Page:Pratt - The history of music (1907).djvu/359

 Following the Corelli tradition the greater names were these:—

Gaetano Pugnani (d. 1798), who was a pupil both of Somis at Turin and of Tartini at Padua. He set forth as a virtuoso in 1754, lived much at London, and from 1770 served at the Turin court and as a teacher. His style was broad and strong, and he wrote copiously for his instrument and for the orchestra, his works including many sonatas, much chamber music and 13 symphonies, besides several operas. Regarding his merits as a composer opinions differ.

Giovanni Battista Viotti (d. 1824) was Pugnani's greatest pupil, and is often called 'the father of modern violin-playing.' In 1780, with his teacher, he toured in Germany, Poland and Russia, receiving honors at St. Petersburg. Later he aroused intense enthusiasm at London and Paris, but, offended at a fancied coolness in the Paris audiences, abruptly left the concert-stage for a time. In 1789 he began giving Italian opera at Paris, at the Revolution was forced to resume touring and appeared at London and Hamburg, then went into business for several years, though without losing his consummate skill as a player, and finally (1819-22) was director of the Paris Opéra. As an artist he excelled in every way, in composition as well as in technique. His abundant works, ranging from solo sonatas up to quartets, quintets and nearly 30 concertos, are still admired. He was the first to apply true sonata-form and the use of the full orchestra to the violin-concerto. He was in request as a teacher, his greatest pupils being Rode and Baillot.

In the direct Tartini line were the following:—

Pietro Nardini (d. 1793) was a constant pupil of Tartini till 1746. Then, after some years at Livorno, he served as soloist at Stuttgart in 1763-7, was with his old teacher at Padua till the latter's death, and from 1770 was court-director at Florence. Good critics testify to the purity and nobility of his style, though he cared little for showy effects. His works comprise sonatas, quartets, concertos, etc. His best pupil was Bartolomeo Campagnoli (d. 1827), who came to Germany in 1776, touring extensively, was concertmaster at the Gewandhaus in Leipsic in 1797-1818, and finally choirmaster at Neustrelitz. He left some works, especially good studies and a Method (1797).

Johann Peter Salomon (d. 1815), a pupil of Franz Benda, began as a boy (1758) in the orchestra at Bonn, from 1765, after a short tour, was concert-master to Prince Heinrich of Prussia at Rheinsberg, and in 1781 moved to London, where his superiority as a quartet-player and leader brought him long-continued success. He was quick to appreciate the works of Haydn and Mozart and to introduce them to the London public. In 1790 he induced Haydn to visit England, and between them a warm friendship resulted. His powers as a performer continued till his last years, and in 1813 he was the first conductor of the newly founded Philharmonic Society. His compositions were few and unimportant.

The founder of the notable Mannheim group (see sec. 148) was Johann Stamitz (d. 1757), first violin in the electoral orchestra from 1743. Early among his pupils was Christian Cannabich (d. 1798), in the orchestra from 1747 and Stamitz' successor in 1759. His renown was greatest as player and trainer. Karl Stamitz (d. 1801), son of Johann, after 8 years in the or