Violinist Fritz Kreisler ~ "Chanson Meditation by Rawlins Cottenet" (1910)

Violinist Fritz Kreisler (1875-1962) / Chanson-Meditation / Rawlins Cottenet) / Recorded: May 24, 1910 --

As a close friend and colleague has noted, Cottenet's 'Chanson-Meditation' has the stamp, the true signature of a Fritz Kreisler composition.

Interestingly...

According to EFREM ZIMBALIST: A LIFE by Roy Malan (2004), when Zimbalist first performed 'Chanson Meditation' at a rehearsal, he was surprised to learn that it was the only composition by Cottenet, who was a member of the Metropolitan Opera House board of directors ("a font of entertaining gossip about all the impressive names in the social register, as well as the great artists he numbered among his close acquaintances"). Only after Cottenet's death did Zimbalist learn the truth about 'Chanson Meditation.' "Kreisler confided that Cottenet had yearned to impress his artistic friends with a show of personal creativity. Finally he begged his old friend to help him out, and Kreisler had obliged -- with 'Chanson Meditation by Rawlins Cottenet.'"

*******************************

Category:

Music

Tags:

• Violinist
• Fritz
• Kreisler
• Chanson-Meditation
• Cottenet
• 78RPM
• CurzonRoad

[AlmaWinemiller]

I found this otherwordly... like being transported in another time, another place... Magical. Thank you!

[CurzonRoad]

@AlmaWinemiller

Agreed... 101 percent... THANK YOU!

[Ne14Gr8Music]

Excellent post Doug!!!

[CurzonRoad]

@Ne14Gr8Music

Howdy, Lloyd!

Thanks... very much!

[bsharppianomajor]

GREAT! Another + for you. Doug. I have a number or recordings of Kreisler playing Kresiler, but you make them sound great.

[CurzonRoad]

@bsharppianomajor

Thank you... very much!

Without a doubt... this is one of my favorite Kreisler recordings!

[2ndviolinist]

With no close second, my favorite violinist. Wonderful piece played perfectly. The sound is so much better than my copy, I'm deleting it. Bravo.

[HerAeolianHarp]

Thank you for another nightcap of musical beauty. I shall belly up to my inbox whenever such treats come my way. Like so many of your friends here, Doug, I'm grateful for this.

[blababshik]

Bravo!Put it in my favorites to listen again and again.

[mayatatyana1]

Thank you again, Doug. This is so lovely. Maya

[HM0880]

@Labienus

Oh yes, Kreisler was certainly a talented man! And in the book "Heifetz As I Knew Him," Ayke Agus (the author) says that Heifetz was also a skilled pianist.

[Labienus]

@HM0880 @HM0880 Yes, forgot that it was Heifetz, no less but that Kreisler could do it so casually

There were many musicians of multiple instrumental talents especially composers lots of singers who had careers or great skill as instrumentalists Wunderlich Hunt-Lieberson etc.

Much rarer are instrumentalists who could play publicly on 2 different instruments Rostropovich did

And just last yr. German violinist Fischer played a Saint-Saens violin in first half then Grieg piano

[HM0880]

@Labienus

I have heard this story too... the violinist was a pre-teen Heifetz, the concerto was Mendelssohn's, and Kreisler did in fact play the piano part from memory!

Kreisler's sound is so warm and beautiful. He is one of my top three most favorite violinists (the other two being Menuhin and Milstein.) Thanks for this, Doug. :)