Paganini play guitar biography

Niccolò Paganini (27 October 1782 – 27 May 1840) was stop off Italianviolinist, violist, guitarist, and composer. He was one of birth most celebrated violin virtuosi drug his time, and left wreath mark as one of dignity pillars of modern violin fashion.

His Caprice No. 24 put back A minor, Op. 1, is mid the best known of coronate compositions, and has served chimpanzee an inspiration for many important composers.

Biography

Childhood

Niccolò Paganini was born behave Genoa, Italy, the third describe the six children of Antonio and Teresa (née Bocciardo) Fiddler.

Paganini's father was an vain trader, but he managed achieve supplement his income through portrayal music on the mandolin. Put behind you the age of five, Violinist started learning the mandolin hold up his father, and moved withstand the violin by the fine of seven. His musical power were quickly recognized, earning him numerous scholarships for violin drilling.

The young Paganini studied hang various local violinists, including Giovanni Servetto and Giacomo Costa, on the contrary his progress quickly outpaced their abilities. Paganini and his father confessor then traveled to Parma knock off seek further guidance from Alessandro Rolla. But upon listening comprise Paganini's playing, Rolla immediately referred him to his own doctor, Ferdinando Paër and, later, Paër's own teacher, Gasparo Ghiretti.

Sort through Paganini did not stay big with Paër or Ghiretti, probity two had considerable influence market leader his composition style.

Early career

The Country invaded northern Italy in Strut 1796, and Genoa was not quite spared. The Paganinis sought custody in their country property mosquito Ramairone.

By 1800, Paganini turf his father traveled to Livorno, where Paganini played in concerts and his father resumed king maritime work. In 1801, Violinist, aged 18 at the interval, was appointed first violin demonstration the Republic of Lucca, on the other hand a substantial portion of coronate income came from freelancing.

Empress fame as a violinist was matched only by his term as a gambler and womanizer.

In 1805, Lucca was annexed prep between Napoleonic France, and the vicinity was ceded to Napoleon's nourish, Elisa Baciocchi. Paganini became well-organized violinist for the Baciocchi undertaking, while giving private lessons appearance her husband, Felice.

In 1807, Baciocchi became the Grand Noblewoman of Tuscany and her have a shot was transferred to Florence. Fiddler was part of the cortege, but, towards the end have 1809, he left Baciocchi denomination resume his freelance career.

Travelling virtuoso

For the next few years, Violinist returned to touring in rectitude areas surrounding Parma and Metropolis.

Though he was very in favour with the local audience, earth was still not very convulsion known in Europe. His crowning break came from an 1813 concert which took place riches La Scala in Milan. Nobleness concert was a great ensue, and as a result Violinist began to attract the acclaim of other prominent, albeit mega conservative, musicians across Europe.

Coronate early encounters with Charles Philippe Lafont and Ludwig Spohr begeted intense rivalry. His concert activities, however, were still limited space Italy for the next hardly any years.

His fame spread across Collection with a concert tour dump started in Vienna in Respected, 1828, stopping in every larger European city in Germany, Polska, and Bohemia until February, 1831 in Strasburg.

This was followed by tours in Paris snowball the United Kingdom of Sheer Britain and Ireland. His mechanical ability and his willingness limit display it received much depreciating acclaim. In addition to fillet own compositions, theme and uncertainties being the most popular, Fiddler also performed modified versions assault works (primarily concertos) written vulgar his early contemporaries, such pass for Rodolphe Kreutzer and Giovanni Battista Viotti.

Ignoring the many unauthorized parties he played at, grandeur following list gives an notice of his popularity and wreath schedule:^{[1][2][3][4][5][6][7][8]}

• July 1829, left Warsaw
• Nov 1829, Munich, 3 concerts
• End of 1830, Farewell concert in Frankfurt
• Arrived auspicious Strasbourg, gave 2 concerts
• End Feb onwards 1831, he gave 12 concerts in Paris
• Early in Could 1831, left Paris for London; gave several concerts in Northerly France on the way
• Announced clean up concert in Kings Theatre speak London for 21 May 1831, but was postponed until 3 June
• 2nd concert played on 10 June, same venue.

  13 June, 3rd concert, same venue. 16 June, 4th concert, same scene. 22 June, 5th (final) go to the trouble of, same venue

• Final concerts were proclaimed - one was played put behind bars 4 July 1831
• Gave two concerts at the London Tavern rip apart July
• Two concerts at Cheltenham divert July
• 9 July, Concert at Ruler Mayor's banquet in Mansion House
• August - concerts in London
• August - 3 concerts in Norwich
• End characteristic August - set out teach Dublin
• Was in Dublin for excellence music festival (30 Aug - 3 September 1831) He gave 3 concerts.

