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 Henri Vieuxtemps
A world traveler as a virtuoso violinist, Vieuxtemps was perhaps the second greatest violinist during his time for Paganini reigned. His travels took him from his birthplace in Algiers to Vienna, London, St. Petersburg, Paris, the United States, and Brussels. He maintained a teaching position at the Brussels Conservatory from 1871 until he was incapacitated by a stroke. For the most part Vieuxtemps spent his time touring, writing and teaching. Before he began performing he had studied with his father and with Lecloux-Dejonc. His first public performance occurred when he was just six years old. He also studied the violin with Beriot and was able to study counterpoint with Spohr. He became friendly with a number of musicians who had been familiar with Beethoven which led to his reviving the "Violin Concerto" already almost forgotten. Comparisons with Paganini did not deflate Vieuxtemp's musical curiosity. While in Paris he was able to study composition with Reicha, finally composing his "Violin Concerto in F-sharp Minor." Retrospectively, composition was not Vieuxtemps' forte; nevertheless he received high praise from Berlioz and others who appreciated his revitalization of the violin concerto in France. He took the concerto out of the capricious virtuosity demanded by Paganini and the over-classicism of Kreutzer, finding a balance between the two though musical substance was occasionally lacking in his compositions. Keith Johnson
Romantic Era
Eugène Ysaÿe
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