A Dictionary of Music and Musicians/Bazzini, Antonio

BAZZINI, Antonio, eminent violinist, was born in 1818 at Brescia. From 1840 he has played with great success in most of the principal towns of Italy, Germany, France, and Belgium. As a performer he belongs to the school of Paganini, his playing, although not free from mannerism and a certain sentimentality, being distinguished by a most brilliant technique of the left hand and the bow, and by great vivacity of style. As a composer for his instrument Bazzini shews more earnest artistic feeling than most modern Italians. Having published in earlier years a number of operatic fantasias, many pièces de salon, a concertino and and an allegro de concert, he has of late come forward with works for the chamber and church, which have met with great success at Milan and other Italian places. Bazzini is now (1876) Professor of Composition at the Milan Conservatorio. [App. p.533 adds "in Jan. 1867 his opera 'Turandot' (words by Gazzoletti) was given at Milan. He has written two sacred cantatas, 'Senacheribbo' and 'La Resurrezione del Cristo,' besides settings of several Psalms; symphonic overtures to Alfieri's 'Saul' (Crystal Palace, Feb. 17, 1877) and to 'King Lear' (Do. Feb. 21, 1880), and, in chamber music, three string-quartets and a quintet. He was appointed director of the Milan Conservatorio in 1880."]

[ P. D. ]