Prelude and allegro for violin and chamber orchestra

Fritz Kreisler
Duration: 5'

"Praeludium and Allegro" is a famous piece for violin and piano, often mistaken as a work by the Italian composer and violinist Paganini, but was actually written by the German composer Fritz Kreisler in the early 20th century as part of his collection of compositions in the style of earlier composers. It is noted for its virtuosic violin score, featuring both passionate lyrical sections and technically challenging passages.

This piece is typical of Kreisler's compositional style, aiming to capture the spirit and techniques of earlier periods while infusing his own romantic sensibility. It's a popular piece in the violin repertoire and is often performed by young violinists at auditions and competitions.

The fact that Kreisler originally presented this and other works as compositions by older masters was part of an interesting tradition of musical mystification that was not uncommon at the time. It was only later in life that Kreisler admitted these pieces were his own creations.

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