THE CHINA MAIL, APRIL 10, 1987.
FA
L'AMICO FRITZ
stature in the
bara of
Kreisler was browsing in an anti-
certain pieces. Kreisler, however, MATE being what it is, it is not mous
eyes of his Such human generosity could not, is unable to play twelve
artist of of course, fail to make Kreisler a music without revealing himself. beyond the realm of possibility audiences. Probably no
our time with the possible excep, singularly appealing figure to his that the name of Fritz Kreisler will tions of Paderewski and Toscanini audiences. However, he has s
aroused
am reminded of a story which descend to posterity for a reason has inspired such adoration even greater admiration because of Kreisler likes so well to tell and
audiences throughout the his profound cultural background.
which is indicative of the way in other than that he is the greatest from
world as Kreisler has; and an
which the entire world is familiar violinist of our age. One can al-
adoration such as this is not so
with his most foresee some musical diction- easily dissipated.
He is almost as gifted with piano ary of the twenty-first century re-
The enormous attraction that as with violin; and now it is more ferring to Kreisler in this fashion: Kreisler holds for his audiences apparent than ever before that his "He was one of the most distin- arises not merely from the magic creative talent is not much less que shop in Antwerp when he came guished artists of his generation, of his violin and bow, but also from significant than his interpretative. upon a cheap violin. He called the pawnbroker to him "an old Jew and a composer of many delightful his personal charm. The poise and
refinement of his platform manner- Not merely is he able to speak who seemed to have stepped out of morsels for his instrument. He is isms, the dignity and yet cordial eight languages with fluency
and a picture of Rembrandt,” as remembered to-day only because of warmth of his relationship with his possesses a solid foundation of Kreisler himself described him
whose Greek and Latin, but he is a very and asked the price. a hoax which he perpetrated upon audiences have an appeal
Then, some- student of philology the entire world of music in his strength cannot be questioned. His devoted
in what playfully, he took his own soft smile, in response to an ova- which he has made extensive study. violin out of the case and inquired time-presenting his own composi- tion, is of ineffable sweetness, and He is a lover of books, to be sure if the old Jew would care to pur- Hea very famous collector, as a mat- chase it. The old Jew looked at the violin, handled it with careful fin- gers, and then said: "I'm n
not rich enough to pay you what this violin is worth. Then as though after thought, the pawnbroker ed: "Would you please wait two minutes? I'll dash home and bring you an Amati violin which will certainly interest you.
tions as products of such masters as his eyes Vivaldi, Martini, Couperin, Pug- nani, Francoeur, etc. For more than thirty years this hoax went unde- tected until the composer himself revealed the truth."
are warm and kind.
By David Ewen
din
here
In a accom-
pointing
Yet, as Kreisler himself has con- fessed to his close friends, he had possesses to an unusual degree the ter of fact and has a prodigious few minutes he returned no intention of pulling the nose of ability to create at his concerts an literary background.
And his fine panied by policeman.. "That contact be critical sense is the result of an in- man," the Jew a music-world. When, many years intimacy and personal
tween himself and his audiences tellectual background that includes crooked finger to the somewhat ago, he first presented his "tran-
which succeeds in making even the a knowledge of philosophy, logic wildered Kreisler, "is a thief. scriptions" with the fabulous ex- largest concert-hall assume the and metaphysics. Obviously, he rest him! He has in his possession
of a small drawing has been fed on a well-balanced cul- Fritz Kreisler's violin !” planation that he had stumbled friendliness
tural diet, and his appetite across the original manuscripts in had European monasteries and freely adapted them for the violin critical it was not to test the
acumen of his fellow-musicians but merely as the temporary expedient of a young violinist who wished to have his works more widely per
formed.
room.
has
been so keen that he In vain did Kreisler protest that has been able to take more than a he himself was the great violinist; mere superficial taste of each dish; the fact that he had left his passport the result has been a fertile back in his hotel did not simplify the ground of scholarship which has, situation. Finally Kreisler put the au for a long time, been the awe of his violin under the chin and played
public.
Schon Rosmaria, “There's no
no doubt about it," the pawnbroker said with Almost any violinist in the world a voice that cracked with bewilder- not excluding Heifetz or Menuhin ment. **This gentleman simply will sound like any other half- can't be anyone. else but Fritz dozen great violinists in playing Kreisler!”
For a long time, now, Kreisler's personality has been enveloped in
to the eyes of his glamour diences. His intense humanity and great heart have, perhaps, înspired as much admiration as his sublime fiddling. His activities during and after the war, for example. It need not be retold that he did not It was to be expected that musi- hesitate to send his entire earnings cians should greet the hoax as if it to Austria to help alleviate the ter rible suffering and despair of his were a personal offence, with grum
fellow-countrymen as a result of bles of anger, and bitter accusation
the war. His devotion ...to of artistic dishonesty. The music- world felt somewhat silly, and not charitable work during these years was so great that everything else, a little awkward and embarrassed to learn that it had been the victim pertaining to his art and life, as- of a fraud for which all of musical sumed secondary importance. Erno history can find no counterpart - Balogh, who for a short time served
as an accompanist to Kreisler, told And yet, musicians should not me an anecdote in this connection which is particularly illuminating have been taken altogether by sur-
in giving us an insight into a great prise. Twenty years ago, Kreisler
character. Shortly after the war, presented his Liebesfreud, Liebes-
while concertizing. in Norway. leid and Schon Rosmarin as "trans- Kreisler was invited to have tea criptions of ..some posthumous
with the king -an-honour which waltzes of Josef Lanner;" and it was only because a Viennese critic most artists would have accepted with unmitigated delight. Kreisler, verbally flogged Kreisler for his im-
***however, apologised for not coming, pudence in including his own explaining that he was too busy. Caprice Viennois in the same group That afternoon, Kreisler remained with these "Josef Lanner gems" in his hotel to do secretarial work that Kreisler confessed that these pieces were not Lanner's but his for a series of charities that he was conducting for needy Europeans. 1. This episode may have pass" "But Fritz," Balogh said with sur- without very much publicity at the time, but musicians were well prise, “you told His Majesty that you were too busy to have tea with acquainted with it and often spoke him, and now you are doing only of it. One would expect, therefore, charity work!"!
Charity work that Kreisler's other "transcrip- that is something else, Kreisler tions” would have passed a more answered softly. "Why should I go rigorous scrutiny. Perhaps they did
out of my way to have tea with al --- and it may have been only be king? With a great thinker cause the fraud was much too per great artist →→→ a great humanitar- fect that for a second time the fan, yes, I would gladly go out of my music-world permitted itself to be way to spend time with such a duped by the great violinist.
man. But a king? No, thank you! It's much more important to help these poor starying people!",
"And that,” added
It is very doubtful, however, if Kreisler's confession will diminish commentary, to any perceptible degree his enor- Kreisler gesture.
Balogh as a characteristic
Cook
by
Gas