Two from the Vaults: Fritz Kreisler & Jascha Heifetz
Friday, September 17, 2010
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ViolinFest
Throughout September, WQXR explores the many sides of the iconic instrument. Hear great recordings from the young "rock stars" of the instrument to the established veterans, and the greats of the past.
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Jascha Heifetz and Fritz Kreisler, two of the 20th century's great violinists, were periodic guests on WQXR. On two separate occasions, both were the subject of special birthday tributes. For our month-long ViolinFest, we've scoured the vaults to offer these special archival recordings.
Fritz Kreisler 80th Birthday Tribute (1955)
On February 2, 1955, WQXR's former Music Director Abram Chasins assembled a tribute special for the Austrian violinist Fritz Kreisler. It featured great Kreisler recordings plus audio "shout outs" from nine distinguished violinists: Joseph Szigeti, Yehudi Menuhin, Mischa Elman, Nathan Milstein, Erica Morini, Zino Francescatti, Joseph Fuchs, Ruggiero Ricci, Isaac Stern, plus Carl Lamson, Kreisler’s longtime accompanist.
Jascha Heifetz 75th Birthday Tribute (1976)
1976 was more than the 200th birthday of the United States: it marked the 80th of the legendary Russian-American violinist Jascha Heifetz. In tribute, fellow fiddler Itzhak Perlman came down to the WQXR studios with a box his favorite Heifetz records. Here he shares some of them with WQXR's George Jellinek.
Courtesy of the WQXR Collection-NYPR Archives
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Comments [1]
We have a wonderful way to celebrate the birthdays of Fritz and Jascha thanks to WQXR. Your resources are great. And you followed through with this recording.
More of this technique by WQXR should influence our younger listeners. And WQXR has found one way to do this.
Since I am 83, playing the violin since I was 15, I am very familiar with the great violinists of the past.
Happy Birthday to Fritz Kreisler and Jascha Heifetz!
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