Itzhak Perlman, the violinist on this recording, contributed to the Wieniawski legacy by dedicating one of his first EMI albums to the composer's two concertos.
Composer Biography
Henryk Wieniawski held prestigious positions in Russia, including solo violinist to the Tsar, first violin of the Russian Musical Society string quartet, and professor of violin at the St Petersburg Conservatory.
Composition History
Wieniawski's Second Violin Concerto premiered in the same year it was composed, 1862, under the baton of Anton Rubinstein, a renowned Russian pianist, composer, and conductor.
Cultural Impact
Like Paganini, Henryk Wieniawski had an international violin competition named after him, the first edition of which was won in 1935 by Ginette Neveu, beating David Oistrakh.
Composition History
Wieniawski's First Violin Concerto was published when he was only eighteen and premiered triumphantly in Leipzig in 1853.
Composer Biography
Henryk Wieniawski, the composer, was a Polish-born violin prodigy who won first prize in violin at the Paris Conservatoire at age eleven, making him its youngest-ever graduate.
Composer's Artistic Vision
Henryk Wieniawski was one of the first 'modern' virtuosos who did not limit his repertoire to his own works, but also introduced audiences to music by great composers like Bach and Beethoven.
