Leo Portnoff

Waving Fields

Leo Portnoff (1875-1940) was a Ukranian-born composer, violinist, and pedagogue. He studied with Joachim and Wirth in Berlin, before teaching at the Klindworth-Scharwenka Conservatory and later becoming a professor atthe Stern Conservatory. After the First World War he became a conductor, before moving to America in 1922 where he remained for the rest of his life, eventually becoming Head of Violin at the University ofMiami.

Portnoff is best remembered for his Russian Fantasias, but he wrote many more works for Violin with Piano accompaniment, often for educational purposes. Waving Fileds (WogendeFelder;Champs Ondoyants) is one of these.