A Variation

Long ago, before there were computers to distract me, I played the violin. I pulled it out of the closet recently, got it tuned up, bought a copy of Suzuki volume 1, and started playing again. For many weeks, it sounded awful and the neighbors are no doubt thankful I close the windows before putting bow to string.

As a diversion, I wrote this:





It’s a variant on one of the tunes in the Suzuki book, which makes it relatively easy for me to play. I took it to a friend of mine who plays piano, and for the first time in a couple of decades someone else heard me fiddle. She did not clasp hands to ears, but did say the piano writing was a bit clumsy and complicated for such a short and simple tune.