Charles de Bériot

Charles de Bériot (February 20, 1802 - 1870) was a Belgian violinist. Born in Leuven, he studied violin with a pupil of Giovanni Battista Viotti and later with Viotti himself and Baillot but didn't embrace all their teachings and was also influenced by Paganini. After serving as chamber violinist to King Charles X of France and to King William I of the Netherlands, he went on to establish a new Franco-Belgian violin school, teaching in the Conservatory of Brussels from 1843 to 1852 when he had to retire because of failing eyesight. Paralysis of the left arm ended his career in 1866. His most illustrious disciples were Henri Vieuxtemps and Heinrich Wilhelm Ernst. Bériot wrote a great amount of violin music including ten concertos, now rarely heard, although his pedagogical compositions are still of use for violin students. His son Charles-Wilfrid was a pianist who taught Granados, Ravel and Viñes.