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Sam Franko

Sam Franko (January 20, 1857 – May 6, 1937) was an American violinist and conductor. He was the brother of violinist, conductor and concert promoter Nahan Franko.

A native of New Orleans, Franko studied the violin in Europe, working with Joseph Joachim and Henri Vieuxtemps among others. Upon his return to the United States he joined the Mendelssohn Quartet, later working with the Theodore Thomas Orchestra and the New York Philharmonic. Franko soon grew disgusted with prejudice against American musicians, and created the American Symphony, made up entirely of American performers, in 1894. With this group he gave many American premieres. Franko also taught violin and arranged 17th- and 18th-century music, and transcribed numerous pieces for the violin. His work with old music won him accolades from the German press. His autobiography, Chords and Discords, was published in 1938, and he died in New York City in 1937.

The set of cadenzas he wrote for Mozart's Violin Concerto in G-major K. 216 has become a standard part of the concert repertoire, more so than all of the numerous other cadenzas that have been written for this piece.

Birth and Death Data: Born January 20, 1857, Died May 6, 1937

Date Range of DAHR Recordings: 1911 - 1936

Roles Represented in DAHR: arranger, composer

= Recordings are available for online listening.
= Recordings were issued from this master. No recordings issued from other masters.

Recordings

Company Matrix No. Size First Recording Date Title Primary Performer Description Role Audio
Victor B-10406 10-in. 5/17/1911 Rigaudon Mischa Elman Violin solo, with piano arranger  
Victor B-16595 10-in. 10/4/1915 Arioso Mischa Elman Violin solo, with piano arranger  
Victor B-18967 10-in. 1/6/1917 Danse de Colinette Mischa Elman Violin solo, with piano arranger  
Victor B-26400 10-in. 4/3/1922 Valse sentimentale Erica Morini Violin solo, with piano arranger  
Victor B-29888 10-in. 4/17/1924 Valse sentimentale Mischa Elman Violin solo, with piano arranger  
Victor BVE-29888 10-in. 5/26/1930 Valse sentimentale Mischa Elman ; Carroll Hollister Violin solo, with piano arranger  
Victor B-30000 10-in. 4/21/1924 Canzonetta Renée Chemet Violin solo, with piano arranger  
Victor CVE-45079 12-in. 5/31/1928 Valse triste Mischa Elman Violin solo, with piano arranger  
Victor CVE-51825 12-in. 4/25/1929 Arioso Philadelphia Chamber String Sinfonietta ; Fabien Sevitzky String orchestra arranger  
Victor CVE-53533 12-in. 6/3/1929 Hymn to the sun Mischa Elman Violin solo, with piano arranger  
Victor PBS-09022 10-in. 10/30/1936 Arioso Kenshu Wanifuchi Violin solo arranger  
Columbia 81006 10-in. 5/10/1923 Valse sentimentale Francesco Longo ; Toscha Seidel Violin solo, with piano arranger  
Columbia W144595 10-in. 8/30/1927 Hymn to the sun Josef Bonime ; Eddy Brown Violin solo, with piano arranger  
Brunswick E15884-E15885 10-in. 5/25/1925 Irish lament Maurice Nadelle ; Mishel Piastro Violin solo, with piano composer  
Gramophone Bb20556 10-in. 12/11/1930 Rigaudon Hubert Giesen ; Yehudi Menuhin ; Pierre-Alexandre Monsigny Violin and piano duo arranger  

Citation

Discography of American Historical Recordings, s.v. "Franko, Sam," accessed April 19, 2024, https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/106436.

Franko, Sam. (2024). In Discography of American Historical Recordings. Retrieved April 19, 2024, from https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/106436.

"Franko, Sam." Discography of American Historical Recordings. UC Santa Barbara Library, 2024. Web. 19 April 2024.

DAHR Persistent Identifier

URI: https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/106436

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