Kreisler Bergonzi
Encyclopedia
The Kreisler Bergonzi is an antique violin
made by the Italian luthier
Carlo Bergonzi (1683–1747) from Cremona
in 1740.
The violin is named after violinist Fritz Kreisler
. After being forced to donate his Guarnerius to the Library of Congress to settle a tax debt with the United States
Internal Revenue Service
, Kreisler used the Bergonzi violin as his primary performance instrument for more than ten years near the end of his career. Several recordings were made by Kreisler with the Bergonzi which can be seen on the album covers he can be seen holding it.
Fritz Kreisler passed the instrument onto Cuban violinist Angel Reyes
who in turn made it available to Itzhak Perlman
. Perlman recorded the Khachaturian Concerto on the Kreisler Bergonzi and on the cover of the album he is pictured holding it. After Perlman, the violin was played by Ruben Gonzales, who was concertmaster of the Chicago Symphony. In 1995 the instrument was purchased by the noted violin collector David Fulton
who retained it until 2006 when the violin was purchased by the Dextra Musica foundation for the use of the great Norwegian virtuoso Vilde Frang, in whose hands the instrument may be heard by the public.
Of all of the extant Cremonese instruments, the Kreisler Bergonzi is one of the best preserved with its original neck and most of its original varnish. There has been very little repair work required on it. It is one of the best sounding of all Bergonzi violins.
Violin
The violin is a string instrument, usually with four strings tuned in perfect fifths. It is the smallest, highest-pitched member of the violin family of string instruments, which includes the viola and cello....
made by the Italian luthier
Luthier
A luthier is someone who makes or repairs lutes and other string instruments. In the United States, the term is used interchangeably with a term for the specialty of each maker, such as violinmaker, guitar maker, lute maker, etc...
Carlo Bergonzi (1683–1747) from Cremona
Cremona
Cremona is a city and comune in northern Italy, situated in Lombardy, on the left bank of the Po River in the middle of the Pianura Padana . It is the capital of the province of Cremona and the seat of the local City and Province governments...
in 1740.
The violin is named after violinist Fritz Kreisler
Fritz Kreisler
Friedrich "Fritz" Kreisler was an Austrian-born violinist and composer. One of the most famous violin masters of his or any other day, he was known for his sweet tone and expressive phrasing. Like many great violinists of his generation, he produced a characteristic sound which was immediately...
. After being forced to donate his Guarnerius to the Library of Congress to settle a tax debt with the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
Internal Revenue Service
Internal Revenue Service
The Internal Revenue Service is the revenue service of the United States federal government. The agency is a bureau of the Department of the Treasury, and is under the immediate direction of the Commissioner of Internal Revenue...
, Kreisler used the Bergonzi violin as his primary performance instrument for more than ten years near the end of his career. Several recordings were made by Kreisler with the Bergonzi which can be seen on the album covers he can be seen holding it.
Fritz Kreisler passed the instrument onto Cuban violinist Angel Reyes
Angel Reyes
Ángel Reyes Ángel Reyes Ángel Reyes (died November 17, 1988 was a Cuban violinist.In New York City during 1933, Reyes was the principal violinist of the Thirteenth Sound Group of Havana, with which he recorded Julian Carrillo’s Preludio a Colón (Prelude to Christopher Columbus) on the Columbia...
who in turn made it available to Itzhak Perlman
Itzhak Perlman
Itzhak Perlman is an Israeli-born violinist, conductor, and instructor of master classes. He is regarded as one of the pre-eminent violinists of the 20th and early-21st centuries.-Early life:...
. Perlman recorded the Khachaturian Concerto on the Kreisler Bergonzi and on the cover of the album he is pictured holding it. After Perlman, the violin was played by Ruben Gonzales, who was concertmaster of the Chicago Symphony. In 1995 the instrument was purchased by the noted violin collector David Fulton
David L. Fulton
David Fulton is the most important private collector of Cremonese instruments living today.Born in 1944, he grew up in Eugene, Oregon, playing the violin from a young age...
who retained it until 2006 when the violin was purchased by the Dextra Musica foundation for the use of the great Norwegian virtuoso Vilde Frang, in whose hands the instrument may be heard by the public.
Of all of the extant Cremonese instruments, the Kreisler Bergonzi is one of the best preserved with its original neck and most of its original varnish. There has been very little repair work required on it. It is one of the best sounding of all Bergonzi violins.