Fritz Kreisler

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THE COMPETITION HISTORY

Austria’s most important violin competition dates back to the prize that Fritz Kreisler privately donated every year, before 1938, for the best violin student at the Vienna Music Academy.  1979 saw the year that the competition became international, where violinists of all nationalities were able to compete on the centre stage. Yehudi Menuhin was on the jury at this time. Since 1979, the International Fritz Kreisler Society typically organizes the International Fritz Kreisler Violin Competition every four years at the Vienna Musikverein or the Vienna Konzerthaus. 

Significance

As one of the largest international violin competitions – established in 1979 by Wolfgang Schneiderhan and managed by Michael Frischenschlager since 1989 – the Fritz Kreisler International Competition, which to date has taken place nine times, is a source of attraction for young violinists from all over the world and is an event through which the City of Vienna pays tribute to one of its great artists and musicians.

  • attracts the best young violin soloists from around the world to the Vienna Konzerthaus or Musikverein every four years to an artistic and musical competition in the name of Fritz Kreisler
  • supports violin playing and talent at the highest artistic level and, for the prize winners, represents an important milestone for a successful career
  • is of great importance for the next generation of Austrian violinists and gives them the opportunity to compare themselves in Vienna with their international contemporaries
  • enriches Vienna’s musical life every four years with a unique violin festival with 19 concerts featuring the world’s best young violinists and
  • has been for many years an active committee member (holding also the Vice-Presidency) of the Fédération Mondiale des Concours Internationaux de Musique (UNESCO, Geneva)
  • The Fritz Kreisler Competition, as the largest international violin competition in the country, enriches the musical landscape of Austria and music metropolis of Vienna, and is vital also in view of the new flourishing cultural centre of Central Europe. 
  • The competition provides an international role model through its innovative ideas in terms of organization and presentation. It is a trademark for Austria, alongside the other leading international violin competitions. 
  • The competition marks Vienna as a city ideally suited to host international music competitions, a city with great cultural tradition, which, in turn, attracts young musicians from all over the world. 
  • The competition is a symbol of cultural diversity and tolerance and provides remembrance of the tragedy that occurred in Central Europe during the 20th century, when many scientists and artists such as Kreisler were forced to flee as a result of racism and dictatorship. 
  • As an act of homage to Fritz Kreisler, the competition should make both the younger generation and the audience aware of his significance as a musician, artist and human being as well as of his origin in the unique cultural environment of Vienna at the turn of the 20th century.
  • Meeting of the elite young international violinists every four years in Fritz Kreisler’s hometown for a great Violin ‘Olympiade’. A 9-day competition with a total of 12 prizes – a festival of violin playing that is an important Viennese cultural event of great interest to the public and media. 
  • Participants with high artistic standards guaranteed by careful selection from hundreds of applicants from all continents (with the help of CVs, critiques, recommendation letters, videos and recordings). 
  • The highest organizational and artistic standards due to the many years of experience in organizing international music competitions as well as by collaborating with the most renowned local partners: Vienna Konzerthaus, Vienna Symphony Orchestra, Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra, ORF Radio-Symphony Orchestra, Jeunesse, ORF.
  • To present a rich competition program of the most beautiful violin music from the baroque period until today, that in four rounds (violin solo, violin and piano x2, violin and orchestra) enables the participants to express the full range of their artistic personalities. 
  • To organize a unique violin festival, with an exciting series of 19 concerts that move from strength to strength until the highlight of the event: the Gala-Final with the ORF Radio-Symphony Orchestra in the Great Hall of the Vienna Konzerthaus or Musikverein. 
  • To enable school children to attend the competition’s concerts and thus to make these excursions an integral part of school music education in Vienna an its vicinity. 
  • To choose prize winners of the International Fritz Kreisler Competition who on their concert tours will inspire audiences, beyond their virtuosity, with their interpretation, artistic personality, musical poetry and stylistic awareness.

Short chronology

1932-38 • The ‘Fritz Kreisler Competition’, as it was originally known, was an internal violin competition organized every year by the Vienna Music Academy — today the University of Music and Performing Arts — for the violin students. The first prize, donated by Kreisler, was given to the best violin student of the year.


1956 • Formative meeting between the young violin student from Salzburg, Michael Frischenschlager (19), with Fritz Kreisler (81) in New York.


