Poldowski

Full biography Poldowski

Poldowski was the pseudonym of the Belgian-English composer Régine Wieniawski, born on May 21, 1879, in Brussels, Belgium, as the daughter of the famous violinist and composer, Henryk Wieniawski. Despite being born into a musical family, Wieniawski's father passed away when she was just two years old, which left her and her sister orphaned.

Despite these setbacks, she still went on to become a very accomplished musician. She studied at the Paris Conservatoire, where she had lessons in composition from Gabriel Fauré. She made her debut as a composer in 1905 with a concert of her songs which proved to be very successful.

Poldowski composed in a range of forms, including songs, orchestral works, chamber music, and operas. Her songs, in particular, were highly praised for the intricacy of their piano parts and the evocative nature of their musical settings.

She lived a long and fruitful life, dying at the age of 78 on January 28, 1932, in Hove, East Sussex, United Kingdom. Despite falling into obscurity for many years after her death, her music has been rediscovered by scholars and performers in recent years, bringing her contributions to the world of classical music to a new generation of listeners.