Composers
George Bridgetower
1778 - 1860About
George Bridgetower (1778-1860) was a virtuoso violinist and composer. He was born in Poland and lived in England for most of his life. He began performing by the age of ten, and his talents were soon noticed the British Prince Regent (later King George IV) who invested in Bridgetower’s continuing musical education. Bridgetower’s virtuosity also attracted the attention of Beethoven, who originally dedicated his Violin Sonata No. 9 in A major to him. In England, Bridgetower was elected to the Royal Society of Musicians in 1807. He also attended Trinity Hall, Cambridge where he earned a Bachelor of Music in 1811. Not only a violinist, Bridgetower wrote works for violin, piano, voice, and for chamber music ensembles.