Fritz Kreisler1875-1962

Composition

Complete title- Praeludium and Allegro in the style of Pugnani

Premiered in 1910

Period composed- Early 20th Century

Composer

Full name- Fritz Friedrich Kreisler

Born February 2, 1875 in Vienna, Austria

Died January 29, 1962 in New York City

Cities of Residence- Vienna, Paris, Rome, Berlin, New York

Personal LifeWas born to Anna Reaches and Samuel Kreisler on Feb. 3, 1875. He was also of Jewish heritage

Dropped out of music for several years but finished his high school education. Enrolled in the University of Vienna to obtain a medical degree, but joined the Austrian army in 1894, where he edged himself back into music before he could get the degree

Married Harriet Lies Woerz in 1892

Enlisted himself in the Austrian Army when WWI began. He was dicharged November 1914 because he was severely injured

Involved in two major accidents-Hit by a truck in 1941 while crossing the street, from which he received fractured skull and was in a coma for a weekInvolved in an automobile accident near the end of his life

Died in 1962 due to a heart condition

Musical CareerTalent had manifested by the age of 4. Then became a student of Jacob Dont and later Jaques Auber

First performance was at the Vienna Conservatory when he was 9, and he was awarded a medal for it when he was 10

Made his US debut in New York City on November 10, 1888

Since his career gained a lot of momentum before WWI, he had performed at more than 250 concerts in a year

He felt that using original pieces composed by his wouldn’t attract people, so he wrote in the styles of almost-forgotten composers and claimed the pieces were theirs.

Historical Significance

Regarded as one of the greatest violinists of all time

Known for his sweet tone and expressive phrasing

Was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame for some of his recordings with “qualitive or historical significance”

Major Works: Liebesfreud and Liebeslied

Composer’s Output

4 operettas

14 vocal pieces

8 cadenzas

4 cello and piano pieces

1 string quartet piece

40 works for piano and violin

Compositional Techniques

Form: Binary

Meter(s): 4/4 and ¾

Tempo(i): Andante, allargando, allegro molto moderato

Key(s): E minor, some G major

Orchestration/instrumentation: chamber orchestra and solo violin

Style: written in the style of Pugnani

Meaning/Significance

Many of his works were ascribed by earlier composers such as Gaetano Pugnani and Giuseppe Tartini

Praeludium and Allegro composed in the style of Pugnani (1731-1798)

A praeludium is a movement that serves as an introduction to another section or composition and establishes the key

An allegro is a piece or movement played at a brisk and quick tempo

Performance Difficulties

IndividualSometimes difficult to follow the soloist

Some of the accidentals are slightly difficult, such as in measures 61 and 160

Sometimes it is difficult to get the entrances right after long periods of rest, such as in measures 89, 92, and 96

Section and/or EnsembleMany of the same difficulties:

Entrances after long periods of rest

following the soloist

Connections to Historical/Artistic

Events Studied under Jacques Auber, a famous French composer and violinist

Performed with both the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra and the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra as a soloist

Fought during WWI, but was injured and sent home

Had to stop touring when the US joined WWI in 1917

Interesting Facts

Lived during both WWI and WWII

Went on at least two American tours, in spite of having been born in Austria

Took his work and passed it off as other artists’ works for publication

Published a book about his experience in WWI called Four Weeks in the Trenches: The War Story of a Violinist

Original degree was a medical degree and not a musical one; dropped out of music class in high school

Sources

http://www.thirteen.org/publicarts/violin/kreisler.html

http://www.naxos.com/person/Fritz_Kreisler_918/918.htm