Biography (read more)
Fritz Kreisler was an Austrian-born violinist and composer, born in Vienna in 1875, who studied in Vienna and Paris and later worked in Berlin and New York, becoming a naturalized American citizen in 1943. Renowned for his sweet tone and expressive use of portamento and rubato, he composed violin concertos and sonatas, popular solo violin encores, operettas, string quartets, and cadenzas for major concertos. He died in New York in 1962, aged 86, from complications of a heart condition aggravated by old age.
Kreisler was among the most celebrated violin virtuosos of the early twentieth century, prized for his distinctive personal sound, and his short character pieces for violin remain staples of the recital and encore repertoire. He gained additional notoriety by composing pastiches he initially attributed to earlier composers such as Pugnani and Vivaldi, revealing his authorship only in 1935, an episode that underscored both his compositional skill and his mischievous relationship with musical authenticity.
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Repertoire
Caprice viennois, Op. 2 (Arr. Fougeray Violin & Guitar)
Performed by Raphaël Feuillâtre
3 Old Viennese Dances (Arr. Rachmaninov for Piano): 2. Liebesleid (WPD)
Performed by Fabian Müller
3 Old Viennese Dances: No. 3, Schön Rosmarin
Performed by Ivry Gitlis
Liebesleid (Trancr. for Violin)
Performed by María Dueñas Fernández
Schön Rosmarin
Performed by Gidon Kremer
Caprice viennois, Op. 2 (2019 Remastered Version)— Rudolf Firkušný
Performed by Rudolf Firkušný
Caprice Viennois, Op. 2— Zoltán Kocsis
Performed by Zoltán Kocsis
Kreisler: Caprice Viennois, Op. 2— Ivry Gitlis
Performed by Ivry Gitlis
Kreisler: Caprice viennois, Op. 2 (Arr. Fougeray for Violin and Guitar): I. Allegro molto moderato— Raphaël Feuillâtre
Performed by Raphaël Feuillâtre
Kreisler: Caprice viennois, Op. 2 (Arr. Fougeray for Violin and Guitar): II. Andante con moto— Raphaël Feuillâtre
Performed by Raphaël Feuillâtre
Kreisler: Caprice viennois, Op. 2 (Arr. Fougeray for Violin and Guitar): III. Presto— Raphaël Feuillâtre
Performed by Raphaël Feuillâtre
3 Old Viennese Dances: I. Liebesfreud (Transcribed Rachmaninoff)— Sergio Fiorentino
Performed by Sergio Fiorentino
3 Old Viennese Dances: II. Liebesleid— Zoltán Kocsis
Performed by Zoltán Kocsis
3 Old Viennese Dances: I. Liebesfreud— Zoltán Kocsis
Performed by Zoltán Kocsis
3 Old Viennese Dances: III. Schön Rosmarin— Zoltán Kocsis
Performed by Zoltán Kocsis
3 Old Viennese Dances: III. Schön Rosmarin— Yo-Yo Ma
Performed by Yo-Yo Ma
3 Old Viennese Dances: I. Liebesfreud— Yo-Yo Ma
Performed by Yo-Yo Ma
3 Old Viennese Dances: II. Liebesleid— Yo-Yo Ma
Performed by Yo-Yo Ma
Liebesleid (Remastered)— Leonard Pennario
Performed by Leonard Pennario
Kreisler: Liebesleid— Sergei Rachmaninoff (pianist)
Performed by Sergei Rachmaninoff (pianist)
Liebesleid— Michael Collins
Performed by Michael Collins
Liebesleid (Live)— Ivry Gitlis
Performed by Martha Argerich
Kreisler: Liebesleid— Ivry Gitlis
Performed by Ivry Gitlis
Kreisler: 3 Old Viennese Dances: No. 3, Schön Rosmarin (Live)— Ivry Gitlis
Performed by Martha Argerich
Kreisler: 3 Old Viennese Dances – No. 3, Schön Rosmarin (Live)— Ivry Gitlis
Performed by Martha Argerich
Tambourin Chinois, Op. 3— Zoltán Kocsis
Performed by Zoltán Kocsis
Kreisler: Tambourin Chinois, Op. 3— Vladimir Ashkenazy
Performed by Vladimir Ashkenazy
Tambourin Chinois, Op. 3— Charlie Siem
Performed by Charlie Siem
Tambourin chinois, Op. 3— Yo-Yo Ma
Performed by Yo-Yo Ma
Schön Rosmarin— Michael Collins
Performed by Michael Collins
Schön Rosmarin (Live)— Ivry Gitlis
Performed by Martha Argerich
La Gitana— Zoltán Kocsis
Performed by Zoltán Kocsis
La Gitana— Charlie Siem
Performed by Charlie Siem
La Gitana— Yo-Yo Ma
Performed by Yo-Yo Ma
Kreisler: 3 Old Viennese Dances: No. 2, Liebesleid (Live)— Ivry Gitlis
Performed by Martha Argerich
Kreisler: 3 Old Viennese Dances: No. 2, Liebesleid— Martha Argerich
Performed by Martha Argerich
