Henryk Wieniawski

Souvenir de Moscou op. 6

Souvenir de Moscou is a splendid example of the instrumental virtuoso miniature, which constituted a permanent entry of Henryk Wieniawski's concert programmes. In the composition, Wieniawski used two romances by Alexander Varlamov, the Russian author of numerous songs and romances. Wieniawski employed the souvenir model, the immensely popular element of the salon repertoire. The composition has the form of a theme with variations presented in an abridged and simplified version. Both themes are first sung in the original form, and then developed in variations.



Solo violin is accompanied by symphony orchestra of the usual composition. The relation between the soloist and the orchestra is typical of pieces written by virtuosi: the dominant violin rarely interacts with the orchestra. However, the ensemble's role is not curtailed to mere accompaniment; it also performs the expressive role by building up tension in moment of climax, creating subtle backdrop for the tuneful melody, intensifying dance rhytmicity, and adding flair to the dazzling displays by the soloist.