11 Facts About Henri Vieuxtemps

Henri Vieuxtemps occupies an important place in the history of the violin as a prominent exponent of the Franco-Belgian violin school during the mid-19th century.

Henri Vieuxtemps is known for playing what is known as the Vieuxtemps Guarneri del Gesu, a violin of superior workmanship.

Henri Vieuxtemps was born in Verviers, Belgium, son of a weaver and amateur violinist and violin-maker.

Henri Vieuxtemps received his first violin instruction from his father and a local teacher and gave his first public performance at the age of six, playing a concerto by Pierre Rode.

Back in Brussels, Henri Vieuxtemps continued developing his violin technique on his own, his musicianship deepened by playing with the deeply musical mezzo-soprano Pauline Viardot, Malibran's sister.

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Henri Vieuxtemps was particularly admired in Russia where he resided permanently between 1846 and 1851 as a court musician of Tsar Nicholas I and soloist in the Imperial Theatre.

Henri Vieuxtemps founded the violin school of the Saint Petersburg Conservatory and guided the formation of a "Russian school" of violinists.

Henri Vieuxtemps spent his last years in a sanatorium in Mustapha Superieur, Algeria, where his daughter and her husband had settled, and continued to compose, though frustrated by his inability to play or, far from the musical centres of Europe, even hear his music played by others.

Bulk of Henri Vieuxtemps' compositions were for his own instrument, including seven concertos and a variety of short salon pieces, though towards the end of his life, when he had to give up the violin, he often turned to other instruments, writing two cello concertos, a viola sonata and three string quartets among other things.

Henri Vieuxtemps never indulged in sheer virtuosity for its own sake, like some of his predecessors.

Henri Vieuxtemps is known for owning and playing what is referred to as the Henri Vieuxtemps Guarneri del Gesu, a violin, built in 1741, that is considered one of the finest examples of the craftsmanship of Giuseppe Guarneri and which is considered to be without defect despite its continued use over many years.