Barthélémon, François-Hippolyte
Barthélémon, François-Hippolyte
Barthélémon, François-Hippolyte, French violinist and composer; b. Bordeaux, July 27, 1741; d. London, July 20, 1808. His father was French and his mother Irish. He held posts as violinist in various theater orchs. in London; became acquainted with Haydn during Haydn’s London visit in 1792. He was greatly praised as a violinist; Burney speaks of his tone as being “truly vocal” Barthélémon wrote mostly for the stage; among his operas, the most notable are Pelopida (London, May 24, 1766); The Judgement of Paris (London, Aug. 24, 1768); Le Fleuve Scamandre (Paris, Dec. 22, 1768); The Maid of the Oaks (The Oaks, near Epsom, June 1774); Belphegor (London, March 16, 1778). In addition, he wrote a Violin Concerto, two sets of duos for violins, several string quartets, and catches and glees to English words (many of them publ). He was married to Mary Young, a noted singer descended from Anthony Young. His daughter contributed a biographical ed. (London, 1827) of selections from Barthélémon’s oratorio Jefte in Masfa.
—Nicolas Slonimsky/Laura Kuhn/Dennis McIntire