Violin Concerto No. 1 (Wieniawski)
Encyclopedia
Violin Concerto No. 1 in F sharp minor, Op. 14, by Polish
violin
virtuoso
Henryk Wieniawski
was first performed on October 27, 1853 in Leipzig
. The score is dedicated to King Friedrich Wilhelm IV of Prussia
.
:
The first movement has two contrasting themes
, the first in dotted
rhythm and initially hesitant and the second in B major (begun by the cellos), wide-ranging and expressive. These are, in turn, dissected and ornamented by the soloist with formidable virtuosity, using multiple-stopping
and harmonic
s and, notably in the cadenza
, the extreme upper register of the violin.
The second movement, Preghiera (Prayer), is a short lyrical interlude
in A major, with the orchestra woodwinds and horns
given much prominence; it leads right into the concluding Rondo
, a colourful and vivacious piece with a contrasting episode in B major and demanding bravura
playing, but without the first movement's extreme pyrotechnics (suggesting that it was composed earlier).
The striking feature about this movement is the fact that the solo part can be, and probably is intended to be, played on the G-string, thereby exhibiting the richness of the violin's tone.
The overall piece is rarely performed in concerts due to its weakness in the second and third movements. Many consider this piece as an improperly balanced piece, with a tense, challenging first movement and a transparent, weak second and third movement.
However, a judicious execution of these latter movements can redress the balance. For instance, the second movement, being played on the G-string will provide a substantial challenge, especially with extreme sensitivity balancing the "religioso" and lyrical characteristics of this movement. It is also thought that Wieniawski intended a calm respite after the acrobatic first movement.
A keen eye and ear for detail can also add polish to a performance of the later movements. For instance, in the second movement, there is the occurrence of the German Sixth chord where the augmented sixth comes only in the solo part and at the very end of that bar. In other words the solo violin changes the inflexion of that harmony at the last moment. In the final movement, the lyrical second subject can be played avoiding the brilliant tone of the E-string by engaging in higher positions notably on the A and D strings, thus bringing a silkier quality to the violin's singing tone, while at the same time stretching the soloist's interpretive and technical skills, as vibrato can be broader and warmer in these high positions.
The brilliance of the first movement can be recaptured in the final section of the last movement, which is intended to be performed as fast and crisply as the soloist can manage. It is sometimes argued that Wieniawksi "front-loaded" this composition too much, whereupon he ran out of steam when it came to the latter two movements. Essentially, being his first attempt at writing a concerto, Wieniawski probably conceived the project as a showpiece of technical virtuosity, on a par with, or indeed to outdo, any of Paganini's Caprices or concertos, and along the lines of violin fantasies on operatic themes that were becoming more and more fashionable. However, all technical virtuosity is in effect invested in the first movement, thereby leaving the other two somewhat bereft of equivalent brilliance. When asked about the sheer near-impossible demands of the first movement, Wieniawski was reputed to have said, "Il faut risquer!" (One must take risks!). Wieniaski's Second Violin Concerto is perhaps proof that such risks may not be so worthwhile and due more to the exuberance of a debutant concerto-composer. The Second Violin Concerto (Op 22) proved, most probably from accumulated experience, to be a more balanced work throughout the three movements, and, while being less technically demanding, marked a considerable advance in Wienawski's skills as a composer in general.
Poland
Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
violin
Violin
The violin is a string instrument, usually with four strings tuned in perfect fifths. It is the smallest, highest-pitched member of the violin family of string instruments, which includes the viola and cello....
virtuoso
Virtuoso
A virtuoso is an individual who possesses outstanding technical ability in the fine arts, at singing or playing a musical instrument. The plural form is either virtuosi or the Anglicisation, virtuosos, and the feminine form sometimes used is virtuosa...
Henryk Wieniawski
Henryk Wieniawski
Henryk Wieniawski was a Polish violinist and composer.-Biography:Henryk Wieniawski was born in Lublin, Congress Poland, Russian Empire. His father, Tobiasz Pietruszka, had converted to Catholicism. His talent for playing the violin was recognized early, and in 1843 he entered the Paris...
was first performed on October 27, 1853 in Leipzig
Leipzig
Leipzig Leipzig has always been a trade city, situated during the time of the Holy Roman Empire at the intersection of the Via Regia and Via Imperii, two important trade routes. At one time, Leipzig was one of the major European centres of learning and culture in fields such as music and publishing...
. The score is dedicated to King Friedrich Wilhelm IV of Prussia
Prussia
Prussia was a German kingdom and historic state originating out of the Duchy of Prussia and the Margraviate of Brandenburg. For centuries, the House of Hohenzollern ruled Prussia, successfully expanding its size by way of an unusually well-organized and effective army. Prussia shaped the history...
.
Structure and style
The work is in three movementsMovement (music)
A movement is a self-contained part of a musical composition or musical form. While individual or selected movements from a composition are sometimes performed separately, a performance of the complete work requires all the movements to be performed in succession...
