A Dictionary of Music and Musicians/Bériot, Charles de
BERIOT, Charles August de, celebrated violinist. Born of a noble Belgian family, Feb. 20, 1802, at Louvain. He had his first instruction in the violin from a local teacher, named Tiby, who was his guardian after the death of his parents; and made such rapid progress, that, when only nine years of age, he successfully performed in public a concerto of Viotti. He himself ascribed great influence on the formation of his character and the development of his talent to the well-known scholar and philosopher Jacotot, who, though himself no musician, imbued his young friend with principles of perseverance and self-reliance, which he never lost sight of throughout life, and which, more than anything else, contributed to make him attain that proficiency in his art on which his fame rests.
When nineteen years of age he went to Paris and pursued his studies there for some time under the advice of Viotti and Baillot, without actually being the pupil of either. After a short time he made his appearance in public with great success. From Paris he repeatedly visited England, where he met with a most brilliant reception. His first appearance at the Philharmonic Society took place on May 1, 1826, when he was announced as 'Violon de la chambre de sa Majesté le Roi de France.' On his return to Belgium he was nominated Solo-Violinist to the King of the Netherlands, which appointment he lost by the Revolution of 1830. For the next five years he travelled and gave concerts in England, France, Belgium, and Italy, together with the famous singer Maria Malibran, whom he married in 1835 [App. p.545 "Mar. 26, 1836"]. At this time De Bériot was universally recognised as one of the most eminent of living violinists. After the sudden death of his wife he retired to Brussels in 1836, and did not appear in public till 1840, when he undertook a tour through Germany. In 1843 he was appointed Professor of violin-playing at the Brussels Conservatoire, and remained there till 1852, when the loss of his eyesight caused him to retire. He died at Louvain, April 20, 1870.
De Bériot may justly be considered the founder of the modern Franco-Belgian school of violin-playing, as distinguished from the classical Paris school, represented by Viotti, Kreutzer, Rode, and Baillot. He was the first after Paganini to adopt a great variety of brilliant effects in the way of harmonics, arpeggios, pizzicatos, etc., sacrificing to a certain extent the severity of style and breadth of tone, in which the old French school excelled. His playing was distinguished by unfailing accuracy of intonation, great neatness and facility of bowing, grace, elegance and piquancy. His compositions, which for a considerable time enjoyed general popularity, although not of much value as works of art, abound in pleasing melodies, have a certain easy, natural flow, and are such as to bring out the characteristic effects of the instrument in the most brilliant manner. The influence of Donizetti and Bellini on the one hand, and Auber on the other, are clearly visible.
De Bériot published seven concertos, eleven airs variés, several books of studies, four trios for piano, violin and violoncello, and together with Osborne, Thalberg and other pianists, a number of duos brilliants for piano and violin. He also wrote a rather diffuse book of instruction, 'Ecole transcendentale de Violon.' Henri Vieuxtemps is the most distinguished of his numerous pupils. His son, Charles de Bériot, is a good pianist.[ P. D. ]