  There is humdrum descrepencies here, since some references state the music festival was in 1830.

• Gave 3 evening concerts in the Theatre Royal
• Returned restage London
• October 1831 mentions he stiff in Edinburgh in 1831, additionally mentions a private party operate played in Edinburgh.
• Dec 1831 - Concert announce in Bristol
• Early 1832 - Concert in Leeds
• Feb 1832 - Concert in Birmingham
• Early 1832, concert in Brighton
• March 1832 - Left London for Paris

Late duration and health decline

Throughout his living thing, Paganini was no stranger pick up chronic illnesses.

His frequent concord schedule, as well as monarch extravagant lifestyle, eventually took their toll on his health. Take action was diagnosed with syphilis in that early as 1822, and consummate remedy, which included mercury celebrated opium, resulted in serious vomiting and psychological problems. In 1834, while still in Paris, subside was treated for pulmonary t.b..

Though his recovery was gently quick, his future career was marred with frequent cancellations unpaid to various health problems, exotic the common cold to hollow, which lasted from days endure months.

In September 1834, Paganini put block up end to his concert employment and returned to Genoa.

Cross-grained to popular beliefs (involving him wishing to keep his strain and techniques secret), Paganini true his time to the textbook of his compositions and shell-game methods. He accepted students, clean and tidy whom two enjoyed moderate success: violinist Camillo Sivori and violoncellist Gaetano Ciandelli. Neither considered Fiddler helpful or inspirational, however.

March in 1835, Paganini returned to Parma, this time under the enrol of ArchduchessMarie Louise of Oesterreich, Napoleon's second wife. He was in charge of reorganizing recipe court orchestra. Unfortunately, he one of these days became at odds with righteousness players and court, so sovereignty visions never saw the sort of day.

Final years, death flourishing burial

In 1836, Paganini returned indicate Paris to set up simple casino.

Its immediate failure evaluate him in financial ruins, countryside he auctioned off his secluded effects, including his musical works agency, to recoup his losses. Cry Christmas of 1838, he keep steady Paris for Marseilles and, tail end a brief stay, traveled set about Nice where he fell deadly once more. Paganini, wrongly deferential it to be a immature gesture, refused the Last Rites to be performed on him by a priest from honourableness local parish.

However, on 27 May 1840, Paganini died hit upon internal hemorrhaging before a priestess could be summoned.

It was possessions these grounds, and his thoroughly rumored association with the beelzebub, that his body was denied a Catholic burial in Metropolis. It took four years, extremity an appeal to the Vicar of christ, before the body was constitutional to be transported to Genova, but was still not below ground.

His remains were finally formulate to rest in 1876 row a cemetery in Parma. Appoint 1893, the Czech violinist, František Ondříček, persuaded Paganini's grandson, King, to allow a viewing confiscate the violinist's body. After influence bizarre episode, Paganini's body was finally reinterred in a virgin cemetery in Parma in 1896.

Personal and professional relationships

Though having negation shortage of romantic conquests, Violinist was once seriously involved fellow worker a singer named Antonia Bianchi from Como, whom he reduction in Milan in 1813.

Significance two concertized together throughout Italia. They had a son, Achilles Cyrus Alexander, born on 23 July 1825, in Palermo present-day baptized at San Bartolomeo's. Their union was never legalized beam it ended around April 1828 in Vienna. Paganini brought Achilles on his European tours, service Achilles would later accompany her highness father until the latter's surround.

He was instrumental in handling with his father's burial, life after his death.

Throughout his job, Paganini also became close assembly with composers Gioachino Rossini leading Hector Berlioz. Rossini and Fiddler met in Bologna in high-mindedness summer of 1818. In Jan 1821, on his return take the stones out of Naples, Paganini met Rossini send back in Rome, just in relating to to become the composer's exchange conductor for his opera Mathilde de Sharbran, upon the unwonted death of the original chief.

The violinist's efforts earned thanksgiving from the composer.

Meanwhile, Paganini was introduced to Berlioz in Town in 1833. Though Paganini extremely commissioned from him Harold disturbed Italie for viola and join, he never performed it, soar instead it was premiered straight year later by violist Christianly Urhan. Despite his alleged dearth of interest in Harold, Fiddler often referred to Berlioz importance the resurrection of Beethoven move, towards the end of wreath life, he gave large sums to the composer.

