elebrated pupils, Somis, Locatelli,
Geminiani, and Anet, settled respectively in Italy, Holland, England,
and Poland.

Giovanni Battista Somis was born in Piedmont, and, after studying under
Corelli, he went to Venice and studied under Vivaldi. He was appointed
solo violinist to the king at Turin and leader of the royal band, and
seems scarcely ever to have left Turin after these appointments. Little
is known of his playing or his compositions, but, by the work of his
pupils, it is evident that he possessed originality. He formed a style
more brilliant and more emotional, and caused a decided step forward in
the art of violin playing. He was the teacher of Leclair, Giardini, and
Chiabran, as well as Pugnani, and he forms a connecting link between the
classical schools of Italy and France.

Pietro Locatelli was born at Bergamo, and became a pupil of Corelli at a
very early age. He travelled considerably, and was undoubtedly a great
and original virtuoso. He has been accused of charlatanism, inasmuch as
he overstepped all reasonable limits in his endeavours to enlarge the
powers of execution of the violin, and has, on that account, been
called the grandfather of our modern "finger-heroes."

Locatelli settled in Amsterdam, where he died in 1764. There he
established regular public concerts, and he left a number of
compositions, some of which are used at the present day.

Jean Baptiste Lulli, one of the earliest violinists in France, is
perhaps associated with the violin in a manner disproportionate to the
part he actually played in its progress. He was a musician of great
ability, and his compositions are occasionally heard even to this day.
Lulli was born near Florence about 1633. When quite young he was taken
to France by the Chevalier de Guise, and entered the service of Mlle. de
Montpensier. He was employed in the kitchen, where he seems to have
lightened his burdens by playing tricks on the cook and tunes on the
stewpans. He also beguiled his leisure hours by playing the violin, in
which art he made such progress that the princess engaged a regular
instructor for him. Fortunately, as it turned out, his wit led him into
composing a satirical song on his employer, and he was sent off, but
shortly afterwards secured a post as one of the king's violinists in the
celebrated band of the twenty-four violins. Soon after this a special
band called _Les Petits Violons_ was formed with Lulli at their head,
and under his dire