More Wieniawski, more Polish music
The programme for this year’s edition stands out for its strong emphasis on Polish repertoire, featuring 20th-century compositions prominently. This is especially true for Stage 2, where participants will perform works by Grażyna Bacewicz, Karol Lipiński, and Witold Lutosławski, among others.
Henryk Wieniawski was not only one of the preeminent violin virtuosos of his era but also a celebrated composer. By touring major cultural capitals across Europe and the Americas, he championed his own music, securing its lasting place in violin history and the modern concert repertoire.
Works by the competition’s patron frame the entirety of the 17th Henryk Wieniawski International Violin Competition, serving as the foundation for Stage 1. Each candidate’s recital must include at least two of his pieces. Should the compulsory portion run under 25 minutes, competitors may supplement their performance with a work of their choice, spanning from the Baroque era to contemporary music. This flexibility allows violinists to showcase their artistic individuality while broadening the stylistic variety of the auditions.
Wieniawski’s music returns at the culmination of the event. Each of the three finalists will perform one of his two violin concertos: the Concerto No. 1 in F-sharp minor, Op. 14, or the Concerto No. 2 in D minor, Op. 22.
The wider repertoire also encompasses masterpieces by key 19th- and early 20th-century composers, including Béla Bartók, Ludwig van Beethoven, Antonín Dvořák, Edvard Grieg, and Robert Schumann. The sonatas, rhapsodies, and concertos selected for Stage 2 and the semi-finals give participants an opportunity to demonstrate their technical mastery, interpretative maturity, and stylistic versatility.
Spanning multiple eras and aesthetic currents, the rigorous curriculum across all rounds juxtaposes cornerstone violin literature with lesser-performed gems, allowing participants to display their full artistic range while offering listeners a comprehensive survey of the violin canon.
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The same piece may not be performed in more than one stage of the Competition.
STAGE 1
performance duration: 25-30 minutes
1. One caprice by H. Wieniawski – to be selected from Op. 10 or Op. 18.
2. One of the following compositions or groups of compositions by H. Wieniawski:
a. Polonaise de Concert in D Major, Op. 4,
b. Capriccio-Valse, Op. 7,
c. Romance sans paroles et Rondo élégant, Op. 9,
d. Two mazurkas from Op. 12 and two from Op. 19 (a total of four pieces),
e. Variations on an Original Theme, Op. 15 [Theme original varié, Op. 15],
f. Scherzo-Tarantelle, Op. 16,
g. Légende, Op. 17 and Souvenir de Posen, Op. 3,
h. Fantasia on Themes from Faust, Op.20 [Fantaisie brillante sur de motifs de l’opera Faust de Gounod, Op. 20],
i. Polonaise in A Major, Op. 21 [2me Polonaise brillante, Op. 21],
j. Oriental Fantasy, Op. 24 [Fantaisie Orientale, Op. 24].
3. Solely in case the programme consisting in compositions indicated in par. 1 and 2 is shorter than 25 minutes: a composition or compositions selected by the participant ranging from the Baroque (use of Baroque bow permissible) through modernity for solo violin or for violin and piano. In cyclic compositions, performance of all movements is not mandatory.
STAGE 2
performance duration: 45-50 minutes
1. One sonata for violin and piano from list A, and one composition from list A.
OR
One sonata for violin and piano from list B, and one composition from list B.
LIST A – Sonatas:
a. B. Bartók - Sonata no. 1,
b. B. Bartók - Sonata no. 2,
c. E. Bloch - Sonata no. 1,
d. C. Debussy - Sonata in G Minor L. 140,
e. E. Elgar - Sonata in E Minor, Op. 82,
f. G. Fauré - Sonata no. 1 in A Major, Op. 13,
g. C. Franck - Sonata in A Major,
h. E. Grieg - Sonata no. 1 in F Major, Op. 8,
i. E. Grieg - Sonata no. 2 in G Major, Op. 13,
j. E. Grieg - Sonata no. 3 in C Minor, Op. 45,
k. L. Janáček - Sonata,
l. F. Poulenc - Sonata,
m. S. Prokofiev - Sonata no. 1 in F Minor, Op. 80,
n. S. Prokofiev - Sonata no. 2 in D Major, Op. 94a,
o. M. Ravel - Sonata in G Major,
p. F. Schubert – Grand Duo in A Major, Op. 162, D. 574,
q. R. Schumann - Sonata No. 1 in A Minor, Op. 105,
r. R. Schumann - Sonata no. 2 in D Minor, Op. 121,
s. V. Silvestrov - Sonata Post Scriptum.
