Viotti , Giovanni Battista , 1755-1824 , violinist and composer

Giovanni Battista Viotti, born Fontanetto da Po, 12 May 1755; taken to Turin under the protection of Prince Alfonso dal Pozzo della Cisterna, in whose home he lived and was educated, 1766; studied first with Antonio Celoniat, and with Gaetano Pugnani from 1770; entered the orchestra of the royal chapel at Turin, Dec 1775; occupied the last desk of the first violins in the orchestra, 1775-1780; set out with Pugnani on a concert tour to Switzerland, Dresden and Berlin, 1780; his first publication, the concerto in A (now known as no.3), published in Berlin, 1781; gave concerts in Warsaw and St Petersburg; returned to Berlin, 1781; made his début at the Concert Spirituel, Paris, 17 Mar 1782; instant success established him at once in the front rank of violinists, continued to play to critical praise, 1782-1783; retired from public concerts, 8 Sep 1783; entered the service of Marie Antoinette at Versailles, Jan 1784; also appointed leader of Prince Rohan-Guéménée's orchestra, and may have held a similar position for the Prince of Soubise; established a new opera house called the Théâtre de Monsieur (after July 1791, Théâtre Feydeau), 1788; produced a number of important works, both Italian and French, including the operas of his friend and associate Luigi Cherubini; fled revolution in France to London, Jul 1792; probably half of his published works, including 19 violin concertos, had appeared, 1782-1792; made a successful début at Johann Peter Salomon's Hanover Square Concert, 7 Feb 1793; featured violinist for Salomon's series, 1793-1794; appointed musical director of the new Opera Concerts, 1795; played at Joseph Haydn's benefit concerts, 1794 and 1795; frequent performer in the homes of the wealthy, including the Prince of Wales; acting manager of Italian opera at the King's Theatre, 1794-1795; succeeded William Cramer as leader and director of the orchestra at the King's Theatre, 1797; ordered to leave by the British government on suspicion of Jacobin activity; lived with English friends in Schenfeldt, near Hamburg, where he published a set of duos op.5, 1798-1799; left Germany, Jul 1799; returned to London, c1801; retired from music to concentrate on his wine business, but continued to play for friends and publish music in London and Paris; Director of the Paris Opéra, Feb 1819-Nov 1821; returned to London, 1823; died in the London home of his closest friends, Mr and Mrs William Chinnery, 3 Mar 1824. He produced over 30 violin concertos, 21 trios, 18 string quartets,42 duos, 24 violin solos, 8 piano works and 12 vocal works, and is considered the founder of the 'modern' (19th-century) French school of violin playing.