Music: Kreisler's Hoax

Critics and fellow-fiddlers have long remarked on Fritz Kreisler's predilection for obscure composers who lived in the 17th and 18th Centuries. On his programs Kreisler has appeared as an arranger of Vivaldi, Pugnani, Couperin, Porpora and a half a dozen others just as little known. But not until last week did Fritz Kreisler admit that he himself had written all the music which he had attributed to them.

An ardent researcher badgered his publishers until Kreisler cabled his confession from Vienna. He wrote most of his so-called classical music 30 years ago when...