Hungarian Violin Virtuoso Joseph Szigeti was Born in 1892

The violinist had many pieces written for him, including Ernest Bloch's Violin Concerto, Bartók's Rhapsody No. 1, and Eugène Ysaÿe's Solo Sonata No. 1

Born into a musical family in Transylvania, Hungarian violin virtuoso Joseph Szigeti was immediately recognized as a child prodigy. He moved to Budapest with his father to study under the esteemed pedagogue Jenő Hubay.

After completing his studies with Hubay in his teens, Szigeti embarked on an international concert career at 10 years of age. Initially, his performances were mainly confined to salon recitals and virtuosic party pieces. However, upon meeting pianist Ferruccio Busoni, a deep-thinking philosophical pianist and composer, Szigeti began to cultivate a more thoughtful and intellectual approach to music, earning him the title 'The Scholarly Virtuoso'.

The outbreak of World War 1 drove Szigeti to settle in Geneva in 1917, where he became a Professor of Violin at the Geneva Conservatory. It was in Geneva that he met his future wife, Wanda Ostrowska, and forged a lasting friendship with composer Béla Bartók.

Until 1960, Szigeti performed extensively around the world and made numerous recordings. He was a passionate advocate of contemporary music, dedicating himself to new works by modern composers. Notable pieces written for him include Ernest Bloch's Violin Concerto, Bartók's Rhapsody No. 1, and Eugène Ysaÿe's Solo Sonata No. 1.

After retiring from the concert stage in 1960, he focused on teaching and writing until his death in 1973, at the age of 80.

JOSEPH SZIGETI | HUBAY | SCÈNES DE LA CSÁRDA NO. 3, OP. 18