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Scan 617
A biographical dictionary of musicians, 1900
12 lines. Read by computer on 3 September 2026. Printed page 604. See the scan on archive.org.
1Viot'ta, Henri, b. Amsterdam, July 16, 1848. Pupil of the Cologne Cons.; but also studied law, and practised for a time. In 1883, however, he organized and became cond. of the Amsterdam Wagner Society; also conducted the "Excelsior" and the "Cicilia." Since 1889, editor of the "Maandblad voor Muziek"; writes for other papers; and publ. a "Lexicon der Toonkunst" (1889; biographies and terms). In 1896 he succeeded Nicolai as Director of the Cons. at The Hague.
3Viot'ti, Giovanni Battista, eminent violinist and composer, was born at Fontaneto da Pò, Vercelli, Italy, May 23, 1753; he died in London, Mar. 10 (3?), 1824. His father, a blacksmith, gave him a little violin, which he learned to play without tuition, and attracted the attention of the Bishop of Strambino, who recommended him to Alfonso Del Pozzo, Prince della Cisterna; the latter confided him to the teaching of Pugnani at Turin. V. soon entered the court orchestra; in 1780 he made a grand tour to Germany, Poland, and Russia with Pugnani, and was fêted at the court of Catherine II. Repairing to London in 1782, he won signal triumphs; later, at Paris, he played repeatedly at the Concerts spirituels, where his art was acknowledged as unrivalled. It happened that one of his concerts in 1783 was poorly attended, while in the next concert a mediocre violinist won great applause from a large audience; this so irritated V. that he abruptly closed his public appearances, and devoted himself to teaching and composing, at the same time acting as accompanist to Queen Marie Antoinette, and maître de chapelle to the Prince de Soubise. Failing in his attempt to obtain the directorship of the Opéra in 1787, he joined Léonard, the Queen's hairdresser, in establishing an Italian opera, opened at the Tuileries in 1789, transferred to the Théâtre de la Foire St.-Germain in 1790, and in 1791 to the newly erected Théâtre Feydeau, where the Revolution ruined their enterprise. V., obliged to recommence his virtuoso-career, went to London, and gave a series of most successful concerts at the Hanover Square Rooms; but a rumor gained credence that he was an emissary of the revolutionists, and he thought it advisable to leave England, retiring to Hamburg until 1794, when he resumed concert-giving in London, was manager of the Italian Opera in the ensuing winter, and director of the Opera Concerts in 1795. Ill-success caused him to embark in the wine-trade. On a visit to Paris in 1802, he was persuaded to play before Cherubini and others, and, to their astonishment, outrivalled his earlier performances. He finally settled in Paris as Director of the Opéra from 1819-22, when he resigned with a pension of 6000 francs; he died while on a pleasure-trip.—On account of his influence as a player and teacher (especially through his two pupils Rode and Baillot), and the breadth and dignity of his works, V. has been styled "the father of modern violin-playing." His compositions, more particularly of the maturer period, show great refinement and skill in workmanship, and are classics of violin-literature; he was the first to write violin-concertos in the broad modern sonata-form, and displaying the full resources of the orchestra. He publ. 29 violin-concertos (No. 22, in A min., is still a favorite), 2 Concertantes f. 2 violins, 21 string-quartets, 21 trios f. 2 violins and viola, 51 violin-duos (many interesting and valuable), 18 sonatas with bass, 3 Divertissements (Nocturnes) f. pf. and violin, and a pf.-sonata.—Biographical sketches by Fayolle, "Notices sur Corelli . . . et Viotti" (Paris, 1810); by Baillot, "Notice sur V." (1825); by Miel, "Notice historique" (1827); etc.
5Vir'dung, Sebastian, priest and organist at Basel, wrote the historically important illustrated work "Musica getutsch und auszgezogen durch Sebastianum Virdung, Priester von Amberg, um alles Gesang aus den Noten in die Tabulaturen diser benannten dreye Instrumente der Orgeln, der Lauten und der Flöten transferiren zu lernen . . ." (1511; facsimile reprint by Breitkopf & Härtel, 1882). 4 of V.'s songs are in P. Schöffer's "Teutsche Lieder mit 4 Stimmen" (1513).
7Viset'ti, Alberto Antonio, b. Spalato, Dalmatia, May 13, 1846. Pupil of Mazzucato at Milan Cons., 1855-65. Concert-pianist at Nice; then proceeded to Paris, became Auber's friend, and was app. conductor to Empress Eugénie. On the fall of the empire he hastened to London, where he became director of the vocal department in the N. T. S. M. Publ. a "History of the Art of Singing"; also Italian translations of Hullah's "History of Modern Music," and Hueffer's "Musical Studies."
9Vita'li, Filippo, Florentine by birth, from 1631 singer in the Papal Chapel, Rome, and chamber-singer to Cardinal Barberini.—Publ. madrigals a 5 (1616); "Musiche a 2, 3 e 6 voci" (1617; in monodic style); "Musiche a 1 e 2 voci con il basso per l'organo" (1618); "Intermedj . . . fatti per la commedia degli Accademici inconstantii" (1623; prod. in that year at the palace of Cardinal de' Medici at Florence); motets a 2-5 (1630); "Arie" a 2 (1635); "Hymni Urbani VIII" (1636); "Arie" a 3, w. b. cont. (1639); psalms a 5 (1640); "Libri V di arie a 3 voci" (1647).
11Vita'li, Giovanni Battista, b. Cremona about 1644; d. Modena, Oct. 12, 1692, as 2nd maestro di capp. to the Duke (from 1674). Important instr.l comp., preceding Corelli.—Publ.
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