Henry Vieuxtemps was born in 1820 in Verviers, Belgium, a fertile ground for violinists. He had his first lessons from his father, a weaver and amateur violin-maker and player. Vieuxtemps made his first public appearance as a violinist at the age of six, playing a concerto by Rode. In 1836, Vieuxtemps wrote his first violin concerto, the Concerto No. 2 in F sharp minor, published as Opus 19. In 1843 and 1844 he toured America and during that time, he wrote his Concerto No. 3 in A major, Opus 25, a work now as a great poem rather than a concerto, influenced by Beethoven’s Violin Concerto. In his later years, Vieuxtemps devoted much of his time to teaching, but suffered a stroke in 1871, making virtuoso playing impossible. Afterwards, in 1877 he resumed teaching and conducting in Paris. Illness led finally to his resignation in 1879, but he continued to compose, completing his Concerto No. 6 in G Major, Opus 47, and soon thereafter Concerto No. 7 in A minor, Opus 49. He died in 1881 and was buried in his hometown of Verviers....
