Giovanni Battista Viotti facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Giovanni Battista Viotti
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| Born | 12 May 1755 Fontanetto Po, Savoia, Kingdom of Sardinia
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| Died | 3 March 1824 (aged 68) London, England
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Giovanni Battista Viotti (born May 12, 1755 – died March 3, 1824) was a super talented Italian violinist and composer. He was famous for playing the violin incredibly well and for writing beautiful, catchy tunes for the violin. He also helped run opera companies in big cities like Paris and London. Viotti even knew famous composers like Joseph Haydn and Ludwig van Beethoven!
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Viotti's Amazing Journey
Viotti was born in a place called Fontanetto Po, in what was then the Kingdom of Sardinia. Today, this area is part of Italy. Because he was so musically gifted, a kind prince named Alfonso dal Pozzo della Cisterna took him into his home in Turin.
There, Viotti received a great music education. He became a student of a famous teacher named Gaetano Pugnani. From 1773 to 1780, Viotti worked at the royal court in Turin.
Becoming a Star Violinist
After his time at court, Viotti began touring as a solo performer. At first, he toured with his teacher, Pugnani. Later, he went to Paris by himself.
He made his first big public appearance in Paris on March 17, 1782, at a famous concert series called the Concert Spirituel. He was an instant hit! Everyone loved his playing.
For a while, he worked at the famous Palace of Versailles. Then, in 1788, he started his own opera house. It was called the Théâtre de Monsieur, named after the king's brother, who supported him.
At his opera house, Viotti put on shows by his friend Luigi Cherubini and other composers.
Moving to London
The French Revolution began to change things in France. It became dangerous for people who had connections to the royal family. Even though his opera house was renamed the Théâtre Feydeau, Viotti's past royal connections were a risk.
So, in 1792, he moved to London, England. He made his London debut on February 7, 1793, at a concert by Johann Peter Salomon.
In London, Viotti became very successful. He was a featured violinist in concerts and a musical director. He also helped with benefit concerts for Joseph Haydn. He even managed the Italian opera at the Her Majesty's Theatre and led the orchestra. Important people in London, including the Prince of Wales, invited him to perform in their homes.
A Difficult Time
However, Britain was at war with Revolutionary France. Viotti was told to leave the country because some people suspected he supported the French revolutionaries. Some newspapers hinted that a rival violinist, Wilhelm Cramer, might have been involved in this situation.
Even though some important people, including Princess Elizabeth of the United Kingdom, spoke up for him, Viotti had to leave England. He left on March 8, 1798.
He lived for a while on a rich merchant's estate near Hamburg, Germany. He also seemed to live secretly with English friends for some time. During this period, he stopped giving public concerts and started a wine business. He still played music in private, though.
Return to Public Life
In July 1811, Viotti became a British citizen. This happened after his friend, the Duke of Cambridge, helped him. In 1813, he was one of the people who started the Royal Philharmonic Society in London.
Viotti no longer performed as a solo violinist. Instead, he led orchestras and played chamber music (music for small groups). When his wine business failed, he returned to Paris. From 1819 to 1821, he worked as the director of the Académie Royale de Musique, a famous music institution.
Viotti returned to London in November 1823 and passed away there on March 3, 1824.
Viotti's Musical Legacy
Even though Viotti didn't have many direct students, he had a huge influence on other violinists. He taught Pierre Rode and Pierre Baillot, and he greatly influenced Rodolphe Kreutzer. All of these musicians became important teachers themselves. Because of this, Viotti is seen as the founder of the 19th-century French violin school. He also taught Paul Alday and August Duranowski, who influenced the famous violinist Niccolò Paganini.
The Viotti Stradivarius
Viotti owned a very special violin made by the legendary Antonio Stradivari in 1709. This violin is now known as the Viotti Stradivarius. It's believed that Viotti even asked for copies of this violin to be made.
One of these copies, called the Viotti ex-Bruce, was bought by the Royal Academy of Music in 2005. This special instrument is displayed in the Academy's museum. It is also played very carefully on rare occasions for research and performances.
His Compositions
Viotti's most famous works are his 29 violin concertos. These pieces greatly influenced Ludwig van Beethoven. One concerto, No. 22 in A minor (written in 1792), is still played very often today, especially by advanced violin students. Other concertos, like No. 23 in G major, are also very good but not as well known.
In recent years, a violinist named Guido Rimonda found three more concertos by Viotti! These discoveries are not complete, with only two movements found for each. They are likely the unpublished concertos Viotti mentioned in his will.
Viotti's music usually features the violin very strongly. In many of his string quartets (music for four string instruments), the first violin plays a "solo" role. However, his Tre Quartetti Concertanti, written in 1815, are different. In these, each instrument gets a chance to play solos.
He also wrote chamber music for other groups, like two violins and a cello. His Opp. 18 and 19 are still popular today. Viotti also composed sonatas, songs, and other musical pieces.
An interesting fact is that the beginning of his "Tema e variazioni in Do maggiore" (1781) sounds very similar to the French national anthem, La Marseillaise, which was published 11 years later!
See also
In Spanish: Giovanni Battista Viotti para niños
