(Rare!) Fritz Kreisler’s 80th Birthday Interview (Part 1) (1955-02-02)

Quite a rare material. Fritz Kreisler is interviewed by Abraham Chasens, the musical manager of WQXR Radio station, on his 80th birthday, February 2nd, 1955. This was special tribute program broadcasted on that day. And as far as I know, this is the only recording of Kreisler’s voice which was commercially available. (except for few other radio transcriptions and newsreel soundtracks). Before the interview, we can hear “transcribed greetings“ of his collegues, Mischa Elman, Yehudi Menuhin, Nathan Milstein, Erica Morini, Joseph Szigeti, Ruggiero Ricci, Isaac Stern. While the actual interview recordings are playing, you can see the photos of Kreisler and cellist Pablo Casals’ having conversation in 1958 (Courtesy of the LIFE magazine)