COMPOSERS: Various
LABELS: Biddulph
WORKS: Violin works; songs
PERFORMER: Fritz Kreisler (vln)Carl Lamson (pno)John McCormack (ten)
CATALOGUE NO: LAB 068-69
Fritz Kreisler is one of the finest violinists on disc. The 48 tracks reveal his winning way with lighter fare, including salon music, arrangements of operatic arias, songs and piano pieces, plus two concerto movements (Tchaikovsky and Lalo’s Symphonie espagnole) – all with piano accompaniment.
These mainly acoustic recordings (1921-25 vintage) convey the sweetness and warmth of his tone nicely. The last five tracks also feature the great Irish tenor John McCormack – Kreisler’s equal as an artist – in pieces by Rachmaninov and Strauss. George Hall