| Biography | Alfredo Campoli (20 October 1906 27 March 1991) was an Italian-born British violinist, often known simply as Campoli. He was noted for the beauty of the tone he produced from the violin.
Campoli was born in Rome in 1906 where his father taught the violin at the Accademia di Santa Cecilia. His mother was a retired concert performer. His family moved to England in 1911, and he made his professional debut in a recital at the Wigmore Hall in 1923. He toured with such singers as Dame Nellie Melba and Dame Clara Butt. Although he appeared in the standard repertoire with symphony orchestras, he also pursued a career in light music with his Salon Orchestra and the Welbeck Light Quartet. He appeared at a Prom concert in 1938. During World War II he gave numerous concerts for Allied troops. After the war, he had extended tours of Europe, Southeast Asia, New Zealand, and Australia, and continued his work with the BBC, eventually achieving over 1,000 radio broadcasts. He made his American debut in 1953, playing Lalo's Symphonie espagnole with the New York Philharmonic under George Szell. in 1955 he gave the first performance of Sir Arthur Bliss's Violin Concerto, which was written for him. In 1956 he twice toured the Soviet Union.
He owned two Stradivarius violins, the Baillot-Pommerau of 1694 and the Dragonetti of 1700 (see also List of Stradivarius instruments).
His recorded legacy was enormous, including a renowned recording of Elgars Violin Concerto in B minor. Previously unpublished recordings, including material recorded at Campoli's home, are referred to on Brightcecilia Classical Music Forums.
Alfredo Campoli was a keen bridge player, and died just before a game in the Bridge Club in Princes Risborough, Buckinghamshire, a few miles from his home in Thame, Oxfordshire. His archives are kept at Cambridge University Library.
A blue plaque dedicated to Alfredo Campoli was unveiled at 39 North Street, his home in Thame, on 14 April 2011.
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