Viotti, Giovanni Battista (1755-1824)

Italian violinist and composer. He was the most important violinist of his day, encompassing both the earlier Italian tradition of Corelli and the beginnings of the 19th-century French Romantic school. He is best known for his 29 violin concertos. After a successful stay in Paris 1782-92, where he was violinist to Marie Antoinette and founded an opera house, he settled in London, where he became manager of the King's Theatre in 1797.

After studying with Gaetano Pugnani, Viotti joined the court orchestra at Turin in 1775, but obtained leave of absence in 1780 to go on tour with Pugnani. He visited Switzerland, Dresden, Berlin, Warsaw, and St Petersburg, and in 1782 arrived in Paris, where he stayed for ten years. He played at the concert spirituel, was solo violinist to Marie Antoinette at Versailles 1784-86, conducted some concerts of the Loge Olympique (for which Haydn wrote his ‘Paris’ symphonies), and from 1788 was involved in the foundation of a new opera company at the Théâtre de Monsieur. In 1792 he went to London, where he played in Salomon's concerts and became acting manager and leader of the orchestra at the King's Theatre opera, but was forced to leave England for political reasons in 1798, and lived near Hamburg, writing an autobiographical sketch. Returning to London in 1801, he withdrew almost completely from music and entered the wine trade, but twice visited Paris (in 1802 and 1814) and in 1819 became director of the Opera there, finally returning to London in 1823.

Works Works for violin 29 violin concertos (c. 1782-c. 1805); two Symphonies concertantes for two violins and orchestra; 15 string quartets (c. 1783-1817); 21 string trios for two violins and cello; violin duos, sonatas, and other pieces.

Other six piano sonatas.