Kreisler, Fritz (1875-1962)

Austrian-American violinist and composer, born in Vienna, and educated at the Vienna and Paris conservatories. At the age of 14, Kreisler toured the U.S. Following his return to Vienna, he withdrew for varying periods to study medicine and art and to serve briefly as an officer in the Austrian army. Kreisler resumed his musical career in 1899, which suffered a brief hiatus early in World War I, when he was wounded while serving in the Austrian army. After 1915 he lived mainly in the U.S., becoming a citizen in 1943. Kreisler attained recognition as the most accomplished concert violinist of his time. He composed numerous pieces for the violin, such as La Précieuse, Praeludium and Allegro, and Variations on a Theme by Corelli, which he attributed originally to 17th- and 18th-century masters. Among his other compositions are Caprice Viennois, Liebesfreud, Liebeslied, and Tambourin Chinois, all for violin; a string quartet; and several operettas.