LIST A – Additional compositions:
a. G. Bacewicz - Mazovian Dance,
b. G. Bacewicz - Slavonic Dance,
c. G. Bacewicz - Partita (1955),
d. S. Laks - Polish Suite,
e. K. Lipiński - Rondo alla polacca, Op. 7,
f. K. Lipiński - Polonaise in A Major no. 1, Op. 9,
g. K. Lipiński - Polonaise in E Minor no. 2, Op. 9,
h. W. Lutosławski - Partita,
i. W. Lutosławski - Subito,
j. K. Meyer - Capriccio interrotto, Op. 93,
k. K. Penderecki - Cadenza,
l. K. Penderecki - La Follia,
m. K. Szymanowski - Romance, Op. 23,
n. K. Szymanowski - Nocturne and Tarantella, Op. 28,
o. K. Szymanowski - Mythes, Op. 30 (all three pieces),
p. A. Tansman - 5 pieces for violin and piano,
q. R. Twardowski - Spanish Fantasy,
r. M. Weinberg - Rhapsody on Moldavian Themes, Op. 47 no. 3.
LIST B – Sonatas:
a. G. Bacewicz - Sonata no. 4,
b. Z. Noskowski - Sonata in A Minor,
c. I. J. Paderewski - Sonata in A Minor, Op. 13,
d. K. Penderecki - Sonata no. 1,
e. K. Penderecki - Sonata no. 2,
f. Z. Stojowski - Sonata in G Major, Op. 13 no. 1,
g. Z. Stojowski - Sonata in E Major, Op. 37 no. 2,
h. K. Szymanowski - Sonata in D Minor, Op. 9,
i. A. Tansman - Sonata in D Major no. 2,
j. M. Weinberg - Sonata, Op. 39 no. 4,
k. M. Weinberg - Sonata, Op. 53 no. 5,
l. W. Żeleński - Sonata in F Major, Op. 30.
LIST B – Additional compositions:
a. B. Bartók - Rhapsody No. 1,
b. E. Chausson - Poème, Op. 25,
c. J. Hubay - Carmen,
d. D. Milhaud - The Ox on the Roof [Cinema-fantaisie d'après Le Bœuf sur le toit Op. 58] - version for violin and piano,
e. N. Paganini - I Palpiti, Op. 13,
f. M. Ravel - Tzigane,
g. P. Sarasate - Gypsy Airs, Op. 20,
h. P. Sarasate - Carmen, Op. 25,
i. M. Skoryk - Carpathian Rhapsody,
j. C. Saint-Saëns - Havanaise, Op. 83,
k. C. Saint-Saëns - Introduction and Rondo Capriccioso, Op. 28,
l. C. Saint-Saëns / E. Ysaÿe - Etude en forme de Valse, Op. 52,
m. I. Stravinsky - Suite Italienne,
n. F. Waxman - Carmen,
o. E. Ysaÿe - Poème élégiaque, Op. 12.
2. Solely in case the programme consisting in compositions indicated in par. 1 is shorter than 45 minutes: a composition or compositions selected by the participant ranging from the Baroque (use of Baroque bow permissible) through modernity for solo violin or for violin and piano. In cyclic compositions, performance of all movements is not mandatory.
STAGE 3
One of the following compositions:
a. M.P. Górecki - Concerto-Notturno, Op. 13,
b. A. Panufnik - Violin Concerto,
c. P. Vasks - Vox Amoris: Fantasy for Violin and Strings,
d. M. Weinberg - Concertino, Op. 42.
STAGE 4 (Semi-final)
One concerto with orchestra to be selected from the following list:
a. J. Brahms - Violin Concerto in D Major, Op. 77,
b. L. van Beethoven - Violin Concerto in D Major, Op. 61,
c. A. Dvořák - Violin Concerto in A Minor, Op. 53,
d. M. Karłowicz - Violin Concerto in A Major, Op. 8,
e. F. Mendelssohn - Violin Concerto in E Minor, Op. 64,
f. J. Sibelius - Violin Concerto in D Minor, Op. 47.
STAGE 4 (Final)
H. Wieniawski: one concerto with orchestra:
a. H. Wieniawski - Violin Concerto in F-sharp Minor No. 1, Op. 14,
b. H. Wieniawski - Violin Concerto in D Minor No. 2, Op. 22.
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