Composers, Violin Vol. 2
- Album Leaf – in Selected Short Pieces by Florence Price (Sleepy Puppy Press)
Difficulty: Early Intermediate
Lili Boulanger – Nocturne
Composed when she was a teenager, Boulanger’s Nocturne is a delicate, impressionistic piece that calls for sensitivity and expressive nuance. This piece is a good choice for Intermediate players, or anyone looking to cultivate expressive playing in a piece that is less often played than “Méditation.”
Sheet music: IMSLP. also in Frauen komponieren: 13 Stücke für Violine und Klavier
Difficulty: Intermediate
Luise Adolpha Le Beau – Romance
Le Beau’s Romance is a late-Romantic gem, filled with soaring melodies and elegant phrasing, yet it is still approachable for intermediate violinists working on shifting mastery and developing beautiful tone.
Sheet music: IMSLP; also in Frauen komponieren: 13 Stücke für Violine und Klavier
Difficulty: Intermediate
Amy Beach – Romance
Beach’s Romance is a gorgeous piece with warm, singing lines. It provides ample opportunities to refine vibrato and explore long phrases. This piece requires high position playing and mature phrasing. It is a good choice for an upper-intermediate or advanced violinist looking for a lyrical recital piece.
Sheet music: IMSLP. Viola part also available.
Difficulty: Upper Intermediate
Grażyna Bacewicz – Melody
This short, haunting, lyrical piece is a perfect introduction to a more modern sound world and to the work of Grazyna Bacewicz. While having 20th century sensibilities, it still offers ample opportunities for developing musical expression.
Sheet music: PWM. Also available in the collection *The Most Beautiful Bacewicz (PWM)*
Difficulty: Intermediate to Upper Intermediate
Rebecca Clarke – Lullaby
Clarke’s miniatures bring a lyrical, modern voice to both the viola and the violin. Lullaby, one of the three pieces contained in the collection Shorter Pieces for Viola/Violin and Piano (originally for viola), follows a gentle, melodic line with ample opportunity to shape. It is an good alternative to “Méditation” for players who want to practice phrasing and vibrato while also exploring 20th century compositions.
Sheet music:
Difficulty: Intermediate to Upper Intermediate
Each of these works offers the violinist (or violist) the chance to practice shaping phrases with intention and to explore the expressive depth of the instrument as in as “Méditation from Thaïs.” Choosing one of these pieces is to embrace repertoire that is still often overlooked by players and by teachers. By bringing the works of women composers into lessons, practice rooms, and recitals, we can help to shape who gets heard and to bring more of these voices into the canon.
Looking for more repertoire inspiration?
If you enjoyed this list, you might like my Adult Violin Student’s Guide to Inspiring Repertoire, a resource full of ideas for pieces that can deepen your practice, inspire you on your musical journey.
