Today I am posting some music which is not very well known but which I think reaches our souls in terms of sheer beauty and lyricism.
I am playing Wieniawski's Violin Concerto No 1.
Henryk Wieniawski (1835-1880) was considered a genius and was a great virtuoso violinist and composer, born in Poland. His writing is noted for great technical difficulty as well as highly melodic phrasing. I just love it and in my humble opinion his works rank with the great composers we all know and love.
For those who wish to learn more about him please press HERE.
I became aware of this great man when my Polish mother-in-law brought an LP back from her holiday in Poland in 1976 and I loved this music ever since. There are two Violin Concertos but today I shall deal with Concerto No 1, although both are equally great. These works have become more popular in the UK in recent years.
I found a wonderful Youtube video of SoYoung Yoon playing an excerpt from the third movement, so you can get the flavour of it. Isn't she lovely and a joy to watch her play - and her expression at the end bears testimony to the difficulty of the concerto.
For anyone who wants to hear more I then have set up the entire concerto for you to enjoy. Unfortunately it is in three parts but this does not mar the enjoyment too much. So, get some cheese and crackers and a glass of vino and 'drink in' this wonderful music. Both concertos are readily available on CD and I for one think they should be in everyone's collection.
For anyone who wants to hear more I then have set up the entire concerto for you to enjoy. Unfortunately it is in three parts but this does not mar the enjoyment too much. So, get some cheese and crackers and a glass of vino and 'drink in' this wonderful music. Both concertos are readily available on CD and I for one think they should be in everyone's collection.
And now the full version if you wish.
C'est Magnifique, n'est ce pas?
Hi my friend.
ReplyDeleteYou have some serious music for us here. Yes you do.
I don't have either of my speakers hooked up right now. (One of them decided to take a Christmas break and I mean that literally.) I will listen to the musica on my hubby's computer later this evening. We will be putting up a fence for our daughter during the day today.
By the way, I looked at the music on the staff here...noticing that it is written (in part) in 5 and in 6 sharps. What a hard piece to play on the piano...but you know that I want to give it a try!
Hugs and best wishes for a happy new year to you and to Maria.
J.
I can tell you really love this music, wish I knew it better but I did enjoy listening for a while. Hope you and Maria are doing well.
ReplyDeleteSending big hugs.....:-)
Thanks Mate!
ReplyDeleteDelightful to see you. All the Best-
Aloha from Waikiki
Comfort Spiral
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Incredible and definitely better with a glass of wine or two! LOL My boss, the neurosurgeon, would love to have this playing during brain surgery! LOL Thanks for a very lovely post!
ReplyDeleteI'm no violinist, but a pianist, and like to think of myself as a composer and musician, but it took me to my 40s to discover this piece by someone I've never heard of, and what a piece it is. Not only technically incredible, but beautiful and soulful as well. I felt like I was hearing a violin ecstatically massaged and wrung of every drop of its life all at the same time. The version I heard was performed by the National Polish Radio Orchestra, soloist Vadim BRodski. Heard it on KING-FM Seattle.
ReplyDeleteSomeone knew what they were programming.
I was completely spellbound by this piece. Wish I could've taken it to my male elders. Fantastic. I agree this composer belongs in the pantheon, certainly in violin, which he probably already is to those in the know.