Great Violinists and PianistsFerris, George T. (George Titus)
History
Great Violinists and Pianists
Ferris, George T. (George Titus)
Pianists -- Biography; Violinists -- Biography
Another remarkable violinist was an intimate friend of Geminiani, a
name distinguished alike in the annals of chess-playing and music, Andre
Danican Philidor. This musician was born near Paris in 1726, and was the
grandson of the hautboy-player to the court of Louis XIII. His father
and several of his relations were also eminent players in the royal
orchestras of Louis XIV and Louis XV. Young Philidor was received into
the Chapel Royal at Versailles in 1732, being then six years old, and
when eleven he composed a motette which extorted much admiration. In
the Chapel Royal there were about eighty musicians daily in attendance,
violins, hautboys, violas, double-basses, choristers, etc.; and,
cards not being allowed, they had a long table inlaid with a number of
chess-boards, with which they amused their leisure time. When fourteen
years old Philidor was the best chess-player in the band. Four years
later he played at Paris two games of chess at the same time, without
seeing the boards, and afterward extended this feat to playing five
games simultaneously, which, though far inferior to the wonderful
feats of Morphy, Paulsen, and others in more recent years, very much
astonished his own generation. Philidor was an admirable violinist, and
the composer of numerous operas which delighted the French public for
many years. He died in London in 1759.
There were several other pupils of Corelli who achieved rank in their
art and exerted a recognizable influence on music. Locatelli displayed
originality and genius in his compositions, and his studies, "Arte di
Nuova Modulazione," was studied by Paganini. Another pupil, Lorenzo
Somis, became noted as the teacher of Lecler, Pugnani (the professor of
Viotti), and Giardini. Visconti, of Cremona, who was taught by Corelli,
is said to have greatly assisted by his counsels the constructive genius
of Antonius Stradiuarius in making his magnificent instruments.
IV.
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