Giovanni Battista Viotti (12 May 1755 – 3 March 1824) was an
ItalianItaly , officially the Italian Republic , is a country located on the Italian Peninsula in Southern Europe and on the two largest islands in the Mediterranean Sea, Sicily and Sardinia. Italy shares its northern, Alpine boundary with France, Switzerland, Austria and Slovenia...
violinThe violin is a bowed string instrument with four strings usually tuned in perfect fifths. It is the smallest and highest-pitched member of the violin family of string instruments, which also includes the viola and cello....
ist whose virtuosity was famed and whose work as a
composerA composer is a person who creates music, usually by musical notation, for interpretation and performance. The level of distinction between composers and other musicians varies, which affects issues such as copyright and the deference given to individual interpretations of a particular piece of...
featured a prominent violin and an appealing lyrical tunefulness. He was also a director of French and Italian opera companies in Paris and London.
Viotti was born at
Fontanetto PoFontanetto Po is a comune in the Province of Vercelli in the Italian region Piedmont, located about 40 km northeast of Turin and about 20 km southwest of Vercelli...
in the
SavoiaSavoia may refer to:-*House of Savoy, a royal house of Italy until 1946.*Savoia-Marchetti, an Italian aircraft manufacturer.*Savoia Castle, a castle near Prague, Czech Republic....
Kingdom of SardiniaKingdom of Sardinia, also known as Piedmont-Sardinia or Sardinia-Piedmont, was the name given to the possessions of the House of Savoy in 1720, when the crown of Sardinia was awarded by the Treaty of London to Duke Victor Amadeus II of Savoy to compensate him for the loss of the crown of Sicily to...
(today the
province of VercelliVercelli is a province in the Piedmont region of Italy. Its capital is the city of Vercelli.It has an area of 2,088 km², and a total population of 176,829...
,
PiedmontPiedmont is one of the 20 regions of Italy. It has an area of 25,399 km
2 and a population of about 4.4 million. The capital is Turin. The main local language is Piedmontese. Occitan is also spoken by a minority in the so-called Occitan Valleys...
,
ItalyItaly , officially the Italian Republic , is a country located on the Italian Peninsula in Southern Europe and on the two largest islands in the Mediterranean Sea, Sicily and Sardinia. Italy shares its northern, Alpine boundary with France, Switzerland, Austria and Slovenia...
). For his musical talent, he was taken into the household of principe Alfonso dal Pozzo della Cisterna in
TurinTurin is a major city as well as a business and cultural centre in northern Italy, capital of the Piedmont region, located mainly on the left bank of the Po River surrounded by the Alpine arch...
, where he received a musical education that prepared him to be a pupil of
Gaetano PugnaniGaetano Pugnani was born in Turin. He trained on the violin under Giovanni Battista Somis and Giuseppe Tartini. In 1752, Pugnani became the first violinist of the Royal Chapel in Turin. Then he went on a large tour that granted him great fame for his extraordinary skill on the violin...
.
Giovanni Battista Viotti (12 May 1755 – 3 March 1824) was an
ItalianItaly , officially the Italian Republic , is a country located on the Italian Peninsula in Southern Europe and on the two largest islands in the Mediterranean Sea, Sicily and Sardinia. Italy shares its northern, Alpine boundary with France, Switzerland, Austria and Slovenia...
violinThe violin is a bowed string instrument with four strings usually tuned in perfect fifths. It is the smallest and highest-pitched member of the violin family of string instruments, which also includes the viola and cello....
ist whose virtuosity was famed and whose work as a
composerA composer is a person who creates music, usually by musical notation, for interpretation and performance. The level of distinction between composers and other musicians varies, which affects issues such as copyright and the deference given to individual interpretations of a particular piece of...
featured a prominent violin and an appealing lyrical tunefulness. He was also a director of French and Italian opera companies in Paris and London.
Biography
Viotti was born at
Fontanetto PoFontanetto Po is a comune in the Province of Vercelli in the Italian region Piedmont, located about 40 km northeast of Turin and about 20 km southwest of Vercelli...
in the
SavoiaSavoia may refer to:-*House of Savoy, a royal house of Italy until 1946.*Savoia-Marchetti, an Italian aircraft manufacturer.*Savoia Castle, a castle near Prague, Czech Republic....
Kingdom of SardiniaKingdom of Sardinia, also known as Piedmont-Sardinia or Sardinia-Piedmont, was the name given to the possessions of the House of Savoy in 1720, when the crown of Sardinia was awarded by the Treaty of London to Duke Victor Amadeus II of Savoy to compensate him for the loss of the crown of Sicily to...
(today the
province of VercelliVercelli is a province in the Piedmont region of Italy. Its capital is the city of Vercelli.It has an area of 2,088 km², and a total population of 176,829...
,
PiedmontPiedmont is one of the 20 regions of Italy. It has an area of 25,399 km
2 and a population of about 4.4 million. The capital is Turin. The main local language is Piedmontese. Occitan is also spoken by a minority in the so-called Occitan Valleys...
