20 violin-concertos, over 30 quartets and many other solo and chamber works—all in a style reminiscent of Mozart.
Pierre Rode (d. 1830), born at Bordeaux in 1774, was there a pupil of Fauvel and from 1788 at Paris of Viotti, appearing as a player in 1790. From 1794 he toured in Holland, Germany, England and Spain (where he met Boccherini), from 1800 was employed by Napoleon and from 1803 (with Boieldieu) by Alexander I. at St. Petersburg, from 1808 was again at Paris, from 1811 toured in Germany and Austria (Beethoven writing a sonata for him in 1812), and, after a sojourn at Berlin, retired to Bordeaux. From 1795 he was on the staff of the Conservatoire. His early playing was of the finest quality, broad, sympathetic and full of energy (so that Spohr, for instance, regarded it as ideal), but from about 1810 he gradually lost his certainty and power, and in 1828 his life was shortened by a fiasco at Paris. His writing was for the violin exclusively—13 concertos, over 20 quartets, about 25 duos, many variations, 24 famous caprices, 12 études and a method (with Baillot and Kreutzer). He trained a few good pupils.
François Baillot (d. 1842) was born near Paris in 1771, studied from 1780 with Sainte-Marie and from 1783 at Rome with Pollani, in 1791 returned to Paris and in 1795 adopted music as a career. His full powers immediately awoke, so that he became professor at the Conservatoire, undertaking hard theoretical studies as well. In 1805-8 he toured in Russia, in 1815-6 in the Low Countries and England, and in 1833 in Switzerland and Italy. In 1802-5 he was in Napoleon's orchestra, from 1814 organized concerts for chamber music, in 1821-31 was concertmaster at the Opéra and from 1825 was also in the court-orchestra. He was remarkable both as a soloist and in ensemble, retaining his mastery to the end. He and Rode, though rivals, were close friends, being the strongest representatives of the classical style in France. Like Rode, he wrote only for the violin—9 concertos, 3 quartets, 15 trios, 6 duos, about 30 variations, nearly 40 études, etc., besides a method (with Rode and Kreutzer), an excellent manual, L'art du violon (1834), and essays on Grétry (1814) and Viotti (1825). He had many fine pupils.
Charles Philippe Lafont (d. 1839) was first trained by Berthaume and at 11 (1792) toured in Germany. After further study with Kreutzer and Rode, from 1801 he toured through northern Europe, in 1808 succeeded Rode at St. Petersburg, from 1815 was court-violinist at Paris, and from 1831 toured with the pianist Herz. He was noted for precision and finish, but lacked sentiment and breadth of interest. He wrote 7 concertos, many fantasias, variations and lesser pieces, with about 200 songs and 2 operettas.
Niccolò Paganini (d. 1840) stands alone, representing no particular school. He was born in 1782 at Genoa of poor parents, who, however, gave him all possible opportunity. At Genoa he was taught by Servetto and Costa, at Parma by Rolla and Ghiretti. In 1795 he began public playing, for which he practised inordinately. At 16 he ran away, toured through northern Italy and indulged in much dissipation, especially gambling, to which he was a lifelong devotee. From 1801 he spent much time upon the guitar, but in 1804 returned to Genoa and resumed prodigious violin-study, with some composing. In 1805 began his triumph as an unparalleled virtuoso, which grew in Italy till 1828, when he extended it to Vienna, Berlin, Paris and London
