Black Creole Dance for violin and strings

Henri Vieuxtemps (1820–1881), celebrated Belgian violinist and composer, made his first American tour in 1843–44. In 1844 he performed in New Orleans, where he heard the "Black Creole Dance" in one of the streets of the city. He was impressed with the tune, which he set to music for violin and piano. He dedicated this work to the Creole ladies of New Orleans.

The piece was never published or performed after 1858, when Vieuxtemps himself performed it. The manuscript was found during the 1990’s in a private home in New Orleans. Constantinides wrote this string arrangement from that manuscript in 1996 for a performance by the Louisiana Sinfonietta, which took place on July 1, 1996, in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, with Edward Eanes as soloist.