Bériot, Charles (Auguste) de (1802-1870)

Belgian violinist and composer. He had a brilliant success in Paris, France, and was appointed chamber musician to the king. In 1826 he visited London for the first time. He was professor of violin at the Brussels Conservatory 1843-52.

Born at Louvain, he played in public at the age of nine, but ten years later went to Paris to perfect himself under Giovanni Battista Viotti and Pierre Baillot. He travelled much in the company of the singer Maria Malibran, whom he married after her divorce from her first husband; but after her early death in 1836 he retired to Brussels until 1840, when he travelled again and married Marie Huber in Vienna. He wrote a manual for the violin, and his pupils included Henry Vieuxtemps.

Works ten violin concertos, variations and studies for violin, piano trios.