Interview

Hello my name is Jenia Howard and I’m currently in the 9th grade and go to Scpa. It's a arts school where my major is instrumental I play the Violin. Below is the interview I had with Pierre Rode a violinist and composer during the revolutionary era.

Question 1: Tell me about the places and time that you lived?

Answer 1:

    Well I was born in Bordeaux, France on February 16, 1774. Also lived throughout Europe for most of my life. I traveled from place to place with tours and voyages. Some exact locations I lived were in Paris which I lived there for a good while working with Viotti and becoming a professor. Also in Bordeaux of course and in Berlin. I lived in Berlin when I was writing and was close to retiring.

    I lived during the revolutionary era. This is when the French revolution happened and the industrial revolution. The French Revolution was wars under napoleon. The industrial revolution started in Britain. This all was going on during my life.

Question 2: What events in your early life made you get interested in the arts?

Answer 2:

My father was a perfumer. So he didn’t make the most money but we survived. He made it to where I was able to get lessons from Mr.Flavel. Mr.Flavel was my first violin teacher and taught me everything I knew before I went to Paris.

Then getting to go to Paris and working with Giovanni Battista Viotti. Since he was so successful it was nice to get to work with him at a young age. He influenced me by me getting more into to my music also my music. Those are some events that got me interested in my art

Question 3:  What role did mentors play in helping you develop the interests and talents you have as an artist?

Answer 3:

When I first started my teacher was Mr.Flauvel. I had a performance and Punto heard me play and recommended me to Viotti. After that I was sent to Paris at age 13. There is where I met Giovanni Battista Viotti. Giovanni Battista Viotti was a Italian violinist. Who composed over 30 pieces(biography.com).

He gave me lessons, which he made free for me because I was one of his favorite students. Viotti allowed me to debut some of his pieces. For example he debuted these 2 plus some No.7 in D minor and No. 18 in E minor. When Viotti left for London I started my first composition. It was a violin concerto published in 1794.

Question 4: What was the world of art like in your particular art field when you enter it?

Answer 4:

    Some of the popular artist in the world of art was of course my mentor Giovanni Battista Viotti who was an Italian violinist and composer. Some of his biggest accomplishments were becoming a court violinist for Marie Antoinette. He became the director of the Italian opera. Lastly a lot of his work got transformed to piano pieces, string quartets and chamber orchestra pieces.

    Some others were Beethoven and Mozart. Beethoven was a deaf composer and pianist from Germany. Mozart was a pianist and a composer(biography.com). Mozart was the composer of these famous pieces Eine kleine Nachtmusik and Symphony No. 31(Google. Com). Beethoven was the composer of these pieces Symphony No.9 and Für Elise.

Question 5: How did the major cultural, economic and political situations of the time impact your work?

Answer 5:

    So when I started my career during the revolutionary era. That lasted from 1763 to 1789 and was the struggle to independence. During this era people and me just continued with our work. The work of all the workers is what lead the revolution to succeed.

    Most workers, artist, etc turned into soldiers. A lot of political situations came up at this time. Growing up I didn't have all the money in the world but I made it to where I was able to get the stuff I needed to succeed in my art.

Question 6: What were your major accomplishments and the methods you used in your art?

Answer 6:

    Some of my major accomplishments was at age 12 giving a great successful recital one of my first performances. Getting to work with Viotti so young and being one of his favorites. Performing some of Viotti pieces was a great experience and got me out there .Being lead in a section of the orchestra. Also being able to do so many tours such as my first European in 1794 and all my other tours (Naxos.com).

    Having Tsar and Napoleon have me be there lead violinist was a great honor. Composing 13 violin concertos and the famous 24 capris when in Berlin. Writing the violin method book with Pierre Baillot and Rodolphe Kreutzer. I used all the stuff I learned from all my teachers and colleagues.

Question 7: What were key opportunities you had that led you to turning points in your life and art?

Answer 7:

    Well some of the key opportunities that made a turning points in my life and arts are when I got took to Paris at age 13. If that never would have happened then I would not have met Giovanni Battista Viotti or have the exposure I got from it. In 1789 during The Holy Week concerts. I got to perform 6 times with 2 pieces of Viotti and some other pieces. I became the lead 2nd violinist in the Theater Feydeau orchestra (Naxos)

    I was a violinist for Napoleon on his trip. I also became the professor of violin at the Paris conservatoire. My collaboration with Pierre Baillot and Rodolphe Kreutzer resulted in a violin method book. Me and Archduke Rudolph gave the première of Beethoven’s Violin Sonata, Op. 96 in Vienna.

Question 8: What hardships or roadblocks did you have to overcome in order to be a artist?

Answer 8:

    The only hardships or roadblocks I had to overcome was when I returned to Paris after being in Russia. When I went back to perform I got bad reviews. I performed near the same space at age 13 and they loved me but this time they didn’t. Spohr who seen me both times I preformed said I was “cold and full of mannerism”.

    The other time I had to deal with one of these is when he once again returned to  Bordeaux. I moved there to retire. When I made another attempt to perform at a public concert in Paris. It didn’t turn out well at all it actually was a disaster. After that performance that really made me upset. It lead me to having a stroke.

Question 9: What personal stories best illustrate how you became successful in the arts?

Answer 9:

Well some personal stories that best illustrate who I am is of course getting to work with Giovanni Battista Viotti. When I was 13 I went to France and got free private lessons from him. Also got to perform some of his pieces. That was a big moment because it gave me the exposure and let me work with someone who was popular at the time(violin student.com).

Also other stories was when I went and did my first tour in Europe. Getting to be a professor of violin at the conservatory. Getting to be the main violinist on Napoleon voyage. Writing a violin methods book with Rodolphe Kreutzer and Pierre Baillot. Lastly just writing my first pieces of music and knowing I helped the style of romantic music.

Question 10: How did your work impact the world of arts?

Answer 10:

My work impacted the world of arts a lot. When I was young and working with Viotti. I know my work and playing had an effect on him because he found so much interest in me. Also writing that book with Rodolphe Kreutzer and Pierre Baillot was big (Naxos.com). Why I think that is because people use that book.  

Also being asked to go on a voyage with napoleon to play. My playing was good enough to have  some one want me to go on a voyage with them to play is big. To know  out of all the violinist in the world at the time picking me is a big deal. Lastly writing my own music is big because people actually went and played my music in performance and buy it which is amazing to.

Sources
1.http://www.naxos.com/person/Pierre_Rode/75762.htm
2.http://www.biography.com/people/wolfgang-mozart-9417115
3.http://www.wrightmusic.net/pdfs/pierre-rode.pdf
4.http://imslp.org/wiki/Category:Rode,_Pierre
5.http://www.illinoislaborhistory.org/education/curriculum/the-revolutionary-era-1763-1789.html
6.https://www.google.com/?gws_rd=ssl
8.http://www.bing.com/?FORM=Z9FD1
7.www.britannica.com
8.www.violinstudent.com
9.www.allmusic.com
10.www.bookrass.com