Józef Wieniawski

Józef Wieniawski (23 May 1837 – 11 November 1912) was a Polish pianist, composer, conductor and teacher. He was born in Lublin, the younger brother of the famous violinist Henryk Wieniawski. After Franz Liszt, he was the first pianist to publicly perform all the études by Chopin. He appeared with Liszt in recitals in Paris, London, Copenhagen, Stockholm, Brussels, Leipzig and Amsterdam. Near the end of his life, a journalist asked him how long he intended to serve music. He replied: "As long as I remain young!"

Life Józef Wieniawski studied at the Conservatoire de Paris with Pierre Zimmermann and Antoine François Marmontel in 1847, leaving in 1850. In 1855 he received a scholarship from the Tsar of Russia to study with Franz Liszt in Weimar and from 1856 until 1858 in Berlin with Adolf Bernhard Marx, with whom he studied music theory. He left 11 mechanical recordings of his piano pieces which to date have not come to light.

Compositions

Allegro de Sonate for Violin and Piano, Op. 2 Valse de Concert No. 1 in D-flat major, Op. 3 "À mon maître et ami Mr A. Marmontel, Professseur au Conservatoire de Paris" Tarantella, Op. 4 "À Monsieur F. Liszt" Grand Duo Polonais for Violin and Piano, Op. 5 Valse de Salon, Op.7 "À Son Altesse La Princesse de Hohenzollern-Hechingen" Barcarolle-Caprice, Op. 9 Souvenir of Lublin, Op. 12 Piano Concerto, Op. 20 Polacca, Op. 21 Piano Sonata, Op. 22 Fantaise et Fugue, Op. 25 "À Monsieur Joachim Raff" Sonata for Cello and Piano, Op. 26 Sur l'Océan, Op. 28 Valse de Concert, Op. 30 Ballata, Op. 31 String Quartet in A minor, Op. 32 Improviso, Op. 34 Deuxieme Tarantelle, Op. 35 "À Madame Anette Essipoff" Nocturne, Op. 37 "À Mademoiselle Marie Iwanowska" Piano Trio, Op. 40 Fantasia for 2 Pianos, Op. 42 "À Monsieur Rodolphe Strobl" Guillame le Taciture, Overture for Orchestra, Op. 43 24 Études de mécanisme et de style for Piano, Op. 44 Reverie for Piano, Op. 45 "À Mademoiselle Jeanne de Fortis" Valse-Caprice, Op. 46 "À Monsieur Paul de Schlözer" Symphony in D major, Op. 49

Discographie 2008 : Piano Works vol. 1 – Acte Préalable AP0184 2014 : Piano Works vol. 2 – Acte Préalable AP0291 2014 : Guillaume le Taciturne - Symphony – Acte Préalable AP0331 2017 : Piano Works vol. 3 – Acte Préalable AP0405 2017 : Piano Works vol. 4 – Acte Préalable AP0406 2018 : Complete Vocal Music – Acte Préalable AP0410 2020 : Complete Chamber Works vol. 1 – Acte Préalable AP0468 2020 : Complete Chamber Works vol. 2 – Acte Préalable AP0468 2020 : Piano Works vol. 5 – Acte Préalable AP0474 2025: WIENIAWSKI, J.: Piano Works - Piano Sonata / Polonaises Nos. 2-4 / Ballade (Romantic Piano, Vol. 5) - Naxos Records 8.574583

Legacy Józef Wieniawski Fund The Library of the Royal Conservatory of Brussels conserves an important series of autograph manuscripts from J. Wieniawski, donated by his daughter, Elisabeth Wieniawski, collected in the Józef Wieniawski fund. They include the Sonata for piano and violin, Op. 20 and the Concerto for piano and orchestra, Op. 24, dedicated to Leopold II of Belgium, amongst others.