:
- Allegro moderato
- Preghiera: Larghetto
- Rondo: Allegro giocoso
The first movement has two contrasting themes
Theme (music)
In music, a theme is the material, usually a recognizable melody, upon which part or all of a composition is based.-Characteristics:A theme may be perceivable as a complete musical expression in itself, separate from the work in which it is found . In contrast to an idea or motif, a theme is...
, the first in dotted
Dotted note
In Western musical notation, a dotted note is a note with a small dot written after it. The dot increases the duration of the basic note by half of its original value. If the basic note lasts 2 beats, the corresponding dotted note lasts 3 beats...
rhythm and initially hesitant and the second in B major (begun by the cellos), wide-ranging and expressive. These are, in turn, dissected and ornamented by the soloist with formidable virtuosity, using multiple-stopping
Double stop
A double stop, in music terminology, is the act of playing two notes simultaneously on a melodic percussion instrument or stringed instrument...
and harmonic
Harmonic
A harmonic of a wave is a component frequency of the signal that is an integer multiple of the fundamental frequency, i.e. if the fundamental frequency is f, the harmonics have frequencies 2f, 3f, 4f, . . . etc. The harmonics have the property that they are all periodic at the fundamental...
s and, notably in the cadenza
Cadenza
In music, a cadenza is, generically, an improvised or written-out ornamental passage played or sung by a soloist or soloists, usually in a "free" rhythmic style, and often allowing for virtuosic display....
, the extreme upper register of the violin.
The second movement, Preghiera (Prayer), is a short lyrical interlude
Bridge (music)
In music, especially western popular music, a bridge is a contrasting section which also prepares for the return of the original material section...
in A major, with the orchestra woodwinds and horns
Horn (instrument)
The horn is a brass instrument consisting of about of tubing wrapped into a coil with a flared bell. A musician who plays the horn is called a horn player ....
given much prominence; it leads right into the concluding Rondo
Rondo
Rondo, and its French equivalent rondeau, is a word that has been used in music in a number of ways, most often in reference to a musical form, but also to a character-type that is distinct from the form...
, a colourful and vivacious piece with a contrasting episode in B major and demanding bravura
Bravura
In classical music, a bravura is a virtuosic passage intended to show off the skill of a performer, generally as a solo, and often in a cadenza. It can also be used as an adjective , or to refer to a performance of extraordinary virtuosity. The term comes from the Italian language for great skill....
playing, but without the first movement's extreme pyrotechnics (suggesting that it was composed earlier).
The striking feature about this movement is the fact that the solo part can be, and probably is intended to be, played on the G-string, thereby exhibiting the richness of the violin's tone.
The overall piece is rarely performed in concerts due to its weakness in the second and third movements. Many consider this piece as an improperly balanced piece, with a tense, challenging first movement and a transparent, weak second and third movement.
However, a judicious execution of these latter movements can redress the balance. For instance, the second movement, being played on the G-string will provide a substantial challenge, especially with extreme sensitivity balancing the "religioso" and lyrical characteristics of this movement. It is also thought that Wieniawski intended a calm respite after the acrobatic first movement.
A keen eye and ear for detail can also add polish to a performance of the later movements. For instance, in the second movement, there is the occurrence of the German Sixth chord where the augmented sixth comes only in the solo part and at the very end of that bar. In other words the solo violin changes the inflexion of that harmony at the last moment. In the final movement, the lyrical second subject can be played avoiding the brilliant tone of the E-string by engaging in higher positions notably on the A and D strings, thus bringing a silkier quality to the violin's singing tone, while at the same time stretching the soloist's interpretive and technical skills, as vibrato can be broader and warmer in these high positions.
The brilliance of the first movement can be recaptured in the final section of the last movement, which is intended to be performed as fast and crisply as the soloist can manage. It is sometimes argued that Wieniawksi "front-loaded" this composition too much, whereupon he ran out of steam when it came to the latter two movements. Essentially, being his first attempt at writing a concerto, Wieniawski probably conceived the project as a showpiece of technical virtuosity, on a par with, or indeed to outdo, any of Paganini's Caprices or concertos, and along the lines of violin fantasies on operatic themes that were becoming more and more fashionable. However, all technical virtuosity is in effect invested in the first movement, thereby leaving the other two somewhat bereft of equivalent brilliance. When asked about the sheer near-impossible demands of the first movement, Wieniawski was reputed to have said, "Il faut risquer!" (One must take risks!). Wieniaski's Second Violin Concerto is perhaps proof that such risks may not be so worthwhile and due more to the exuberance of a debutant concerto-composer. The Second Violin Concerto (Op 22) proved, most probably from accumulated experience, to be a more balanced work throughout the three movements, and, while being less technically demanding, marked a considerable advance in Wienawski's skills as a composer in general.