Polichinelle

Apart from the collection of Classical Manuscripts composed by the violin virtuoso Fritz Kreisler (1875-1962) which he had passed off as transcriptions of settings of old masters, the violinist published original works early on as well. Kreisler himself liked to play them as encore pieces, thus sweetening many a concert with this 'musical confectionery'. Famous tunes are, for example, Liebesfreud, Liebesleid and Schön Rosmarin, his old Viennese dance tunes, in which Kreisler evoked the coffee-house atmosphere of his home town with beautiful melodies and mellifluous harmonies. Another wonderful example is his Marche miniature viennoise, with its humorous theme and a rather march-like middle section - and everywhere, Kreisler takes the audience by surprise with a little Viennese snide humour. Kreisler's original compositions are lovely miniatures, lively and catchy, even with a touch of melancholy - yet full of charm and elegance. Arranged for string trio, they are enjoyable to play and worth listening to and a valuable addition to the repertoire - ideal for sociable music-making or as pieces to end a 'serious' concert.