Kreutzer, Rodolphe

1766-1831

Remarkable violin virtuoso and composer, the third of the group of four violinists, the others being Viotti, Rode and Baillot, who are the best representatives of the French classical violin school. He was born at Versailles, where his father, a German violinist, played in the Royal band. He began studying with Stamitz when he was five years old, appeared at his first concert at twelve, and played one of his own compositions in public at thirteen. In 1782 his father died, and the young Kreutzer was befriended by Marie Antoinette, who had him made first violinist in the King's Chapel. Until his twenty-fourth year, he spent all his time in violin study and violin composing, bringing out, in 1784, six duets for the violin and violoncello. He then became violin soloist in the Italian Theatre, and began composing operas. The first, Jeanne d'Arc, given in 1790, was successful, and was followed by Paul and Virginia with even greater success. His next effort, Lodoiska, failed because of its poor libretto, and Imogene, ou la Gageure indiscrete, based on one of Boccaccio's tales, won little approval. Kreutzer then toured Italy, Germany and the Nethlands as a violinist, with brilliant success. He returned to Paris, taught in the Conservatory there, was made first violin of the Grand Opera Orchestra in 1801, and again tried writing operas. He produced Astyanax; Aristippe; and La Mort d'Abel. He also played in the private band of Napoleon, and when this same band came into the possession of Louis XVIII., in 1815, Kreutzer was made its director. He was at that time second leader at the Italian Theatre. In 1817 he became conductor, and in 1824 was given entire charge of the Grand Opera, and made a Chevalier of the Legion of Honor. In 1826 his health broke down and he was obliged to retire to Geneva, where he was treated for paralysis. He soon began to feel that he was being forgotten, and was greatly depressed because he was unable to get his last opera, Mathilde, on the boards This condition and his poor health weakened his mind, and he died after a wretched existence of five years at Geneva. Kreutzer has been called the great tone-producer of his time. His execution on the violin was clear and  faultless, and he handled the bow like a master. With Marschner and Lortzing he also forwarded the modern tendencies of German Opera. He is known at present, however, chiefly for his excellent violin method, written with Baillot. He composed thirtynine operas and ballads, all of which appeared at some time in Paris, and a great deal of orchestral and instrumental music, little of which has lived. Kreutzer's name has, in one way, been immortalized by Beethoven through the widely-known Kreutzer Sonata, dedicated to the violinist, though he is said never to have played it.