 Kulenkampff was best known for his interpretations of works from the Romantic period.He gave the premiere performance of Robert Schumann's violin concerto and made the first recording of the piece.Additionally, his performances of the violin concertos of Bruch, Beethoven, Mendelssohn and Glazunov are considered among the finest on record, but his early death from encephalitis and the fact that his recording career coincided with the Nazi era have prevented his name from being better known to modern listeners.