Active in St. Petersburg, Riga, Paris and London Fiorillo's musical performances alone would have earned him a memorable place in musical history. Mandolin playing was his early forte and continued on into London where he was also featured on the viola and later the violin. Compositions for the violin require the touch and facility of a virtuoso with some 200 different pieces to his credit. Most notable are the 36 caprices Fiorillo composed and they stand side by side with the pedagogical studies by Rode and Kreutzer. ("Etude pour le violon formant 36 caprices".) ~ Keith Johnson