1975 • On the occasion of a commemorative concert organized by Prof. Frischenschlager at the Vienna Music University, the idea arises together with Prof. Wolfgang Schneiderhan and Prof. Franz Samohyl to establish an international Fritz Kreisler Competition in Vienna.


1979 • I. International Fritz Kreisler Violin Competition. It successfully takes place on the 10th to the 19th of September in the Vienna Musikverein with Yehudi Menuhin as a jury member, Prof. Wolfgang Schneiderhan as President, and Prof. Franz Samohyl as Vice-president.


1983 • II. International Fritz Kreisler Violin Competition. The competition takes place again in the Vienna Musikverein. Unfortunately, it ends with a large deficit of over 2 million Schillings. This means that — despite its successful debut — the Fritz Kreisler Competition had to wait until 1992 to mark its return. 


1984-88 • Irmgard Seefried and Wolfgang Schneiderhan convince the City of Vienna and the bank Creditanstalt Bankverein to pay off the debts. Prof. Schneiderhan asks Prof. Frischenschlager to become his successor and to rebuild the competition. He resigns as President and becomes an Honorary President.


1989-91 • Frischenschlager prepares to resume the competition by looking for sponsors, PR, and organizing promotional concerts. A Kreisler concert in the Café Central in Vienna, broadcast on the ORF television, Kreisler concerts in New York (Carnegie Hall, Chamber Music Hall) and Washington (Georgetown University) are such examples. Dr. Helmut Zilk — The Mayor of Vienna — welcomes the return of the competition. 


1992 • III. International Fritz Kreisler Violin Competition. This time in the Vienna Konzerthaus. Gala-Final in the Great Hall with the Vienna Symphony Orchestra. At the end, the prize winners perform on Kreisler’s famous Guarneri violin (brought to Vienna from the Library of Congress in Washington with sponsorship from the Austrian National Bank). The ORF television broadcasts the Gala-Final. The primary funders are the City of Vienna and several Federal Ministries. The competition becomes part of the musical life in Vienna and thus, every four years, Vienna becomes the goal for the world’s best young violinists.


1996 • IV. International Fritz Kreisler Violin Competition. Now again in the Musikverein. Very high international participation. The Gala-Final is partially broadcast by ORF television. The Vienna City Councillor, Dr. Ursula Pasterk, presents the Fritz Kreisler Prize to the first prize winner. Due to Vienna’s strong musical heritage, the name of Fritz Kreisler, the prestigious venues (Vienna Konzerthaus, Vienna Musikverein) and to the innovative programme and jury rules, the competition becomes one of the favourite, most-subscribed international violin competitions. Prestigious cooperation partners include: the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra, the Vienna Symphony Orchestra, the University of Music and Performing Arts, the Salzburg Festival, ORF, Naxos, Jeunesse-Musikalische Jugend.


2000 • V. International Fritz Kreisler Violin Competition. In the Vienna Konzerthaus. As always, the competition is highly successful with a large number of participants. The culture department of the City of Vienna can no longer finance the Gala-Final, instead the Gerber Foundation (Zurich) provide additional funding. 


2005 • VI. International Fritz Kreisler Violin Competition. In the Vienna Konzerthaus. Again, a highly successful event. Due to the passing of Mrs. Gerber (President of the Gerber Foundation), the Swiss funding for the Gala-Final is no longer possible. Due to this large loss in income and many increased costs, there is once again a deficit. 


2010 • VII. International Fritz Kreisler Violin Competition. In the Vienna Konzerthaus. The quality and success prove to be very high once again. Frischenschlager manages to increase the income from sponsors. But increased costs (Konzerthaus-halls rental, graphic design and printing costs and participants accommodation) once again unfortunately lead to a deficit.


2014 • VIII. International Fritz Kreisler Violin Competition. In the Vienna Konzerthaus. International participation remains high as well as the artistic level of the participants. A campaign subsidised by the Austrian Federal Ministry of Education enables many Viennese school pupils to attend the 19 concerts of the competition. Because of the continued diminishing income from sponsors, targeted savings are necessary through e.g., welcoming the participants into the homes of music-loving families of members of the Viennese Rotary Clubs.


2018 • IX. International Fritz Kreisler Violin Competition. Once again in the Vienna Musikverein. Preparation proceeded as usual but another dramatic decline of sponsorship and the unexpected loss of the traditional funding from the Viennese city government made cancellation seem inevitable. However when all hope seems lost, Klaus Heymann, President of NAXOS (Beijing) allows the competition to go ahead with his personal support. A main sponsor in China, KUKE MUSIC HOLDING Ltd, was also instrumental in the survival of the competition. Thus, the competition can take place successfully. The University of Music and Performing Arts held the first and second round for the first time and the semi-final, Final I and Gala-Final were also live streamed. The competition concludes without a deficit for the first time since 2000. 


