Wieniawski, Henryk
Wieniawska, Dean-Paul Irena Regina, pseud. Poldowski, *16 May 1879 Brussels, †28 January 1932 London, pianist and composer, the youngest daughter of Henryk Wieniawski. She studied in Brussels at F.A. Gevaert (composition) and P.-J. Storck (piano), probably as a private student (she is not on the list of conservatory students). She continued studying with P. Pitt and M. Hamburg in London and then for a few months with V. d’Indy in Paris. She married Sir Aubrey Dean-Paul in 1901, an amateur singer who occasionally performed at her concerts. She started composing and publishing more from 1907 (under the pseudonym Poldowski, mainly at J.W. Chester in London). Her works often appeared in the London repertoire and gained favourable opinions from critics in, among others, the London Times and Musical Times. They were also used by prominent performers, including M. Teyte, G. Elwes (concert at Aeolian Hall, 4 July 1912) and H. Wood, who conducted performances of Miniature Suite, Nocturne and Pat Malone’s Wake. In 1911–14, Wieniawska performed at concerts at Libre Esthétique in Brussels (she later initiated a similar concert series in New York and London). He stayed in the United States from 1921 to 1922, performing in New York and Bar Harbor (Maine). At the end of the 1920s, she stopped giving concerts due to a serious illness. She died from complications after lung surgery.
In Irena Wieniawska’s works, the most important are songs written mainly to words by P. Verlaine and by other French poets. They are dominated by a lyrical mood and subtle sound colour. These are short pieces (no text repetitions), their form is closely related to the structure of the poem and the melody is determined by the prosody of the language. The piano provides discreet accompaniment, which constitutes an independent sound layer and enhances the power of the poetic message. Dynamic nuances, tempo changes and harmonic means (modes, transitional sounds, parallel connections, chromaticism) also contribute to this. Wieniawska’s songs are deeply rooted in the aesthetics of musical impressionism. They present a fascination with the works of C. Debussy and G. Fauré, as well as a desire to search for new relationships between poetry and music.
Literature: D. Mooney The Pursuit of Ultimate Expression. The Works of Poldowski (Lady Irene Dean Paul, 1879–1932), dissertation National University of Ireland, 1999; E. Grabkowski „Poldowski”— zapomniana kompozytorka, córka Henryka Wieniawskiego, Ruch Muzyczny 1997 no. 4; T. Greive A Woman of Substance. Rediscovering Poldowski’s Early 20th-century Violin-Piano Music, Strings no. 123, 2004.
Vocal-instrumental:
songs:
Bruxelles for voice and piano, lyrics P. Verlaine, published in London 1911
Dimanche d’Avril for voice and piano, lyrics P. Verlaine, published in London 1911
En sourdine for voice and piano, lyrics P. Verlaine, published in London 1911
L’attente for voice and piano, lyrics P. Verlaine, published in London 1912
Brume for voice and piano, lyrics P. Verlaine, published in London 1913
Circonspection for voice and piano, lyrics P. Verlaine, published in London 1913
Colombine for voice and piano, lyrics P. Verlaine, published in London 1913
Cortège for voice and piano, lyrics P. Verlaine, published in London 1913
Cythère for voice and piano, lyrics P. Verlaine, published in London 1913
Dansons la gigue for voice and piano, lyrics P. Verlaine, published in London 1913
Effet de neige for voice and piano, lyrics P. Verlaine, published in London 1913
Fantoches for voice and piano, lyrics P. Verlaine, published in London 1913;
Impression fausse for voice and piano, lyrics P. Verlaine, published in London 1913
L’heure exquise for voice and piano, lyrics P. Verlaine, published in London 1913
Mandoline for voice and piano, lyrics P. Verlaine, published in London 1913
Spleen for voice and piano, lyrics P. Verlaine, published in London 1913
Berceuse d’Armorique for voice and piano, lyrics A. Le Braz, published in London 1914
Crépuscule du soir mystique for voice and piano, lyrics P. Verlaine, published in London 1914
Nocturne des Cantilènes for voice and piano, lyrics J. Moréas, published in London 1914
Sérénade for voice and piano, lyrics A. Retté, published in London 1914
Sur l’herbe for voice and piano, lyrics P. Verlaine, published in London 1918
Dans une musette for voice and piano, lyrics J. Dominique, published in London 1919
Le faune for voice and piano, lyrics P. Verlaine, published in London 1919
Pannyre aux talons d’or for voice and piano, lyrics A. Samain, published in London 1919
Soir for voice and piano, lyrics A. Samain, published in London 1920
La passante for voice and piano, lyrics by the composer, published in London 1924
A Poor Young Shepherd for voice and piano, published in London 1924
Narcisse for voice and string quartet, lyrics by the composer, published in London 1924
Reeds of Innocence and Song for voice and piano, lyrics W. Blake, published in London 1924
A Clymène for voice and piano, lyrics P. Verlaine, published in London 1927
Instrumental:
orchestra:
Nocturne, published in London 1912
Pat Malone’s Wake for piano and orchestra, published in London 1919
chamber:
Sonata in D minor for violin and piano, published in London 1914
Berceuse de l’enfant mourant for violin and piano, published in London 1923
Tango for violin and piano, published in London 1923
Pastorale for clarinet and piano, published in London 1927
Miniature Suite for wind instruments, not published
piano:
Caledonian Market, published in London 1923
The Hall of Machinery – Wembley, published in London 1928
Sonatina, published in London 1928
Study, published in London 1928
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operetta Laughter, not completed