Druian plays Kreisler Praeludium and Allegro in the style of Pugnani

Praeludium and Allegro in the style of Pugnani

Composer: Fritz Kreisler (1875-1962)
Performers: Rafael Druian (violin) (1922-2002) & John Simms (piano)
Recorded: 1957

Rafael Druian, a violinist and conductor who served as the concertmaster for the New York Philharmonic, the Cleveland Orchestra and other ensembles, died on Sept. 6 in Philadelphia. He was 80 and lived in Philadelphia.

Mr. Druian was born in Vologda, Russia, and grew up in Havana, where his family moved when he was an infant. At 8 he became a pupil of Amadeo Roldán, the conductor of the Havana Philharmonic. Two years later he went to Philadelphia to audition for Leopold Stokowski, who recommended him for a scholarship at the Curtis Institute of Music.

After his graduation from Curtis in 1942, Mr. Druian served in the United States Army for four years, playing the mellophone in the Army band.

He was the concertmaster of the Dallas Symphony from 1947 to 1949 and the Minneapolis Symphony (now the Minnesota Orchestra) from 1949 to 1960. His longest tenure as a concertmaster was in Cleveland, where he played under George Szell from 1960 to 1969.

He appeared on many recordings with Szell, including an acclaimed Columbia recording of Mozart's Sinfonia Concertante; with Szell at the piano, he also recorded Mozart's four violin sonatas.

After leaving the Cleveland Orchestra, he taught at the California Institute of the Arts in Valencia, and in 1971 became the concertmaster of the New York Philharmonic under Pierre Boulez. He held the position until 1974, when he devoted himself to conducting and teaching, though he continued to make occasional appearances as a violin soloist.

He is survived by two sons, Peter, of Philadelphia, and Greg, of Portland, Ore.
http://www.nytimes.com/2002/09/23/arts/rafael-druian-80-violinist-and-conduct...

Category:

Music

Tags:

• Rafael
• Druian
• Kreisler
• Praeludium
• and
• Allegro

[0littleluu0]

GOD

[hobanfan]

Fine examples of the lost art of the portamento

[lch868]

OMG STEVE JOBS!!!

[frenchnics2]

Anyone know if this is the Nightingale le Rossignol Strad that is being played in this video?

[themusicdr]

imusiki - thanks for another greta post

[winrx]

I've always known Mr Druian to have been a former concertmaster under Szell in Cleveland, however, I have not realized what flair and personal style he possessed until now - thanks immensely for posting!

[adnilshah]

This is so meaty. Delicious! Thanks.

[j72050]

...due to a mistake/misunderstanding about the time of a rehearsal...Druian resigned from the Cleveland Orchestra....or was he tired of Szell....he gave it 9 years, anyway

[ipmoic]

Raphael Druian was concertmaster of The Cleveland Orchestra after Joseph Gingold left that post. Druian was a good friend and colleague of my father, Giorgio Ciompi, who was head of the string department at The Cleveland Institute of Music.

Many thanks imusiciki for the reminder of Druian's elegant playing and fond memories of times past.

[macciboma]

Kreisler gran violinista Grazie da Walter.

[donchisciotte62]

So elegant !!!! I love violin sound!

ciao

donni