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GIOVANNI BATTISTA VIOTTI (1755 - 1824)
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Giovanni Battista Viotti was born in Fontanetto da Po, Italy on May 12th 1755. In 1766 he moved to
Turin under the protection of Prince Alfonso dal Pozzo della Cisterna. He lived and was educated in the Prince's home. At first he
studied with Antonio Celoniat, and from 1770 with Gaetano Pugnani. He played the violin in the orchestra of the royal chapel at
Turin from 1775 to 1780.
In 1780 he went on tour with Pugnani to Switzerland, Germany, Warzaw and St.Petersburg. He parted from
Pugnani and went to Paris, where he made his debut in 1782. In 1783 he entered the service of Marie Antoinette. Despite making a
sensation in Paris as violinist, he abandoned this career and settled down as composer and conductor.
He established his own opera house, the Theatre Monsieur in 1788. But because of his connections with
the aristocracy Viotti was forced to leave Paris in 1792 and move to London. Here he again appeared as a soloist in the Salomon
Concerts and he held various positions at the theaters and operas. Unfounded charges against him for being an agent of the revolution,
exiled him in Hamburg from 1788 to 1801.
He spent the period 1801 - 1818 in London. Not very much involved with music. He started a wine business
which ruined him financially. Following a period in Paris, he returned to England in 1823 and died there on March 3rd 1824.
Viotti was the most influential violinist of his generation, linking the masters Tartini and Paganini.
He was one of the first to champion the Stradivarius violin, where Pugnani and Paganini championed the Guarneri 'del Gesu'.
His output includes 29 violinconcertos. The best known of these is No 22 in A minor. He also composed
quartets, trios and duos, as well as pieces for solo violin and piano.
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