Classical Music | Violin Music

Recorded on 06/17/2008, uploaded on 01/17/2009

Musician's or Publisher's Notes

Polonaise Brilliante in A Major                          Henryk Wieniawski

Henryk Wieniawski's Polonaise Brilliante in A Major was one of the last works that the Polish violinist and composer wrote. Its sister piece, the Polonaise in D, was composed 18 years before and is the more commonly performed of the two works. The A major is a more difficult and longer undertaking, but it bears all the charm and technical flair that its name suggests. Weiniawski was known for his virtuosic genius as both a performer and a composer. A master of the technical aspects of the violin, his writing for the instrument is idiomatic and meticulous. The Polonaise in A is one of the more challenging works for violin, as it requires precision of techniques such as up-bow staccato and a clarity of tone that is not easily obtained.       Ilana Setapen

Courtesy of International Music Foundation.