,
ItalyItaly , officially the Italian Republic , is a country located on the Italian Peninsula in Southern Europe and on the two largest islands in the Mediterranean Sea, Sicily and Sardinia. Italy shares its northern, Alpine boundary with France, Switzerland, Austria and Slovenia...
). For his musical talent, he was taken into the household of principe Alfonso dal Pozzo della Cisterna in
TurinTurin is a major city as well as a business and cultural centre in northern Italy, capital of the Piedmont region, located mainly on the left bank of the Po River surrounded by the Alpine arch...
, where he received a musical education that prepared him to be a pupil of
Gaetano PugnaniGaetano Pugnani was born in Turin. He trained on the violin under Giovanni Battista Somis and Giuseppe Tartini. In 1752, Pugnani became the first violinist of the Royal Chapel in Turin. Then he went on a large tour that granted him great fame for his extraordinary skill on the violin...
. He served at the Savoia court in Turin, 1773-80, then toured as a soloist, at first with Pugnani, before going to
ParisParis is the capital of France and the country's most populous city. It is situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
alone, where he made his début at the
Concert SpirituelThe Concert spirituel was one of the first public concert series in existence. The concerts began in Paris in 1725 and ended in 1790; later, concerts or series of concerts of the same name occurred in Paris, Vienna, London and elsewhere...
, 17 March 1782. He was an instant sensation and served for a time at
VersaillesThe Palace of Versailles, or simply Versailles, is a royal château in Versailles, the Île-de-France region of France. In French, it is known as the Château de Versailles....
before founding a new opera house, the
Théâtre de Monsieur in 1788, under the patronage of the comte d'Artois, the king's brother; there he mounted operas of his friend
Luigi CherubiniLuigi Cherubini was an Italian-born composer who spent most of his working life in France. His most significant compositions are operas and sacred music. Beethoven regarded Cherubini as the greatest of his contemporaries.-Biography:Cherubini was born Maria Luigi Carlo Zenobio Salvatore Cherubini...
, among lesser lights. When the
French RevolutionThe French Revolution was a period of political and social upheaval and radical change in the history of France, during which the French governmental structure, previously an absolute monarchy with feudal privileges for the aristocracy and Catholic clergy, underwent radical change to forms based...
took a radical turn and, though his opera house was renamed the Théâtre Feydeau, former royal connections became a dangerous liability, he moved in 1792 to
London[]London is the capital of England and the United Kingdom. It has been a major settlement for two millennia, and the history of London goes back to its founding by the Romans, when it was named Londinium. London's core, the ancient City of London, the 'square mile', retains its medieval boundaries...
, making his début at
Johann Peter SalomonJohann Peter Salomon was a German violinist, composer, conductor and musical impresario.-Life:...
's Hanover Square Concert, 7 February 1793. In London he went from success to success, as a featured violinist for Salomon's concert series, 1793-1794; as musical director of the new Opera Concerts in 1795; as a star in the benefit concerts for
Haydn Joseph Haydn was an Austrian composer. He was one of the most important, prolific and prominent composers of the classical period. He is often called the "Father of the Symphony" and "Father of the String Quartet" because of his important contributions to these genres...
, 1794 and 1795; as acting manager of Italian opera at the
King's TheatreHer Majesty's Theatre is a West End theatre, in Haymarket, City of Westminster, London. The present building was designed by Charles J. Phipps and was constructed in 1897 for actor-manager Herbert Beerbohm Tree, who established the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art at the theatre...
, 1794-1795; and as leader and director of the orchestra, 1797. He was invited to perform in the houses of the London
bon ton, including for the Prince of Wales.
Then, with Britain at war with Revolutionary France, he was ordered to leave the country, under suspicion of
JacobinA Jacobin, in the context of the French Revolution, was a member of the Jacobin Club . At that time, the term was popularly applied to all promulgators of revolutionary opinions. In contemporary France it refers to the concept of a centralized Republic, with power concentrated in the national...
sympathies. He later returned to Paris and London, but gave up giving concerts to run a wine business. In 1813 he was one of the founders of the
Philharmonic Society of LondonThe Royal Philharmonic Society is a British music society, formed in 1813. It was originally formed in London to promote performances of instrumental music there. Many distinguished composers and performers have taken part in its concerts...
. His wine business failed however, and he returned to Paris to work as director of the
Académie Royale de MusiqueThéâtre de l’Académie Royale de Musique was the official theatre of the French theatrical institution known as the Académie Royale de Musique from 1821 until 1873, and was principal venue of the Parisian opera and ballet companies until its...
, from 1819 to 1821. He died on a visit to friends in London.
In spite of his few direct pupils, Viotti was a very influential violinist. The teacher of both
Pierre RodeJacques Pierre Joseph Rode was a French violinist and composer.-Biography:Born in Bordeaux, Aquitaine, France, Pierre Rode traveled to Paris at the age of 13 and soon became a favourite pupil of the great Giovanni Battista Viotti who found the boy so talented that he charged him no fee for the...
and
Pierre BaillotPierre Marie François de Sales Baillot was a French violinist and composer.Baillot was born in Passy and studied the violin under Giovanni Battista Viotti...
and an important influence on
Rodolphe KreutzerRodolphe Kreutzer was a French violinist, teacher, conductor, and composer of forty French operas.-Biography:...
