Guignon, Jean-Pierre, (real name, Giovanni Pietro Ghignone)
Guignon, Jean-Pierre, (real name, Giovanni Pietro Ghignone)
Guignon, Jean-Pierre, (real name, Giovanni Pietro Ghignone), famous Italian-born French violinist and composer; b. Turin, Feb. 10, 1702; d. Versailles, Jan. 30, 1774. Following training from G.B. Somis in Turin, he went to Paris, where he made his debut at a Concert Spirituel in 1725. He subsequently appeared there regularly during the next 25 years. In 1730 he entered the service of the Prince of Carignan, and remained in his entourage until about 1750. In 1733 he was made ordinaire de la musique du roy, a position he retained until his retirement in 1762. In 1741 he became a naturalized French subject. In 1746 he was made teacher of the Dauphin, and shortly afterward persuaded the King to revive and bestow upon him the title of Roy et maitre des menetriers et joueurs d’instrumens tant hauts que bas et communaute des maitres a dancer. As such, every professional musician in France was required to join a guild and pay a fee to Guignon as holder of the title. So much opposition resulted that his authority was curtailed in 1750, and in 1773 the position was abolished. Guignon greatly distinguished himself as a violinist. Among his compositions were 2 violin concertos, 6 sets of sonatas, and several duos.
—Nicolas Slonimsky/Laura Kuhn/Dennis McIntire