A Dictionary of Music and Musicians/Fiorillo, Federico

by Paul David

FIORILLO, Federico, violin-player and composer, was born in 1753 at Brunswick, where his father Ignazio, a Neapolitan by birth, lived as conductor of the opera. He appears to have been originally a player of the mandoline, and only afterwards to have taken up the violin. In 1780 he went to Poland, and about the year 83 we find him conductor of the band at Riga, where he stayed for two years. In 85 he played with much success at the Concert Spirituel at Paris, and published some of his compositions, which were very favourably received. In 1788 he went to London, where he appears to have been less successful as a violinist, as we conclude from the fact that he played the viola part in Salomon's quartet-party. His last appearance in public in London took place in the year 1794, when he performed a Concerto on the viola at the Antient Concert. Of the rest of his life but little is known, except that he went from London to Amsterdam, and in 1823 was in Paris. Place and date of his death are not known. His numerous compositions are Duos for Violins, for Piano and Violin, and Violin and Cello; Trios for Flute, Violin, and Tenor, for 2 Violins and Bass; Quartets and Quintets for Stringed Instruments; Concertos for the Violin; Concertantes for a Violins, etc.). They were very favourably received in his time, and, although somewhat dry and old-fashioned, show him to have been a sound and earnest musician. There is however one particular work which has brought his name down to our time, and will probably long remain a standard. His 36 Caprices or Etudes are known and valued by every violin-player. They rank with the classical studies of Kreutzer and Rode, and, apart from their usefulness, are not without merit as compositions. They have been edited over and over again—most recently by Ferdinand David (Leipzig, Scuff). Spohr wrote and published an accompanying violin-part to them.

[ P. D. ]