Antonio Bazzini (1818 - 1897) Italie Antonio Joseph Bazzini (March 11, 1818 ? February 10, 1897) was an Italian violinist, composer and teacher born in Brescia, Italy. As a composer his most enduring work is his chamber music which has earned him a central place in the Italian instrumental renaissance of the 19th century. However his success as a composer was outstretched by his reputation as one of the finest concert violinists of the nineteenth century. As a young boy, Bazzini was a pupil of Faustino Camisani. At 17 he was appointed organist of a church in his native town. The following year he met Paganini and became completely influenced by that master's art and style. Paganini encouraged Bazzini to begin his concert career that year and he quickly became one of the most highly regarded artists of his time. From 1841 to 1845 he lived in Germany, where he was much admired by Schumann both as a violinist and a composer, as well as by Mendelssohn (Bazzini gave the first private performance of his Violin Concerto). After a short stay in Denmark in 1845, Bazzini returned to Brescia to teach and compose. In 1846 he played in Naples and Palermo. In 1849?1850 he toured Spain and from 1852 to 1863 lived in Paris. He ended his concert career with a tour of the Netherlands in 1864.