Strzelce Village Zygmunt (Sigismond) Stojowski was born in the village of Strzelce, which at that time belonged to the Russian-occupied part of Poland. He received his first musical training from his mother, Maria, who was herself a gifted pianist. At the age of 13, the family moved to Kraków, where Stojowski performed Beethoven's Piano Concerto No. 3 as a soloist with an orchestra and composed his own cadenza for it.
After graduating from the Kraków Conservatory, Stojowski went to Paris at the age of seventeen. There he continued his studies at the Conservatoire and received instruction from renowned figures such as Louis Diémer (piano), Léo Delibes (composition), and Théodore Dubois (harmony). As early as 1889, he received important prizes, including the Premier Prix for counterpoint and fugue, which recognized his talent.
During his time in Paris, Stojowski cultivated relationships with renowned composers such as Tchaikovsky and Brahms. His works, including the Violin Concerto in G minor, which premiered in 1900, garnered attention. In 1905, he emigrated to the United States, where his compositions gradually gained recognition.
The Violin Concerto is distinguished by striking movements such as the powerful Allegro deciso in G minor and the expressive, lyrical Andante non troppo. Polish influences are likely discernible in the finale, which concludes in G major. In addition to the Violin Concerto, Stojowski composed the Romance in E-flat major, Op. 20, which he dedicated to his friend Jacques Thibaud in 1901.
The Polish violinist and composer Henryk Wieniawski also created outstanding works, including the Fantaisie brillante sur des motifs de l’opéra Faust de Gounod. This piece, published in 1868, is Wieniawski's homage to Gounod's opera and was enthusiastically received by the public.