John Weeks Moore, Complete Encyclopaedia of Music… (1880)
“ He was taught music from six years of age, and entered the Opera band, as a violinist, at thirteen. The taste of young Berton was formed on the models constantly presented to him in the performance of the dramatic compositions of Gluck, Piccini, and Sacchini. He soon became anxious to compose an opera, although one of his masters in composition had given it as his opinion that he would never succeed as a dramatic composer. ”
