.

Habeneck died in 1849. He published only a few of his compositions.

One of the most eminent violinists of the French school, who flourished
during the early part of the nineteenth century, was Charles Philippe
Lafont. Besides brilliant technical capabilities he had a sympathetic
tone and a most elegant style, and these qualities gave him a very high
position in the ranks of performers.

Lafont was born at Paris, December 7, 1781, and received his first
lessons from his mother, who afterward placed him under her brother,
Berthaume. Under his care he made a successful concert tour through
Germany and other countries as early as 1792, after which he returned to
Paris and settled down to study under Rudolf Kreutzer.

For a time his studies were interrupted by an attempt to become a
singer, and he appeared at the Theatre Feydeau, which had then been
opened by Viotti. This diversion being soon at an end, he returned to
the violin, but on the outbreak of the revolution in France he left the
country and travelled throughout Europe, being absent from Paris, with
the exception of a short visit in 1805, until 1815.

During his travels he was made chamber virtuoso to the Czar Alexander,
and on his return to France he became first violinist of the royal
chamber musicians of Louis XVIII., and musical accompanist to the
Duchesse de Berry.

Lafont's career came to a sudden end by the overturning of a carriage
while on a concert tour in the south of France in 1839.

He was one of the numerous violinists who challenged Paganini to an
artistic duel, in which he got the worst of it, though his admirers
accounted for his defeat by the fact that the contest took place at La
Scala, in Milan, where the sympathy of the audience was in favour of the
Italian virtuoso.

Lafont was a prolific composer, but few of his works have survived. He
was also the owner of a magnificent Guarnerius violin, which is now said
to be the property of Adolf Brodsky.

As a composer Spohr probably influenced the modern style of violin
playing even more than as a player, for he lifted the concerto to the
dignity of a work of art, whereas it had formerly been simply a show
piece, though not always without merit. He set a great example of
purity of style and legitimate treatment of the instrument, and is
considered to have had a more beneficial effect on violin playing than
Paganini, who was born in the same year, 1784.

Louis Spohr was the son of a physi