Wieniawski: Études-Caprices Op. 18 for Two Violins

Henryk Wieniawski’s Etudes-Caprices, op. 18 were originally written as virtuosic violin caprices with the accompaniment of a second violin. However, that accompaniment plays only a minor, secondary role: even when the theme is outlined in that part, with the solo instrument’s virtuosic figurations winding around it, the accompaniment may be omitted with no detriment to the music. Hence in practice the Caprices, op. 18 are almost always played as solo pieces; that is how they appear, for example, on the programme of the International Henryk Wieniawski Violin Competition. Yet the text contained in the two parts has prompted some violinists and teachers to juggle the material around in such a way as to produce from it two equal parts for two violins with the same level of instrumental accomplishment. And it is just such a duet version of the op. 18 Caprices that is given in the present edition. The form and basic text of the caprices are left entirely intact. In each of the pieces, the virtuosic and accompaniment parts pass back and forth several times between the two instruments.
At certain junctures, it was necessary to introduce minimal changes or additions to the score, without altering the harmonic flow, to provide a smoother switch from the text of one part to the other. Thanks to those procedures, the level of difficulty is identical in both the parts. Although the Caprices, op. 18 in the version published here represent chamber music, performers should not forget that their parts are of a virtuosic character and require sparkling renditions.

The markings of articulation, bowing, fingering and dynamics are provided by the editors on the basis of several editions of the original version (Peters, Universal, PWM).