Wanda Wilkomirska is the missing link between the violin and true musicianship.
Karl Jansen

Wanda Wilkomirska is my choice for most underrated/underappreciated violinist of the 20th century.
She is the only violinist of whom I can say that EVERY piece I've heard her play (live or recorded) was either absolutely the best performance of that piece I had ever heard, or was right up there in a tie with the very best. Her recording of the Prokofiev violin & piano sonatas with Ann Schein in the 1970s is THE BEST recording of those pieces (the only possible qualification being that the legendary Oistrakh-Richter performance is perhaps equally good). Likewise, her recording of the Khachaturian concerto is right up there to be compared directly to Oistrakh's and Kogan's performances -- and I think she wins. Her Szymanowski concerti are unsurpassable, even by the divine David Oistrakh. She has one of the most distinctive, soulful, charismatic sounds of any violinist I've ever heard. Her chops are awe-inspiring. Her musicality never wavers. She deserves to be thought of in the company of Oistrakh, Szeryng, Grumiaux, and the rest of the pantheon. Her Franck, Brahms, Bach, and Szymanowski are as good as it gets. I wish there was a way to give a testimonial to her amazing achievements in music.
Terry King

(all quotes taken from violin discussion at the violonist.com)

Tracks:
CD 1
HENRYK WIENIAWSKI
II Koncert skrzypcowy d-moll op. 22 / Violin Concerto No. 2 in D minor, Op. 22 / Konzert für Violine und Orchester Nr. 2 d-Moll op. 22
1. I Allegro moderato
2. II Andante ma non troppo (Romance)
3. III Finale - Allegro moderato (? la Zingara)

KAROL SZYMANOWSKI
4. I Koncert skrzypcowy op. 35 / Violin Concerto No. 1, Op. 35 / Konzert für Violine und Orchester Nr.1 op. 35

CD 2
ARAM CHACZATURIAN / ARAM KHACHATURIAN / ARAM CHATSCHATURJAN
Koncert skrzypcowy / Violin Concerto / Konzert für Violine und Orchester
1. I Allegro con fermezza
2. II Andante sostenuto
3. III Allegro vivace

DYMITR SZOSTAKOWICZ / DMITRI SHOSTAKOVICH / DIMITRI SCHOSTAKOWITSCH
II Koncert skrzypcowy cis-moll op. 129 / Violin Concerto No. 2 in C sharp minor, Op. 129 / Konzert für Violine und Orchester Nr. 2 cis-Moll op. 129
4. I Moderato
5. II Adagio
6. III Allegro

Performed by:
Wanda Wilkomirska  - violin
Orkiestra Symfoniczna Filharmonii Narodowej / National Philharmonic Symphony Orchestra / Symphonieorchester der Nationalphilharmonie
Dyrygenci / Conductors / Dirigenten: Witold Rowicki, Wojciech Michniewski (6)

Recorded:
May 6-7, 1961 (CD1: 1-3), March 6 1961 (CD1: 4), December 17 1968 (CD2: 1-3), June 16 1979 (CD2: 4-6) at the Warsaw Philharmonics Hall, Warsaw Poland

About:
Born in Warsaw in 1929, Wanda Wilkomirska began violin lessons at the age of five with her father. Two years later she played a Mozart Sonata in concert. Studying with Irena Dubiska in Lodz, with Ede Zathureczky in Budapest and with Henryk Szeryng in Paris, she won several prizes in international competitions, including Second Prize in Leipzig in 1950.

For the next four decades Wanda performed in over 50 countries on all five continents, playing with the world’s most renowned orchestras such as the New York Philharmonic, Chicago Symphony, Berlin Philharmonic, London Symphony, Moscow Philharmonic and Israel Philharmonic, working with conductors the calibre of Leonard Bernstein, Otto Klemperer, Sir John Barbirolli, Kurt Masur, Zubin Mehta and many others. During this time she also toured as soloist with, amongst others, the National Philharmonic Warsaw and the Minnesota Symphony. In the sixties and seventies, Wanda Wilkomirska gave an average of 100 concerts per year, played recitals and recorded for EMI. Deutsche Grammophone Gesellschaft, Polish Muza, Philips, Hungarton, Dorian and the New Yorker label Connoissour Society.

Wanda Wilkomirska has given world premier performances of numerous contemporary works including Baird and Penderecki. She is renowned for her interpretation of twentieth century music, having received two Polish State Awards for promoting Polish music to the world and also other awards for her contribution to music.

Chamber music has played an important part of her musical life. She has toured with her sister and brother as the Wilkomirska Trio and has also performed with famous partners such as Martha Argerich, Gidon Kremer, Daniel Barenboim, Misha Maisky and others.

In 1983 Wanda Wilkomirska accepted the position of Professor at the Academy of Music in Heidelberg-Mannheim. This was her first teaching experience and since that time she has become a passionate pedagogue, while still maintaining her renowned performance level.

In 1999 she joined the teaching staff of the Sydney Conservatorium of Music and since February 2001 has also worked for the Australian National Academy of Music in Melbourne. Wanda Wilkomirska continues to be a part of musical life in Europe, flying between the two continents for concerts, masterclasses and competitions, whilst remaining emotionally involved in musical life in Australia.