death, Beethoven wrote: "Salomon's death
grieves me much, for he was a noble man, and I remember him ever since I
was a child."

Salomon became an expert violinist at an early age, and travelled a good
deal in Europe before he settled in England, which was in 1781, when he
made his appearance at Covent Garden Theatre. He was criticised thus:
"He does not play in the most graceful style, it must be confessed, but
his tone and execution are such as cannot fail to secure him a number of
admirers in the musical world."

He established a series of subscription concerts at the Hanover Square
rooms, and produced symphonies of Mozart and Haydn. In fact, he was
connected with almost every celebrity who appeared in England for many
years. He was instrumental in bringing Haydn to England, and toward the
end of his career he was actively interested in the foundation of the
Philharmonic Society. He was noted more as a quartet player than as a
soloist, and Haydn's last quartets were composed especially to suit his
style of playing. He was a man of much cultivation and moved in
distinguished society. His death was caused by a fall from his horse. He
was the possessor of a Stradivarius violin which was said to have
belonged to Corelli and to have had his name upon it. This he bequeathed
to Sir Patrick Blake of Bury St. Edmunds.

CHAPTER III.

1750 TO 1800.

Giovanni Baptiste Viotti has been called the last great representative
of the classical Italian school, and it is also stated that with Viotti
began the modern school of the violin. In whatever light he may be
regarded, he was undoubtedly one of the greatest violinists of all. He
retained in his style of playing and composing the dignified simplicity
and noble pathos of the great masters of the Italian school, treating
his instrument above all as a singing voice, and keeping strictly within
its natural resources. According to Baillot, one of his most
distinguished pupils, his style was "perfection," a word which covers a
host of virtues.

Viotti was born in 1753 at Fontanetto, a village in Piedmont. His first
musical instruction was received from his father, who is severally
mentioned as a blacksmith and as a horn player. His musical talent being
early noticeable, he was sent to Turin and placed by Prince Pozzo de la
Cisterna under the tutelage of Pugnani, and was soon received into the
royal band. In 1780 he travelled extensively, visiting Germany, Poland,
and Russ