Giovanni Battista Viotti - Violin Concerto No.9 in A Major, G.51

Giovanni Battista Viotti

(12 May 1755 – 3 March 1824)

was an Italian violinist whose virtuosity was famed and whose work as a composer featured a prominent violin and an appealing lyrical tunefulness. He was also a director of French and Italian opera companies in Paris and London.

Violin Concerto No.9 in A Major, G.51

1. Maestoso – 0:00
2. Adagio – 12:29
3. Rondo – 17:41

Viotti's most notable compositions are his twenty-nine violin concertos, which were an influence on

Ludwig van Beethoven. Viotti is chiefly remembered for elevating performing standards to a high artistic level and as one of the crucial figures in the development of modern violin playing. He was also the first to realise the musical value of Stradivari’s violins and to prove as much to his audiences and to posterity. Many of these instruments played and introduced by Viotti himself have been passed down through generations of virtuosi and remain in the hands of today’s star players.