Irène "Poldowski" Wieniawska - Violin Sonata in D-Minor (Howick, Rahman)

Régine Wieniawski / Irène Wieniawska / Irene Regina Wieniawska / Ps. Poldowski / itd. - Sonata na skrzypce i fortepian d-moll
Published in 1914

Violin: Clare Howick
Piano: Sophia Rahman

0:00 - I. Andante Languido
6:17 - II. Vivace - Andante semplice
13:11 - III. Finale: Presto con fuoco / molto agitato - Andante

Irene Wieniawska (1879 – 1932) is a forgotten star of the early 20th century. She was the daughter of Henryk Wieniawski and a highly original composer whose works attracted attention from virtuosos and royalty from across Europe. She was born in Brussels and never knew her father, who died just months after she was born. Later, she moved to London and back to Brussels again at the prompting of Queen Elisabeth of Belgium, who expressed a desire to hear her play. She ended up settling in the United States a few years before her death.

For a figure so well-respected in her day, she has an air of mystery and tragedy about her. Her pseudonym, adopted after the death of her firstborn which inspired many mournful compositions, stands as the first eclipsing detail followed by contradictory biographical information due to incomplete or missing records and the fact that her most substantial works are lost. Add to all of that the breakup of her marraige which never recovered from the loss of her firstborn and the bohemian character of her children (both of which were high-profile drug addicts), and we are left with a figure destined to be the centerpiece of some black-and-white drama with burning lights and thick silhouettes. But somehow we forgot about her and her music, which bore fresh ideas and dazzling virtuosity.