Thomas Pinto
Thomas Pinto (c. 1710 – 1773) was a British violinist, who led notable London orchestras of the day.
Life
He was born in England in about 1710, to Italian parents. As a child he played the violin well, and aged 11 he could play the concertos of Arcangelo Corelli. Because of his noted ability, he was leading important concerts before he was twenty. He was able to play music at sight so well that he neglected practicing; he became more ambitious when impressed by the success of Felice Giardini, an Italian violinist who came to England in 1750 and led the orchestra of Italian opera in London. Pinto became leader when Giardini was unavailable. He was for a period leader of the orchestra of the Drury Lane theatre and at Vauxhall Gardens.[1][2][3]
In 1769 he became joint owner, with the composer Samuel Arnold, of Marylebone Gardens, and he led the orchestra there. The business venture failed; Pinto moved to Dublin where he led a theatre orchestra. He died in Dublin in 1773.[1][4]
Family
His first wife was Sybilla Gronamann, a German singer. After her death he married in 1766 the singer Charlotte Brent. She had been a pupil and mistress of the composer Thomas Arne, and was a performer at Vauxhall Gardens.[1][2][5]
A grandson was the composer and pianist George Pinto.[2]
References
- 1 2 3
Legge, Robin Humphrey (1896). "Pinto, Thomas". In Lee, Sidney. Dictionary of National Biography. 45. London: Smith, Elder & Co. pp. 322–323. - 1 2 3 Pinto (Thomas) A Dictionary of Musicians (1825), accessed 28 January 2015.
- ↑ Pinto, Thomas An Encyclopedia of the Violin by Alberto Bachmann, Courier Corporation 2013 (first published 1925), accessed 28 January 2015.
- ↑ Samuel Arnold naxos.com, accessed 28 January 2015.
- ↑ Solo singers who performed at Vauxhall Gardens 1745-1859 Vauxhall Gardens 1661-1859, accessed 28 January 2015.