Henryk Wieniawski

Following Niccolo Paganini, Wieniawski was the greatest violinist-composer of his day; he came from a very musical family, and his brother was also a highly gifted musician. As boys, they toured much of Europe, but it was Henryk who had the greater talent. His fame was such that he enjoyed considerable status and popularity and his compositions were much admired. His larger concertos, as well as his shorter pieces, are played by violin virtuosos to this day.

In 1860, he married, and this was about the time that he composed the two Mazurkas that were published in 1870 as his Opus 19. The second of them, in D major, is quite an extended work in this popular dance-form, with a more ruminative middle section in G minor. It is most effectively written, as we should expect.

Henryk Wieniawski on Guild Music

• GMCD 7125 Dudziarz - Mazurka for violin and piano Op. 19 No. 2

Page revised 09.09.2000