2022 • The X. International Fritz Kreisler Violin Competition. A jubilee and an anniversary — the 60th year after Kreisler’s passing. This means a renewed commitment to organizing the competition at the highest level and to honor the memory of Fritz Kreisler. During the year of the competition, there will be additional events such as concerts, an exhibition and a documentary film about his life.

1875 • Born on 2 February in Vienna as the second of five children to a highly musical Jewish family that originated from Galicia.

1879 • First violin lessons at the age of 4. Fritz immediately exhibited spectacular musical talent.

1882 – 85 • Entry into the Vienna Conservatory as a child prodigy, pupil of Joseph Hellmesberger Junior and of Anton Bruckner. Sensational first public concerts. First composition as an 8-year old. Graduation with a Diploma and Gold Medal.

1885 – 87 • Continuation of his studies at the Paris Conservatory with Joseph Lambert Massart and Leo Delibes. 2 years later, graduation from his studies in Paris with the award of the Grand Premier Prix as by far the youngest student ever. This marked the end of Kreisler’s formal violin tuition. Return to Vienna.

1888 – 89 • Concert tour of the prodigy in the USA with 50 concerts together with the pianist Moritz Rosenthal.

1889 – 95 • Back to Vienna. The violin was put aside. His father insists that he attends the Piaristen secondary school. Matura (school leaving exam), military service as a 1-year volunteer in the Imperial and Royal Army, reserve officer. Short attempt to study medicine at the University of Vienna. Prof. Billroth urges him in the stongest terms to follow a career in music.

1896 – 98 • Return to music, to the violin. Unsuccessful audition for the orchestra of the Imperial and Royal Court Opera (Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra). Composition of the inspired cadenzas to Beethoven’s violin concerto and of the first, soon to be famous, short violin pieces in historical styles. First concert tours as a soloist (Greece, Turkey, Russia). A year and a half after the failed attempt to become a member of the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra and after further successful concert tours (within the Hapsburg Empire, Germany), triumphant return to the Great Hall of the Musikverein as a soloist with the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra under the baton of Hans Richter on 23 January 1898.

1899 – 1914 • Beginning of his world career. 1 December 1899, first concert with the Berlin Philharmonic under the baton of Arhur Nikisch. Ever more concert tours to all countries of Europe and the USA. 1902, marriage to Harriet Lies, the daughter of a New York tobacco wholesaler, who unconditionally supported her brilliant husband. Kreisler becomes a favourite of the public in all important concert halls around the world. 260 concerts per year. His compositions in historical styles, at first attributed to genuine old masters, as well as his Viennese melodies (Caprice Viennois, Fair Rosemary, Love’s Joy, etc.) are met with great acclaim.

1910 – 12 • 70,000 copies of his compositions sold in a year. Exclusive record contract with Victor in London.

1912 • Piano trio Kreisler, Harold, Bauer, Casals.

1914 – 18 • First world war. Kreisler fulfils his duty as a reserve lieutenant of the army of his fatherland and goes – accompanied by his wife, a nurse for the Red Cross – to the Russian front. He is wounded and recovers. Moves to New York. Start of his great charitable activities (benefit concerts, fundraising) for Austrian war orphans and widows. After the USA joined the war, forced end to his concert activity. Composition of his first Operetta “Apple Blossoms”. (Successful premiere, 1919 in New York). Composition of his string quartet in A minor.

1919 – 24 • Kreisler’s first concert after the war in Carnegie Hall in aid of starving children in Vienna. His worldwide career continues with overwhelming success. Concert tours to China, Japan, Korea. In the USA, there are repeated relief actions for Austria that was in dire need. 1921, triumphant comeback in London, 1924 also in Paris. Nearly all of Kreisler’s concerts in these years were for charitable causes. The Austrian government considers appointing Kreisler as Austrian Ambassador to the USA.

1925 – 38 • Kreisler is the most celebrated, highest paid violin virtuoso of his time. Moves back to Europe and buys a prestigious villa in Berlin. In addition to the usual tours in Europe and the USA, there are concert tours to the furthest flung continents (Australia, New Zealand, South America — to where he travelled in a Zeppelin). Creation of the Fritz Kreisler Prize for the best violin students of the Vienna Music Academy.

