Commemorating Two Giants of the Violin: Kreisler and Heifetz

American music idol of early 20th century, the violinist Jascha Heifetz (circa 1920). Wikimedia Commons

Wikimedia Commons

Each year on Feb. 2, possibly the two greatest violin performers of the 20th century greeted each other on their common birthday—Austrian-born Fritz Kreisler and his quarter-century younger colleague, Lithuanian-born Jascha Heifetz. This year, to celebrate the two musical genii, violinist Guillaume Tardif will perform a selection of arrangements and compositions by these two masters as “birthday cards” at the University of Alberta, Canada.

Throughout their long careers and lives, Kreisler (1875–1962) and Heifetz (1901–1987) were dear friends and admirers of one another. Although Kreisler never took on formal students, he did his best to reveal all his techniques to the younger prodigy Heifetz.

Their first encounter was charming. Heifetz, who was 11 years old at the time, had just debuted successfully in Berlin with the Berlin Philharmonic. He was already considered a child prodigy, as had Kreisler, who began playing the violin at age 4, before him. During a private party, little “Maestro Heifetz” was asked to play the “Mendelssohn Concerto.” Heifetz wanted to play, but there was no one to accompany him on the piano. Out of the audience came a young man who said, “I'd be happy to accompany you,” and together they played the whole concerto by heart. This young man was Fritz Kreisler.

Brothers in Strings

In many respects, the lives of the two violin virtuosi were quite similar: both demonstrated a great love for music from a very young age and were encouraged by their fathers to develop it. Kreisler was admitted to the Vienna Conservatory at the age of 7 and finished his education at 12. Heifetz appeared publicly for the first time when he was 7.

Listen to Fritz Kreisler’s performance of “Thais Meditation”.

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Both European-born, they each gave many concerts and tours throughout Europe before coming to the United States, where they eventually met. They were both born on Feb. 2, and each was famous for an astoundingly unique style of playing. Many people say that when Heifetz or Kreisler are heard playing, one is sure to recognize that it is them and nobody else.

In addition to being magnificent musicians, both Heifetz and Kreisler left behind a great number of compositions and arrangements of original pieces for violin and piano. It would be difficult to find a contemporary performer who has not played their pieces.

Among the most notable of Kreisler’s works are “Liebesleid” (Love Sorrow), “Tambourin Chinois” (Chinese Tambourine) and “Caprice Viennois,” (Viennese Caprice). Kreisler is known as one of the best violin masters ever and is famous not only for his brilliant technique and but also for the warmth of his sound.

Listen to Jascha Heifetz' performance of Tchaikovsky Violin Concerto: 1st movement.

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Heifetz, on the other hand, was sometimes condemned for his technique and facial expressions which were considered “stern.” Some even recommended that people only listen to him play without watching him. He wrote a pop song, “When You Make Love to Me (Don’t Make Believe),” under the pseudonym Jim Hoyl. The great maestro left behind more than 80 albums and the glory of faultless virtuoso playing.

Child Prodigies and Grown-Up Masters

Wikimedia Commons

Almost right after they could walk, the two distinguished violinists were proclaimed child prodigies.

Jascha Heifetz said about himself: “Child prodigism—if I may coin a word—is a disease which is generally fatal. I was among the few to have the good fortune to survive. But I had the advantage of a great teacher in Professor Auer and a family that instinctively had a high regard for music, very good taste, and a horror of mediocrity.”

Fritz Kreisler shared a similar good fortune. After learning to play the violin, he taught himself to play the piano. And as for his piano playing, he was so accomplished that Ignaz Paderewski—one of the music symbols of early 20th century, said: “I'd be starving if Kreisler had taken up the piano. How beautifully he plays.”

Kreisler was a close associate of his contemporaries Enrico Carouso, George Bernard Shaw, and the respected tenor John McCormack. In performance, he was accompanied by the famous Russian pianist Sergei Rachmaninoff, and once performed for the Queen of England.

Heifetz had no less luck. After he made his debut in Carnegie Hall on October 27, 1917, he became the new music idol of America.

The renowned music critic Samuel Chotzinoff was astonished by Heifetz: “The 16-year-old violinist seemed the most unconcerned of all the people in the hall as he walked out on the stage and proceeded to give an exhibition of such extraordinary virtuosity and musicianship as had not previously been heard in that historic auditorium.”

On February 2, 2010, Guillaume Tardif will pay homage to Heifetz and Kreisler, accompanied by Roger Admiral on the piano, in the concert “Music at Convocation Hall: Kreisler–Heifetz Birthday Bash,” at the University of Alberta, Canada. For more details visit: http://www.events.ualberta.ca/index.cfm?show=2010/02