CHAPTER TWO Grand Tour, 1780–81

AbstractThis chapter describes the grand tour of Europe that Viotti and his teacher, Pugnani, undertook in 1780, which lasted for two years. An important eyewitness account of Viotti's playing in Geneva is given, as well as an account of the two musicians' visits to Berne, and the courts of Dresden, and Berlin and Potsdam, where they played for Frederick the Great and made music with Frederick's nephew, the Prince of Prussia. From there they went to Warsaw, where they were fêted by the Polish king, and to St. Petersburg, where they played for Catherine the Great, and to Moscow. After retracing their steps to Berlin the two Italians parted company—Pugnani returned to Turin and Viotti went to Paris. An account is given of Viotti's early works and his emergence as a world-class violinist.