Born in Vienna in 1875, Kreisler appeared as a child prodigy at the age of seven. He was a supremely natural player who could go a whole week without looking at his violin, then pick it up as if he had been practicing for hours. Having previously recorded both the Beethoven and Mendelssohn concertos a decade earlier, Kreisler opted this time for a more reflective interpretation to complement his uniquely sonorous tone, particularly memorable in the lyrical episodes of the Mendelssohn Concerto and heavenly Larghetto of the Beethoven Concerto.