Fun with Kreisler

April 16, 2008 at 8:14 PM

Many years ago, my teacher, Marion Turner, told me: "you should not play only immortal masterpieces. It would be good to play music that is cheaper, but quality cheap, like an Italian-designed blue jeans." Back then, it was a reason for playing Saint-Saëns.
Acting again on that advice, I bought myself a collection of Kreisler pieces yesterday. And it's marvellous fun, apart from the minor problem that I cannot yet play them! I'm too rigid for my own good: that's what I get from all that Bach. Did I hear anyone say prunes?
If any of them starts to sound halfway decent, I'll keep you posted. Be warned.

From Pauline Lerner
Posted on April 16, 2008 at 11:53 PM

I looked at a book of the Kreisler pieces recently and did not buy it. I'll reconsider it now.

From Anne Horvath
Posted on April 17, 2008 at 4:12 AM

I adore Kreisler's music. I would recommend that you get a hold of his CDs. There are many recordings of him playing his own music, and his sound is totally unique, beautiful, joyful, and lovely.

Carl Fischer has a bunch of Kreisler anthologies, all compiled by Eric Wen, editorial genius. They are:

"The Fritz Kreisler Collection", and Vols. 2, 3, and 4. There is also "The Complete Works for Violin and Piano by Leopold Godowsky", edited by Kreisler.

If you have the first volume, and find it a little tricky, try the second volume. That has some of the easier pieces that you might find more accessible, like the "Andante Cantabile" by Tchaikovsky. It also has doozies, like the "Recitative and Scherzo"! Have fun!

From Bart Meijer
Posted on April 17, 2008 at 6:58 PM

Thank you, Anne, for your kind advice. There is a recording of Kreisler himself playing Caprice Viennois on Youtube, and it's irresistible.
Of course, the book I bought is Vol. 1. But some of the pieces are less tricky than others. Of course, I want to play Caprice Viennois (because irresistible), and that is a difficult piece for me. Love's Sorrow is definitely doable, and so are some others.
Speaking of records: when I was a little kid, we had a shellac record of Kreisler playing the Tango by Albéniz. I helped that record to an inglorious end by sitting down on it. Practicing the piece myself now would be a fitting way to make amends.

From Jim W. Miller
Posted on April 19, 2008 at 6:57 PM

If Kreisler doesn't qualify as immortal masterpiece, I don't know what it takes :) I predict he'll teach your Bach a thing or two.

This entry has been archived and is no longer accepting comments.

Fun with Kreisler

Subscribe

Laurie's Books