1932 • Premiere of Kreisler’s second Operetta “Sissy” in the Theater an der Wien with Paula Wessely and Hans Jaray as Sissy and Kaiser Franz Joseph, respectivley. Since 1933, Kreisler tried to prevent the discrimination of renowned Jewish artist colleagues in Berlin.

1935  • The City of Vienna celebrates Kreisler’s 60th birthday in the Townhall. The Mayor, Richard Schmitz, presents Kreisler with the Ring of Honour of his home city in the presence of dignitaries.

1939 – 45 •  Kreisler refuses to accept an imposed German citizenship following the dissolution of Austria. His compositions are black-listed. He becomes an honorary citizen of France, leaves his Berlin residence and moves to New York, for the second time in his life, to the native country of his wife — this time for ever. Continued concert activity. 1941, there is a bad accident, Kreisler is runover by a lorry and seriously injured. 1943, composes his last compositions, again dedicated to his home city: “Viennese Rhapsodic Fantasietta”. Became a naturalised American citizen.

1945 •  On his 70th birthday, Kreisler performs the Sibelius violin concerto at Carnegie Hall.

1945 – 62 • After the end of the war, the packages full of shoes, clothes, toys and medicines once again pile up at the collection points of aid organisations in Vienna and Berlin from Fritz and Harriet Kreisler. Gradual end to his concert activity following 60 years of unparalleled success.

1949 •  Kreisler auctions his famous library (hand-written documents, early editions, first editions, incunabula) and donates the proceeds of ca. 1.5 milion euros in today’s equivalent value to the New York Lennox Hospital and the Golden Rule Foundation.

1952 •  Kreisler gifts his entire personal music property to the Library of Congress, including valuable autograph manuscripts – for example, that of the Brahms violin concerto – and his favourite violin, that he played for more than 20 years, a Guarnerius del Gesù from 1733 – according to Hill the most beautiful Guarnerius that is still in existence today.

1955  • The musical world, Heads of State, Monarchs, artists and music institutions from all continents honour Kreisler on the occasion of his 80th birthday.

1962  •  The life of the great Austrian violinist and composer, Kreisler, comes to an end on 29 January in New York.

FRITZ KREISLER

(Vienna 1875 – 1962 New York)

At the age of 10, he graduated from the Vienna Conservatory as a student of Hellmesberger and Bruckner; at 12, following 2 years of studies with Massart and Delibes, he won the Premier Prix of the Paris Conservatory. He had a spectacularly successful career on all continents; for decades, he was a favourite of the public all over the world and became an idol for a whole generation of violinists. He was considered the epitome of an Austrian, a Viennese musician and artist.

His personality bore the stamp of the extraordinary in every possible way. From a historical perspective, Kreisler is the last notable representative of the composing virtuosos of the romantic period, while at the same time also being one of the pioneers of modern violin playing in the 20th century.

Kreisler was born in the culturally immensely rich city of Vienna in the late romantic period, into a family belonging to that highly educated but not always wealthy Jewish bourgeoisie, that appreciated art, and was a substantial carrier of Austrian culture at the turn of the century.

For two decades, Kreisler was the most sought-after and highest paid violin virtuoso in the world. His famous and distinctive short violin pieces were published in record print runs and, to this day, are beloved and played by all violinists. With the wealth accumulated from his unprecedented success, a particularly characteristic quality of Kreisler came to the fore, namely his joy in helping; a willingness – never before seen to that extent in artists – to help those around him, the young virtuosos struggling for recognition as well as impoverished colleagues, victims of natural catastrophes and war, but also, more generally, orphans and others in need from lower socioeconomic classes. The help he extended to his homeland Austria and his hometown Vienna after the first and second world wars will never be forgotten.

Today, two generations since the end of this extraordinary artist’s life, there are three especially fascinating features to note: the legendary musical talent – Kreisler’s enchanting musicianship, characterised by an Apollonian lightness, deep sentiment and sparkling communicative ability, both as a virtuoso and as a composer. His character, which was of rare harmony, hovered between jovial kindness and unwavering consistency, between the highest artistic sensitivity and stoic serenity, between romantic reverie and a wide awake readiness to deal with everything encountered in life’s path. And finally, a loyal lucky star that appears to have watched over Kreisler’s life and that nearly always kept away darkness, even in difficult times.

Michael Frischenschlager