, all of whom became notable teachers themselves, he is considered the founding father of the 19th century French violin school. He also taught
August DuranowskiAugust Duranowski was a Polish-born French violinist and composer. He studied the violin in Paris with Viotti, becoming leader of the Brussels opera orchestra in 1790. He toured Europe and settled in Strasbourg...
, who was an influence on
Niccolò PaganiniNiccolò Paganini was an Italian violinist, violist, guitarist, and composer. He was one of the most celebrated violin virtuosi of his time, and left his mark as one of the pillars of modern violin technique. His caprice in A minor, Op. 1 No...
.
Viotti owned a violin fabricated by
Antonio StradivariAntonio Stradivari was an Italian luthier, a crafter of stringed instruments such as violins, cellos, guitars and harps. Stradivari is generally considered the most significant artisan in this field...
in 1709 that would eventually become known as the
Viotti Stradivarius. He is also thought to have commissioned the construction of at least one replica of this violin. The
Viotti ex-Bruce, renamed in honour of its previous owner, was purchased by the
Royal Academy of MusicThe Royal Academy of Music in London, England, is a conservatoire, Britain's oldest degree-granting music school and a constituent college of the University of London since 1999. The Academy was founded by Lord Burghersh in 1822 with the help and ideas of the French harpist and composer Nicolas...
in September 2005. Funding was provided by
HM GovernmentHer Majesty's Government of the United Kingdom contains a number of Ministers and Secretaries of State. These members of the Cabinet are supported by civil servants in Ministerial Departments.- Types of Government Department:...
in lieu of
Inheritance TaxIn the United Kingdom, Inheritance Tax was first introduced as a tax on estates in England and Wales over a certain value from 1796, then called legacy, succession and estate duties....
, and by the
National Art Collections FundThe Art Fund is an independent membership-based British charity, which raises funds to aid the acquisition of artworks for the nation.-Overview:...
, the
National Heritage Memorial FundThe National Heritage Memorial Fund is a non-departmental public body set up under the National Heritage Act 1980 in memory of people who gave their lives for the United Kingdom....
and many private donors. The instrument will be displayed in the York Gate Collections, the Academy's free museum and research centre. The
Viotti ex-Bruce will be heard as well as seen: the instrument will be played sparingly, under very controlled circumstances, at research events and occasional performances elsewhere.
Viotti's most notable compositions are his twenty-nine
violin concertoA violin concerto is a concerto for solo violin and instrumental ensemble, customarily orchestra. Such works have been written since the Baroque period, when the solo concerto form was first developed, up through the present day...
s, which were an influence on
Ludwig van BeethovenLudwig van Beethoven was a German composer and pianist. He was a crucial figure in the transitional period between the Classical and Romantic eras in Western classical music, and remains one of the most acclaimed and influential composers of all time.Born in Bonn, of the Electorate of Cologne and...
. One in particular, No. 22 in A minor (1792), is still very frequently performed—especially by advanced student players. The other concertos are of similar quality but almost never heard; however in 2005 violinist
Franco MezzenaFranco Mezzena born in Trento, November 4 1953, is an Italian violin virtuoso and conductor.He studied with Salvatore Accardo. As a soloist he is guest of the most important Concert Halls and Festivals in Europe, Japan, South America and U.S.A...
released an integral set on the Dynamic Italy label.
Viotti's music generally features the violin prominently: most of his
string quartetA string quartet is a musical ensemble of four string instruments — usually two violins, a viola and cello — or a piece written to be performed by such a group...
s largely ignore the balanced texture pioneered by
Haydn Joseph Haydn was an Austrian composer. He was one of the most important, prolific and prominent composers of the classical period. He is often called the "Father of the Symphony" and "Father of the String Quartet" because of his important contributions to these genres...
, giving a "solo" role to the first violin and as such may be considered
Quatuors Brillants. However, his
Tre Quartetti Concertanti, G.112, 113 and 114 (after
Remo GiazottoRemo Giazotto was an Italian musicologist, music critic, and composer, mostly known through his systematic catalogue of the works of Tomaso Albinoni...
who catalogued Viotti's works), composed in 1815 and published in Paris in 1817, are true concertante works offering extensive solos for each instrument and not just the first violin. Viotti often wrote chamber music for more traditional combinations such as two violins and cello. The Opp.18 and 19 are perhaps the best known of these and are still in print today. He also wrote sonatas,
songA song is a metrical composition intended or adapted for singing, especially one in rhymed stanzas; a lyric; a ballad....
s, and other works.
G. B. Viotti Competition
Viotti is commemorated annually in the
Viotti International Music CompetitionThe Viotti International Music Competition, named after the Italian composer and violinist Gian Battista Viotti , is held in every year in Vercelli, Piedmont, Italy...
near his birthplace in
VercelliVercelli is a city of about 47,000 inhabitants in the Province of Vercelli, Piedmont, northern Italy. One of the oldest urban sites in northern Italy, it was founded, according to most historians, around the year 600 BC.The city is situated on the river Sesia in the plain of the river Po between...
, Italy.
http://www.concorsoviotti.it/
External links