Fritz Kreisler

Kreisler was born in Vienna, Austria.

Kreisler was so exceptionally talented that he was accepted at the Vienna Conservatory when he was only seven years old.

At the age of twelve, while studying at the Paris Conservatory, Kreisler was awarded the "Premier Grand Prix de Rome" gold medal over several adult students.

After being turned down for a position in the Vienna Philharmonic, Kreisler left music temporarily to study medicine.

Kreisler rarely practiced, claiming that playing the violin was something that happened more in the brain than in the hands.

Though he was a composer, Kreisler is remembered more for being one of the greatest violinists of all time.

When World War II broke out, Kreisler settled in the United States and became a naturalized citizen in 1943.

Kreisler served in the Austrian Army during World War I, and received an honorable discharge after he was wounded.

Edward Elgar's Violin Concerto was dedicated to Kreisler, and Kreisler gave the premiere performance.

Unsure that his original music would be well-received, Kreisler composed music in the style of almost-forgotten composers from the past, claiming that he had unearthed the music in libraries and monasteries.  Kreisler would admit to the hoax later in life.

Though Kreisler composed some large pieces, operettas, and various shorter works, his most popular compositions were short, sentimental pieces that featured the violin.

Struck by a truck while crossing a street in New York, Kreisler suffered a fractured skull and was in a coma for over a week. However, he recovered and continued to give concerts after the accident.

Kreisler donated his Giuseppe Guarneri violin to the Library of Congress in Washington, D.C. where it remains in use for performances given in the library.