Beau Soir, for violin and piano; Claude Debussy (Carl Fischer)

Jascha Heifetz published this arrangement of the eponymous early Debussy song in 1935. Debussy likely penned the original vocal version in 1878 while in his mid-teens, setting a poem by Paul Bourget. This title is translated “Beautiful Evening,” and the poem continues to describe such an evening, then explores the need to relish such experiences in light of the brevity of human life. Though brief, the piece is elegant in its lyricism and remains true to the emotion of the text, which may be perceived even when one does not hear the words.