VIOTTI – 3 Duos, Op.29 – TWO CELLOS

Other Identification:
Giovanni Battista Viotti (born May 12th, 1755, Fontanetto da Po, Piedmont—died March 3rd, 1824, London) was an Italian violinist and composer, and the principal founder of the 19th-century school of violin playing. In 1766 Viotti went to Turin, where he studied with the virtuoso Gaetano Pugnani after 1770. As an Italian violinist his virtuosity was famed, and whose work as a composer featured a prominent violin literature with an appealing lyrical tunefulness. Viotti’s most notable compositions are his 29 violin concertos, which were an influence on Ludwig van Beethoven. One in particular, No. 22 in A minor (1792), is still very frequently performed, especially by advanced student players. Most of his string quartets largely ignore the balanced texture pioneered by Haydn, giving a “solo” role to the first violin and as such may be considered ‘Quatuors brillants’.
He was also a director of French and Italian opera companies in Paris and London. He personally knew Joseph Haydn and Ludwig van Beethoven.
Viotti wrote a limited but significant body of works for the cello, most notably his Concerto in C Major (W I:1), which significantly features the instrument. While much of his output focused on the violin, he was also engaged with the cello, often within a chamber music context such as his quartets and trios. He wrote the 6 Cello Duos, Op.29 and these duos showcase the cello’s capabilities within a two-part framework.