Kreisler: Liebesfreud— Sergei Rachmaninoff (pianist)
Performed by Sergei Rachmaninoff (pianist)
Kreisler: Liebesfreud— Ivry Gitlis
Performed by Ivry Gitlis
Syncopation— Zoltán Kocsis
Performed by Zoltán Kocsis
Kreisler: Syncopation— Janine Jansen
Performed by Janine Jansen
Rondino on a Theme by Beethoven— Zoltán Kocsis
Performed by Zoltán Kocsis
Rondino on a Theme by Beethoven— Vilde Frang
Performed by Vilde Frang
Gypsy Caprice— Zoltán Kocsis
Performed by Zoltán Kocsis
Gypsy Caprice— Vilde Frang
Performed by Vilde Frang
Praeludium and Allegro in the Style of Pugnani— Zoltán Kocsis
Performed by Zoltán Kocsis
Kreisler: Praeludium and Allegro in the Style of Pugnani— Pierre Barbizet
Performed by Pierre Barbizet
Recitativo and Scherzo-Caprice, Op. 6— Zoltán Kocsis
Performed by Zoltán Kocsis
Recitativo und Scherzo-Caprice, Op. 6— Charlie Siem
Performed by Charlie Siem
Kreisler: 3 Old Viennese Dances: 3. Schön Rosmarin— Pierre Barbizet
Performed by Pierre Barbizet
Kreisler: 3 Old Viennese Dances: 3. Schön Rosmarin— Vladimir Ashkenazy
Performed by Vladimir Ashkenazy
3 Alt-Wiener Tanzweisen: III. Schon Rosmarin— Charlie Siem
Performed by Charlie Siem
3 Alt-Wiener Tanzweisen: I. Liebesleid— Charlie Siem
Performed by Charlie Siem
Praeludium & Allegro in the Style of Pugnani (Arr. for Viola and Piano by Alan Arnold) : I….— James Baillieu
Performed by James Baillieu
Praeludium & Allegro in the Style of Pugnani (Arr. for Viola and Piano by Alan Arnold) : II….— James Baillieu
Performed by James Baillieu
3 Old Viennese Dances for Violin and Piano: II. Liebesleid (Tempo di Ländler)— Martha Argerich
Performed by Martha Argerich
3 Old Viennese Dances for Violin and Piano: III. Schön Rosmarin (Grazioso)— Martha Argerich
Performed by Martha Argerich
3 Old Viennese Dances: Liebesleid— Charles Rosen
Performed by Charles Rosen
Liebesleid (Transcriped by Sergio Fiorentino)— Sergio Fiorentino
Performed by Sergio Fiorentino
La chasse— Artur Balsam
Performed by Artur Balsam
Caprice Viennois— Rudolf Firkušný
Performed by Rudolf Firkušný
Chanson Louis XIII et Pavane in the Style of Couperin— Zoltán Kocsis
Performed by Zoltán Kocsis
Allegretto in the Style of Boccherini— Zoltán Kocsis
Performed by Zoltán Kocsis
Marché miniature viennoise— Zoltán Kocsis
Performed by Zoltán Kocsis
Toy-Soldiers March— Zoltán Kocsis
Performed by Zoltán Kocsis
Praeludium and Allegro in the style of Pugnani in E Minor (Arr. for Piano, World Premiere…— Cyprien Katsaris
Performed by Cyprien Katsaris
Kreisler: Liebesleid (Arr. Rachmaninoff for Piano)— Howard Shelley
Performed by Howard Shelley
Kreisler: Liebesfreud (Arr. Rachmaninoff for Piano)— Howard Shelley
Performed by Howard Shelley
Kreisler: Liebesleid (Arr. Piano)— Vladimir Ashkenazy
Performed by Vladimir Ashkenazy
Kreisler: Liebesfreud (Arr. Piano)— Vladimir Ashkenazy
Performed by Vladimir Ashkenazy
Kreisler: Tempo di Minuetto (In The Style Of Pugnani)— Sarah Chang
Performed by Sarah Chang
Violin Sonata in A Minor: I. Fantasia— Charlie Siem
Performed by Charlie Siem
Liebesleid (Arr. for Viola and Piano by Timothy Ridout)— James Baillieu
Performed by James Baillieu
Schoen Rosmarin— Ivry Gitlis
Performed by Ivry Gitlis
Liebesleid pour violon et orchestre à cordes— Ivry Gitlis
Performed by Ivry Gitlis
Liebesfreud pour violon et orchestre à cordes— Ivry Gitlis
Performed by Ivry Gitlis
Kreisler: Rondino On A Theme Of Beethoven— Ivry Gitlis
Performed by Ivry Gitlis
La Gitana (Kreisler) – Commentary— Yo-Yo Ma
Performed by Yo-Yo Ma
Rondino— Yo-Yo Ma
Performed by Yo-Yo Ma
Kreisler: Liebesleid, Old Viennese Dance No. 2 (Arr. Fougeray for Violin and Guitar)— Raphaël Feuillâtre
Performed by Raphaël Feuillâtre
Liebesleid (Arr. L. Hannibal)— Lars Hannibal
Performed by Lars Hannibal
Schon Rosmarin (Arr. L. Hannibal)— Lars Hannibal
Performed by Lars Hannibal
Liebesleid (Arr. for Recorder and Bass Guitar)— Lars Hannibal
Performed by Lars Hannibal
Schön Rosmarin (Arr. for Recorder and Guitar)— Lars Hannibal
Performed by Lars Hannibal