Alexandre Batta

Alexandre Batta (July 9, 1816 – August 10, 1902) was a Dutch cellist. Born to a musical family, he initially played the violin before hearing cellist Nicolas-Joseph Platel play and switching to the cello. He studied with Platel at the Royal Conservatory of Brussels, winning first prize for cello in 1834. Music critic Henri-Louis Blanchard, writing in 1847, described Batta as one of the three great cellists of the time, alongside Auguste Franchomme and Adrien-François Servais. Batta was named a knight of the Legion of Honour in 1875.