Born in Moson, Hungary, in 1873, Carl Flesch received his first violin lessons at age five from a saddler who played at the local church.

Polish violinist Josef Hassid died on this day in 1950 – aged just 26. Battling schizophrenia for much of his adult life, Mr Hassid died

Polish violin virtuoso Josef Hassid was born on this day in 1923 – 92 years ago. A prodigious student of Carl Flesch, he was destined for a career of the highest caliber before crumbling tragically to the effects of mental illness. Violinist Fritz Kreisler famously remarked: “A fiddler such as Heifetz is born every 100 years; one like Hassid every 200 years”.

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JOSEF HASSID & GERALD MOORE | KREISLER | CAPRICE VIENNOIS | 1940