Charles Philippe Lafont
Encyclopedia
Charles Philippe Lafont (December 1, 1781August 23, 1839) was a French
violin
ist and composer
.
and Pierre Rode
.
He has been characterized as one of the most eminent violinists of the French school. His teachers taught him the classical technique of the Viotti
school, which he made more brilliant.
As early as 1792 he toured Europe, including Germany, giving successful concerts.
On the outbreak of the French Revolution
he left France, travelling through Europe, to return in 1815. During this time he was chamber
violinist to Tsar
Alexander I of Russia
.
When he returned to France he became first violinist of the royal chamber musicians of Louis XVIII of France
and musical accompanist to the Duchess of Berry
.
In 1816, he participated in a contest with Niccolò Paganini
, in which neither won. However, the contest was held in La Scala
, where the audience was more sympathetic to Paganini.
Few of his compositions have survived. In c. 1837, Franz Liszt
wrote a Grand Duo concertant sur la Romance de M. Lafont "Le Marin", for violin and piano, S. 128 (revised c. 1849).
He died in an accident in 1839, when a carriage transporting him overturned.
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
violin
Violin
The violin is a string instrument, usually with four strings tuned in perfect fifths. It is the smallest, highest-pitched member of the violin family of string instruments, which includes the viola and cello....
ist and composer
Composer
A composer is a person who creates music, either by musical notation or oral tradition, for interpretation and performance, or through direct manipulation of sonic material through electronic media...
.
Biography
Born in Paris, he received his first lessons from his mother. He later studied with Rodolphe KreutzerRodolphe Kreutzer
Rodolphe Kreutzer was a German violinist, teacher, conductor, and composer of forty French operas.-Biography:...
and Pierre Rode
Pierre Rode
Jacques Pierre Joseph Rode was a French violinist and composer.-Biography:Born in Bordeaux, Aquitaine, France, Pierre Rode traveled to Parisat the age of 13 and soon became a favourite pupil of the great Giovanni Battista Viotti who found the boy so talented that he charged him no fee for the...
.
He has been characterized as one of the most eminent violinists of the French school. His teachers taught him the classical technique of the Viotti
Giovanni Battista Viotti
Giovanni Battista Viotti was an Italian violinist whose virtuosity was famed and whose work as a composer featured a prominent violin and an appealing lyrical tunefulness...
school, which he made more brilliant.
As early as 1792 he toured Europe, including Germany, giving successful concerts.
On the outbreak of the French Revolution
French Revolution
The French Revolution , sometimes distinguished as the 'Great French Revolution' , was a period of radical social and political upheaval in France and Europe. The absolute monarchy that had ruled France for centuries collapsed in three years...
he left France, travelling through Europe, to return in 1815. During this time he was chamber
Chamber music
Chamber music is a form of classical music, written for a small group of instruments which traditionally could be accommodated in a palace chamber. Most broadly, it includes any art music that is performed by a small number of performers with one performer to a part...
violinist to Tsar
Tsar
Tsar is a title used to designate certain European Slavic monarchs or supreme rulers. As a system of government in the Tsardom of Russia and Russian Empire, it is known as Tsarist autocracy, or Tsarism...
Alexander I of Russia
Alexander I of Russia
Alexander I of Russia , served as Emperor of Russia from 23 March 1801 to 1 December 1825 and the first Russian King of Poland from 1815 to 1825. He was also the first Russian Grand Duke of Finland and Lithuania....
.
When he returned to France he became first violinist of the royal chamber musicians of Louis XVIII of France
Louis XVIII of France
Louis XVIII , known as "the Unavoidable", was King of France and of Navarre from 1814 to 1824, omitting the Hundred Days in 1815...
and musical accompanist to the Duchess of Berry
Duchess of Berry
-First Creation:-Second Creation:-Eighth Creation:-Ninth Creation:-Tenth Creation:...
.
In 1816, he participated in a contest with Niccolò Paganini
Niccolò Paganini
Niccolò Paganini was an Italian violinist, violist, guitarist, and composer. He was one of the most celebrated violin virtuosi of his time, and left his mark as one of the pillars of modern violin technique...
, in which neither won. However, the contest was held in La Scala
La Scala
La Scala , is a world renowned opera house in Milan, Italy. The theatre was inaugurated on 3 August 1778 and was originally known as the New Royal-Ducal Theatre at La Scala...
, where the audience was more sympathetic to Paganini.
Few of his compositions have survived. In c. 1837, Franz Liszt
Franz Liszt
Franz Liszt ; ), was a 19th-century Hungarian composer, pianist, conductor, and teacher.Liszt became renowned in Europe during the nineteenth century for his virtuosic skill as a pianist. He was said by his contemporaries to have been the most technically advanced pianist of his age...
wrote a Grand Duo concertant sur la Romance de M. Lafont "Le Marin", for violin and piano, S. 128 (revised c. 1849).
He died in an accident in 1839, when a carriage transporting him overturned.