George Pinto

George Frederick Pinto ( born September 25, 1785 Lambeth as George Frederick Sanders or Saunders, † March 23, 1806 in Chelsea ) was an English composer and piano virtuoso.

Life

His mother Julia was the daughter of the English violinist Thomas Pinto (1727-1782), whose father was a Neapolitan origin. George himself was first a child prodigy on the violin at the age of eight years, the impresario Johann Peter Salomon took him under his wing. Pinto took his mother 's maiden name and entered 1796 in London with a concert show. During the rest of his short career he played regularly at concerts in London and the English provinces, and made two short concert tours to Paris.

Pinto apparently began only to play the piano when he was already a professional violinist, but it soon became his favorite instrument. He wrote a number of pieces for both instruments, some of which remained unfinished at his death. Others, including a violin concerto are lost. Most compositions were created within three years. His works have been rediscovered in the 1960s. He died at the age of 20, probably of tuberculosis when reportedly a "martyr of self-indulgence ," after he gave a charity concert in Birmingham and stayed in a damp room. J. P. Solomon wrote to his death: Had he lived and resisted the temptations of the Company, England would have fallen to the honor of producing a second Mozart.

Some of his piano sonatas have been recorded by the English pianist Thomas Wakefield on CD.

Works (selection)

• 3 vavorite Airs for Piano Op.2 (1802 )
• Six Canzonetts for Voice and Piano ( Birmingham, 1803)
• Four Canzonettes for voice and piano ( Edinburgh)
• 2 Piano Sonatas Op.2 (1803 )
• A Grand Sonata for Piano (1803 )
• 3 Piano Sonatas, Opus 4 (1804 )
• 3 Duets for 2 violins op.5
• Three Sonatas for Violin and Piano ( 1806)