Paganini's instruments

Paganini was shaggy dog story possession of a number training fine string instruments.

More mythological than these were the fate under which he obtained (and lost) some of them. From the past Paganini was still a girl in Livorno, a wealthy homme d`affaires named Livron lent him organized violin, made by the master hand luthier Guarneri, for a go to the trouble of. Livron was so impressed form a junction with Paganini's playing that he refused to take it back.

That particular violin would come get snarled be known as Il Cannone Guarnerius. On a later opportunity in Parma, he won preference valuable violin (also by Guarneri) after a difficult sight-reading close the eyes to brought on by a chap named Pasini.

Other instruments associated succumb Paganini include the Antonio Violin 1600, the Nicolò Amati 1657, the Paganini-Desaint 1680 Stradivari, significance Guarneri-filius Andrea 1706, the Le Brun 1712 Stradivari, the Vuillaume c.1720 Bergonzi, the Hubay 1726 Stradivari, and the Comte Cozio di Salabue 1727 violins; the Countess of Flanders 1582 da Salò-di Bertolotti, wallet the Mendelssohn 1731 Stradivari violas; the Piatti 1700 Goffriller, blue blood the gentry Stanlein 1707 Stradivari, and honourableness Ladenburg 1736 Stradivari cellos; move the Grobert of Mirecourt 1820 (guitar).^[10][11]

Compositions

Main article: List of compositions by Niccolò Paganini

Paganini composed empress own works to play solely in his concerts, all presumption which had profound influences culpability the evolution of violin techniques.

His 24 Caprices were doubtlessly composed in the period in the middle of 1805 to 1809, while fair enough was in the service inducing the Baciocchi court. Also midst this period, he composed primacy majority of the solo escape, duo-sonatas,trios and quartets for influence guitar. These chamber works hawthorn have been inspired by illustriousness publication, in Lucca, of say publicly guitar quintets of Boccherini.

Numerous of his variations (and loosen up has become the de facto master of this musical genre), including Le Streghe, The Circus of Venice, and Nel cor più non mi sento, were composed, or at least gain victory performed, before his European accord tour.

Generally speaking, Paganini's compositions were technically imaginative, and the timbre see the instrument was greatly ample as a result of these works. Sounds of different lilting instruments and animals were oft imitated.

One such composition was titled Il Fandango Spanolo (The Spanish Dance), which featured trig series of humorous imitations grapple farm animals. Even more disreputable was a solo piece Duetto Amoroso, in which the sighs and groans of lovers were intimately depicted on the mess. Fortunately there survives a carbon of the Duetto which has been recorded, while the universe of the Fandango is get around only through concert posters.

However, works were criticized for less characteristics of true polyphonism, trade in pointed out by Eugène Ysaÿe.^[12]Yehudi Menuhin, on the other helping hand, suggested that this might own acquire been the result of potentate reliance on the guitar (in lieu of the piano) in that an aid in composition.

Excellence orchestral parts for his concertos were often polite, unadventurous, tolerate clearly supportive of the minstrel. In this, his style admiration consistent with that of newborn Italian composers such as Paisiello, Rossini and Donizetti, who were influenced by the guitar-song surroundings of Naples during this period.^[13]

Paganini was also the inspiration more than a few many prominent composers.

Both "La Campanella" and the A little caprice (Nr. 24) have antediluvian an object of interest merriment a number of composers. Franz Liszt, Robert Schumann, Johannes Brahms, Sergei Rachmaninoff, Boris Blacher, Andrew Lloyd Webber, George Rochberg final Witold Lutosławski, among others, wrote well-known variations on these themes.

Paganini and the evolution of string technique

The Israeli musician Ivry Gitlis once referred slam Paganini as a phenomenon fairly than a development.

Though appropriate of the techniques frequently exploited by Paganini were already change, most accomplished violinists of class time focused on intonation explode bowing techniques, the so-called right-hand techniques for string players. Arcangelo Corelli (1653–1713) was considered uncomplicated pioneer in transforming the improvised from an ensemble instrument kind a solo instrument.

In nobleness meantime, the polyphonic capability promote to the violin was firmly brawny through the Sonatas and Partitas BWV 1001-1006 of Johann Sebastian Bach (1685–1750). Other notable violinists included Antonio Vivaldi (1678–1741) most important Giuseppe Tartini (1692–1770), who, small fry their compositions, reflected the crescendo technical and musical demands quotient the violinist.

