The Polish violinist Henryk Wieniawski was born in
Lublin in 1835 and had his early training in his native country, before his
admission at the age of eight to the Paris Conservatoire, where he entered the
class of Massart, with whom he continued to study after completing his course.
In 1848 he traveled to St Petersburg, where his performances made an excellent
impression on Vieuxtemps, the court violinist. The following year he returned
to the Paris Conservatoire to acquire composition skills. By the age of fifteen
he was able to embark on a full career as a virtuoso, accompanied by his
younger brother Józef, who, like his mother and his maternal uncle, had become
a very considerable pianist.
The theme of the Theme and Variations is
first stated in multiple stops by the violinist and then, with accompaniment,
in the higher register of the instrument. A brilliant cadenza links this to the
cheerful following variation, and another faster cross-string version of the
theme. The next variation, unaccompanied, makes use of left-hand pizzicato,
before using the lower register of the violin. Double-stopping marks the next
treatment of the material, with passages of artificial harmonics. A gentle
return to the earlier version of the theme leads to further lyrical exploration
of the material and a dance-like variation, played largely off the string and
culminating in a brilliant conclusion. Soran Sophia Lee
Classical Music | Violin Music
Henryk Wieniawski
Variations on an Original Theme in A Major, Op. 15 Play
Recorded on 09/01/2010, uploaded on 02/10/2011
Musician's or Publisher's Notes
The Polish violinist Henryk Wieniawski was born in Lublin in 1835 and had his early training in his native country, before his admission at the age of eight to the Paris Conservatoire, where he entered the class of Massart, with whom he continued to study after completing his course. In 1848 he traveled to St Petersburg, where his performances made an excellent impression on Vieuxtemps, the court violinist. The following year he returned to the Paris Conservatoire to acquire composition skills. By the age of fifteen he was able to embark on a full career as a virtuoso, accompanied by his younger brother Józef, who, like his mother and his maternal uncle, had become a very considerable pianist.
The theme of the Theme and Variations is first stated in multiple stops by the violinist and then, with accompaniment, in the higher register of the instrument. A brilliant cadenza links this to the cheerful following variation, and another faster cross-string version of the theme. The next variation, unaccompanied, makes use of left-hand pizzicato, before using the lower register of the violin. Double-stopping marks the next treatment of the material, with passages of artificial harmonics. A gentle return to the earlier version of the theme leads to further lyrical exploration of the material and a dance-like variation, played largely off the string and culminating in a brilliant conclusion. Soran Sophia LeeMore music by Henryk Wieniawski
Mazurka
Scherzo-Tarantella
Polonaise de Concert in D Major, Op. 4
Etude No. 1, Op. 18
Polonaise de Concert in D Major, Op. 4
Polonaise Brillante in A Major, Op. 21
Legende
Scherzo-Tarantella
Scherzo-Tarantella
Scherzo-Tarantella
Performances by same musician(s)
Sonata for Violin and Piano No. 1, Op. 13
Carmen Fantasy Op.25
Sonata for Violin and Piano in A Major, M. 8
Subito for Violin and Piano
Poéme, Op. 25
Sonata for Violin and Piano
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