Jarnovic, Giovanni Mane

1745-1804

Also spelled Jarnowick and Giornovichi. Italian violinist and composer. Born at Palermo, in Sicily. Studied under the celebrated Lully, whose style he closely followed. Made  his debut at Paris in 1770 at the Concerts Spirituels, gaining a reputation by playing his own first concerto. He left Paris in 1779 and went to Germany, playing there in the Royal Orchestra at Berlin until 1783. He visited Vienna, Warsaw, St. Petersburg and other cities, attended by great success, and appeared in London in 1791. Viotti, his old rival at Paris, arrived the next year, and Jarnovic, because of his behavior toward him and J. B. Cramer, had to quit London in disgrace in 1796. Going to Hamburg, he resided there until 1802, revisiting Berlin, where he regained his accustomed applause, and returning finally to St. Petersburg. In that city he died from a stroke of apoplexy. As a violinist his style was Jight and easy, charmingly pure in tone and elegantly polished, but lacking m strength. He composed a number of concertos; duos; quartets; sona? tas; and symphonies.