The term "encore" originated from the French word for "again," and in a musical setting it functions as a request to repeat a favorite musical work. Its first documented use was at performances of Italian operas in 1712 in London. Since then, the practice of encores has made its way to violin recitals, and the choice of repertoire for encores has changed significantly. A violinist's choice of encores in the nineteenth century consisted of pieces with high technical demand, to feature the performer's mastery of their instrument. However, technique alone was not enough. Works that highlighted the melodious and lyrical qualities of the violin were also very well-received. The twentieth century saw a change in the way music was disseminated. The phonograph was popularized, radio became a mainstay of home entertainment, and long play (LP) recordings brought classical music to a much wider audience. Many well-known violinists, including Jascha Heifetz, Fritz Kreisler, Joseph Szigeti, and Mischa Elman, began to record, transcribe, and arrange popular folk tunes, opera arias, and works originally composed for other instruments for the violin. These activities gave rise to the popularity of the short character pieces and soon became favorite encore pieces for violinists and audiences around the world. This treatise will present selected violin works that were performed as encores during the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. The paper commences with a discussion of the term "encore" itself, as well as a brief history of the practice of encores. Following that will be a study of the background and history of encore performance of selected nineteenth century violin encore works that were composed by violinists such as Nicolò Paganini, Joseph Joachim, Henri Wieniawski, and Pablo Sarasate, as well as selected violin transcriptions performed as encores by Jascha Heifetz, Fritz Kreisler, Joseph Szigeti, and Mischa Elman.
