Krasner, Louis, 1903-1995

Louis Krasner (1903-1995) was an American violinist, educator, and collector. A close associate of the Viennese School circle, he commissioned the Alban Berg violin concerto, and also premiered the Schoenberg concerto.

"Krasner, Louis (b. Cherkassy, Ukraine, 21 June 1903; d. Boston, 4 May 1995). American violinist. He was brought to the USA at the age of five, and graduated in 1922 from the New England Conservatory, where he studied the violin with Eugene Gruenberg and composition with Frederick Converse. Further studies in Europe, under Flesch, Lucien Capet and Ševčík, led to an active concert career there and in the USA, during which he became closely identified with 20th-century music. In 1934 he commissioned Berg's concerto, believing that the cause of serial music would be helped by an effective virtuoso work in Berg's impassioned melodic style. He gave its première at the 1936 ISCM Festival in Barcelona, and that of Schoenberg's concerto in Philadelphia in 1940; both concertos were also first recorded by him. His other first performances included concertos by Casella (1928, Boston) and Sessions (1946, Minneapolis), as well as shorter works by Cowell and Harris. Krasner became leader of the Minneapolis SO under Mitropoulos (1944-9), and then moved to Syracuse University, where he taught the violin and chamber music until 1972. He became a visiting professor at the New England Conservatory in 1976. His playing combined technical proficiency with persuasive conviction of musical character, attracting a rare testament of approval from Schoenberg after the première of his concerto (letter, 17 December 1940). (SchwarzGM)"--cf. New Grove, 2nd ed.

Louis Krasner, a Russo-American violinist, commissioned the Alban Berg Violin Concerto and gave it its first performance ; he also gave the first performance of the Arnold Schoenberg Violin Concerto.

Louis Krasner (1903-1995) was a renowned Ukrainian-born American classical violinist. He is perhaps best known for commissioning and premiering Alban Berg's famous violin concerto. He studied at the New England Conservatory and performed as a virtuoso recitalist in the 1920s and 1930s. In 1944 Krasner was named concertmaster of the Minneapolis Symphony Orchestra, a post he left in1949 to join the faculty of Syracuse University where he taught violin and chamber music until 1972. He was an active contributor to local radio station WCNY, hosting a program entitled "What's With Music," and also taught at the New England Conservatory and at Tanglewood.

Louis Krasner (1903-1995) was a concert violinist and later a teacher at the New England Conservatory of Music, and also a collector with varied interests. For further particulars of his biography, see the finding-aid for MS Mus 234, the main collection of his papers. The present collection, which has been separated from those papers, is made up of items not related to Krasner's biography but collected by him.

Louis Krasner (1903-1995) was a renowned Ukrainian-born American classical violinist. He is perhaps best known for commissioning and premiering Alban Berg's famous violin concerto. He studied at the New England Conservatory and performed as a virtuoso recitalist in the 1920s and 1930s. In 1944 Krasner was named concertmaster of the Minneapolis Symphony Orchestra, a post he left in1949 to join the faculty of Syracuse University where he taught violin and chamber music until 1972. He was also an active contributor to local radio station WCNY, hosting a program featuring both classical and contemporary music entitled "What's With Music." He also taught at the New England Conservatory and at Tanglewood.

Louis Krasner (d. 1995) was an American concert violinist, educator and collector.

Louis Krasner (d.1995) was an American concert violinist, an educator who taught at the New England Conservatory of Music, and a collector. A close associate of the Viennese School circle, he commissioned the Alban Berg violin concerto, and also premiered the Schoenberg concerto.