Karol Lipiński
Soviet-born Israeli violinist, violist, and conductor.
Karol Józef Lipiński was a Polish composer and virtuoso violinist active during the partitions of Poland. Born in Radzyń Podlaski, he was the son of Feliks Lipiński and had a younger brother also named Feliks. His career began in Lwów, where he became first violin in 1810 and conductor of the opera orchestra two years later. Seeking to hear Niccolò Paganini, he traveled to Italy in 1817. The two met in Milan, played together daily, and performed two joint concerts in April 1818, which greatly enhanced Lipiński’s reputation. Paganini dedicated his Burlesque Variations on "La Carnaval de Venise" to him, and Lipiński later reciprocated by dedicating his Three Caprices for Violin to Paganini.
On his return to Poland in 1818, Lipiński stopped in Trieste for instruction from Dr. Mazzurana, a ninety-year-old former pupil of Giuseppe Tartini who could no longer play but critiqued Lipiński’s performance of a Tartini sonata. He also performed with pianist Maria Agata Szymanowska. In 1820 he traveled to Berlin, meeting Louis Spohr, and to Russia. In 1829 he played a series of concerts with Paganini in Warsaw, attended by the young Frédéric Chopin. A rivalry developed, destroying their friendship; Paganini later remarked that while he did not know who the greatest violinist was, Lipiński was certainly the second greatest. In 1835–36 Lipiński met Robert Schumann in Leipzig, who was so impressed he dedicated his Carnaval, Op. 9 to him. He visited England in 1836, performing his Military Concerto with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra. In 1839 he received a dual appointment in Dresden as concertmaster of the Royal Oratory and kapellmeister at the court chapel, ending his virtuoso touring to focus on chamber music, particularly Beethoven’s string quartets. He gave a joint recital with Franz Liszt, performing Beethoven’s Kreutzer Sonata. Henryk Wieniawski dedicated his Polonaise de concert to Lipiński, as did Ignacy Feliks Dobrzyński his String Quartet No. 2. Lipiński retired with a pension in 1861 and died in the village of Virliv. He owned two violins, a 1715 Stradivari and a Giuseppe Guarneri del Gesù, both known as "ex-Lipinski." The Karol Lipiński Academy of Music in Wrocław is named after him.
- field
- Violin performance, viola performance, conducting
- nationality
- Soviet-born Israeli
- known_for
- One of the greatest violinists in the world, winner of the 1984 International Ka
Verified Timeline
Lore & Background
At age 10, Vengerov won the 1984 International Karol Lipiński and Henryk Wieniawski Young Violin Player Competition in Lublin, Poland. That same year, he recorded on the Russian label Melodiya, on LP stereo. At age 11, as part of the Tchaikovsky Competition opening concert, he recorded again on LP, but digital. He then went to London, where he recorded his first CD, for Biddulph Records. For the next five years, Vengerov studied with Zakhar Bron, following him from the Soviet Union to the Royal Academy of Music in London and then to the Musikhochschule Lübeck in Germany. In 1990, Vengerov won the International Carl Flesch Competition, securing a recording contract with Teldec and launching his international career. Vengerov moved to Israel with his family in 1990, continuing his studies at the Jerusalem Academy of Music and Dance. In 2006, he founded the Musicians of Tomorrow school in northern Israel. He has served as the first chief conductor of the Menuhin Festival Gstaad Orchestra and holds professorships at institutions like the Royal College of Music in London. He has received numerous awards, including a Grammy and multiple Echo Music Prizes, and plays on the 1727 "ex-Kreutzer" Stradivarius violin.
Reader's Guide
Vengerov's early lessons with Galina Turchaninova were rocky. Upon meeting him, she asked: "Do you have strength in these hands?" The five-year-old punched her in the stomach as hard as he could. He said years later: "Fortunately, she was in a good mood that day, and she accepted me as a student." Lessons went badly at first. Turchaninova was very strict. At one point, Vengerov stubbornly refused to play for her for five straight lessons. She told his mother that she was dismissing him as a student. His mother began to cry, and upon seeing that, Vengerov picked up his violin and played 17 assigned pieces from memory without interruption. Even though he had refused to play at his lessons, he had been practicing, with the encouragement of Natalie Gottlieb, a fellow student he has often called his inspiration. Turchaninova agreed to continue his lessons, saying: "Very well. A violinist like Maxim is born only once in a hundred years." In 1997, Vengerov became the first classical musician to be appointed an International Goodwill Ambassador by UNICEF, performing for children in Uganda, Thailand, and Kosovo. In 2005, he injured his right shoulder in a weightlifting accident, and while he recovered, he developed his interest and skill in conducting. He had surgery on the shoulder and a year of rehabilitation. Vengerov has appeared as a soloist with the New York Philharmonic, Berlin Philharmonic, London Symphony Orchestra, BBC Symphony Orchestra, Mariinsky Theatre Orchestra, Chicago Symphony Orchestra, Montreal Symphony Orchestra, Toronto Symphony Orchestra, Filarmonica della Scala, and the Oxford Philharmonic Orchestra.
Did You Know?
- At age 10, Vengerov won the 1984 International Karol Lipiński and Henryk Wieniawski Young Violin Player Competition in Lublin, Poland.
- When Vengerov was five, his teacher Galina Turchaninova asked if he had strength in his hands, and he punched her in the stomach as hard as he could.
- Vengerov became the first classical musician to be appointed an International Goodwill Ambassador by UNICEF in 1997.
- He plays the 1727 'ex-Kreutzer' Stradivarius violin, which he purchased at Christie's auction house for £947,500 on 1 April 1998.
- In 2005, Vengerov injured his right shoulder in a weightlifting accident, which led him to develop his interest and skill in conducting.
Frequently Asked Questions
How did Karol Lipiński compare to Niccolò Paganini?
Lipiński and Paganini were near-contemporaries who competed for the title of Europe's greatest violinist, and their rivalry was a major talking point in concert halls across the continent. While Paganini's theatrical mystique eventually dominated popular memory, Lipiński was widely regarded by his peers as an equally formidable technician.
What are Karol Lipiński's most notable compositions?
His surviving output is centered almost entirely on the violin, including several concertos and a large collection of études and shorter works designed to display virtuosic technique. These pieces remain a staple of advanced violin pedagogy and recital programming to this day.
Where is Karol Lipiński commemorated today?
The Karol Lipiński University of Music in Wrocław, Poland, carries his name in recognition of his lasting contribution to the country's musical heritage. He is also remembered in Polish music history as a symbol of national artistic achievement during the difficult era of the partitions.
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