Violinkonzert Nr. 2 op. 22

The Second Concerto in D minor, Op. 22 is one of Henryk Wieniawski’s best known and most often played works. It enjoys unwaning popularity with both audiences and performers and has been recorded many times by the most outstanding violinists of the twentieth century, including Jascha Heifetz, Isaac Stern, Mischa Elman, Igor Oistrakh, Wanda Wiłkomirska, IdaHaendel, Itzhak Perlman, Bronisław Gimpel, Henryk Szeryng and Bronisław Huberman. The enthusiasm for this work has endured since 1862, when it was first heard in St Petersburg. Introduced into his concert repertoire by Wieniawski, it later became an important part of the violin canon. The reasons for this remarkable popularity lie in the composition itself. The Second Concerto displays lofty artistic qualities, mature compositional craftsmanship and refined violin technique. Its value and significance are continually confirmed by brilliant soloists, who invariably bring to it something new, though without losing any of its original freshness and exuberance.