Page:Pratt - The history of music (1907).djvu/474



(1831-3), with other cities on the way. The results of these thirty years amply fed his passion for applause and money. His remaining years were spent mostly at Paris or at Parma. In 1836 he engaged in a disastrous speculation at Paris. His death was hastened by years of wild excitement and sensual indulgence. His personal appearance was bizarre, his habits eccentric, his temperament hot and erratic, his character ignoble or unbalanced. Popular rumor made him the child of the Evil One, so uncanny were his ways and so marvelous his performances. He mystified his hearers by using strange tunings, was eager to invent unheard-of effects and made himself absolute master of detailed technique. But he was more than clever. He had warmth and pathos in slow playing and matchless brilliance in rapid work, with a wonderful beauty of tone. He probably has not been surpassed in double-stopping, harmonics, left-hand pizzicati, and the use of the G-string alone. But he was not always a sympathetic interpreter outside his own field nor successful in ensemble. His lack of general musicianship and of artistic purpose is shown in his limited work as composer. He published only 24 capriccios, 12 sonatas and 3 quartets; later were added 2 concertos, a sonata, several sets of variations and the Moto perpetuo. His enormous éclat roused a host of imitators and turned the whole current of violin style toward brilliance of effect, without the genius that in his case gave distinction.

Giovanni Battista Polledro (d. 1853), born near Turin, at 15 (1796) studied there with Pugnani, advancing at once into notice. During the next fifteen years he toured throughout Europe, with considerable residences at various cities (as five years at Moscow). From 1814 he was concertmaster at Dresden, and from 1824 royal conductor at Turin. In 1812 he met Beethoven at Carlsbad. His style was a fine example of the large and solid method of the older schools, uniting dexterity with feeling. He wrote 2 concertos, many duos, trios, studies and smaller works, a symphony, a mass, etc.

Ludwig Spohr (d. 1859) holds a high place for his long and useful career as violinist and composer. He was born in 1784 at Brunswick, both parents being musical. Among his early teachers were the organist Hartung, from whom came his only formal training in composition, and Maucourt, the court-violinist. He was a methodical student, and at 14 won some notice by a concerto. Soon he secured the favor of the Duke and was given a place in the court-orchestra. His patron in 1802 entrusted him to Franz Eck, with whom he traveled via Hamburg and Strelitz to St. Petersburg, studying assiduously and composing. In 1803 he heard Rode, whom he took as a model, and in 1804 he toured with great success to Berlin (where he played with the young Meyerbeer), Leipsic and Dresden. From 1805 he was concertmaster at Gotha, where he married the harpist Dorette Scheidler (d. 1834), with whom he made tours. In 1810 he conducted the first German festival at Frankenhausen. From 1812 he was opera-conductor at Vienna, where he knew Beethoven, though without full appreciation. In 1816 he visited Italy, meeting Rossini and playing with Paganini at Venice. From 1817 he was opera-director at Frankfort. In 1820 he paid his first visit to England and also to Paris. After a brief residence at Dresden, where he was intimate with Weber, in 1822, on Weber's nomination, he became court-choirmaster at Cassel, where he remained active for 35 years, achieving his final reputation and