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Love the sound of a gypsy violin? Or the schmaltz of those love-themes you hear as violins play in old movies, or on gramophones? Need a performance set for an old-fashioned wedding, anniversary celebration, or a romantic Valentine's Day? Here are love songs that have stayed in the violin repertoire for more than a century, because they play to the violin's strength at expressing strong emotion.

This is the first in a series of books we're calling "Violin Vignettes." Each will be a slim volume of 10 to 12 selections that you can be play as Solos, or Duets, or in violin ensembles. Stand-out melody lines and two-part harmony. No accompaniment or backing tracks needed.

"Love Songs of Long Ago" is a hand-picked collection of twelve romantic songs from the late 19^th and early 20^th century, with just the right combination of that distinctive romantic solo violin sound, yet also sound wonderful in two-part harmony.

Good Old Tunes publishes for advancing adult beginners of violin and fiddle - no matter where you are in your musical ability. That's why all these arrangements are written in keys that are easy to read and play. And can all be played in first position.

Where possible, lyrics have been included, for a clue to the powerful emotional effects and enduring popularity of these songs. Importantly, lyrics can suggest ways to express dynamics, tempo, and articulation of phrases.

For example, the song "You Made Me Love You" started out as a bouncy ragtime number belted by Al Jolson in 1913; but thanks to a teenaged Judy Garland crooning it to a photo of Clark Gable in a 1938 film, today's musicians usually treat this ageless classic as a sultry torch song.

And the wedding anthem, "Because," made famous by Mario Lanza, has been reimagined as a wedding waltz for the bride and groom.

But you don't have to be a performer to enjoy learning and playing and sharing these songs.

So, as with every Good Old Tunes collection, we encourage you to make these songs your own.

★Contents: Gypsy Love Song * Fascination Waltz * They Didn't Believe Me * If You Were the Only Girl in the World * You Made Me Love You * Because (As a Wedding Waltz) * Kiss Me Again * I'm Falling in Love with Someone * When You and I Were Young, Maggie * Let the Rest of the World Go By * In the Gloaming, Oh My Darling * Ochi Chornye (Dark Eyes).