Fritz Kreisler

Fritz Kreisler ranked among the most cherished and widely recognized musicians from the dawn of the recording age. His lustrous sound and elegant, aristocratic manner of phrasing embodied the Viennese tradition, while the affectionate character of his interpretations attracted loyal admirers at every venue. Such was his stature and the public’s regard for him that he weathered intense criticism in 1935 after disclosing that numerous short works he had presented as transcriptions of Couperin, Vivaldi, and Pugnani were in reality his own compositions. Although reviewers voiced strong disapproval, audiences showed scant interest and continued to fill his recitals.

Born to a distinguished surgeon who also played music capably as an amateur, Kreisler received his earliest violin instruction from his father. He first appeared in public at age seven, performing an assortment of brief pieces. Soon afterward he gained admission to the Vienna Conservatory, even though regulations barred anyone under fourteen; after three years with Joseph Hellmesberger he received a gold medal. He then traveled to Paris to study with Delibes and Massart. At twelve he captured the Premier Grand Prix de Rome gold medal in competition against forty entrants, all at least twenty years old.

Kreisler crossed the Atlantic in 1888 for a tour alongside pianist Moriz Rosenthal and collected numerous favorable notices. Back in Vienna he sought a post with the Vienna Philharmonic but was rejected. Discouraged, he set music aside and turned to medicine; years later he abandoned that path and took up painting, first in Paris and then in Rome, before tiring of it as well. Returning to Vienna, he joined the army.

After a full year in uniform he reconsidered once more, resigned his commission, and resumed violin study. Eight weeks of secluded practice prepared him for his re-entry to the concert platform. A “second debut” in Berlin succeeded, yet broad recognition arrived through several American tours between 1901 and 1903. In the United States he was acclaimed as one of the leading violinists of his generation, and Europe soon acknowledged his exceptional artistry in similar terms.

In London in 1910 Kreisler introduced Elgar’s Violin Concerto, a work dedicated to the composer. While holidaying in Switzerland in 1914 he learned that Austria had entered the war; he rejoined his former regiment, now posted in Galicia. A Russian assault left him wounded, after which he was released with high honors. Eager to assist his homeland, he undertook an extended American concert tour. When the United States joined the conflict, however, his status as a former Austrian officer supporting an enemy power provoked hostility, forcing him to cancel appearances and withdraw to Maine for the remainder of the hostilities.

His 1919 return to the New York stage met with an exuberant welcome. Beginning in 1924 he made Berlin his home for a decade. Following the Anschluss in 1938 he relocated to France, then left for the United States ahead of the Nazi occupation and spent his final years in America. His last public recital took place in 1947; he continued performing on radio broadcasts until 1950.