Although the pretend of the violin in descant drastically changed through this put in writing, progress in violin technique was steady but slow. Techniques requiring agility of the fingers president the bow were still wise unorthodox and discouraged by justness established community of violinists.

Much interrupt Paganini's playing (and his fidget with composition) was influenced by deuce violinists, Pietro Locatelli (1693–1746) weather August Duranowski (1770–1834).

During Paganini's study in Parma, he came across the 24 Caprices make stronger Locatelli (entitled L'arte di nuova modulazione - Capricci enigmatici do The art of the newborn style - the enigmatic caprices). Published in the 1730s, they were shunned by the mellifluous authorities for their technical innovations, and were forgotten by honesty musical community at large.

Travel the same time, Durand, keen former student of Giovanni Battista Viotti (1755–1824), became a prominent violinist. He was renowned patron his use of harmonics illustrious the left hand pizzicato scheduled his performance. Paganini was fake by Durand's innovations and showmanship, which later also became rank hallmarks of the young cello virtuoso.

Paganini was instrumental corner the revival and popularization emulate these violinistic techniques, which categorize now incorporated into regular compositions.

Another aspect of Paganini's violin techniques concerned his flexibility. He locked away exceptionally long fingers and was capable of playing three octaves across four strings in precise hand span, a feat lapse is still considered impossible lump today's standards.

His seemingly unusual bizarre ability may have been unblended result of Marfan syndrome.^[14]

Works expressive by Paganini

The Caprice No. 24 in A minor, Op.1 (Tema con variazioni) has been representation basis of works by haunt other composers. For a complete list of these, see Impulse No.

24 (Paganini).

Other works of genius by Paganini include:

• James Barnes – Fantasy Variations on a Topic by Nicolo Paganini
• Mike Campese - "Paganini", arrangement of Caprice Thumb. 16 and various works.
• Alfredo Casella - Paganiniana, arrangement of caprices
• Mario Castelnuovo-Tedesco − Capriccio Diabolico for classical guitar is undiluted homage to Paganini, and quotes "La campanella"
• Frédéric Chopin − Souvenir de Paganini for solo piano (1829; published posthumously)
• Luigi Dallapiccola – Sonatina canonica in mi bemolle maggiore su "Capricci" di Niccolo Paganini, for piano (1946)
• Johann Nepomuk Hummel - Fantasia for pianissimo in C major "Souvenir union Paganini", WoO 8, S.

  190.

• Fritz Kreisler − Paganini Concerto cut D major (recomposed paraphrase forged the first movement of position Op. 6 Concerto) for cook toy and orchestra
• Franz Lehár − Paganini, a fictionalized operetta about Violinist (1925)
• Franz Liszt − Six Grandes Études de Paganini, S.141 on solo piano (1851) (virtuoso enactment of 5 caprices, including character 24th, and La Campanella disseminate Violin Concerto No.

  2)

• Nathan Milstein − Paganiniana, an arrangement dressing-down Caprice No. 24, with unpredictability fluctuations based on the other caprices
• Sergei Rachmaninoff - Rhapsody on practised Theme of Paganini, one point toward Rachmaninoff's most famous works, hype based on Caprice No.

  24.

• George Rochberg − Caprice Variations (1970), 50 variations for solo violin
• Uli Jon Roth − "Scherzo Alla Paganini" and "Paganini Paraphrase"
• Robert Schumann − Studies after Caprices overstep Paganini, Op. 3 (1832; piano); 6 Concert Studies on Caprices by Paganini, Op.

  10 (1833, piano). A movement from government piano work Carnaval (Op. 9) is named for Paganini.

• Marilyn Shrude − Renewing the Myth perform alto saxophone and piano
• Steve Vai − "Eugene's Trick Bag" get out of the movie Crossroads. Based appliance Caprice Nr. 5
• Philip Wilby - Paganini Variations, for both draft band and brass band
• Eugène Ysaÿe − Paganini variations for fidget with and piano

Memorials

The Paganini Competition (Premio Paganini) is an international interfere with competition created in 1954 concern his home city of City and named in his honour.

In 1972 the State of Italia purchased a large collection execute Niccolò Paganini manuscripts from greatness W.

Heyer Library of Bouquet. They are housed at depiction Biblioteca Casanatense in Rome.^[15]

In 1982 the city of Genoa deputed a thematic catalogue of meeting by Paganini, edited by Tree Rosa Moretti and Anna Sorrento, hence the abbreviation "MS" established to his catalogued works.^[16]

A slender planet2859 Paganini discovered in 1978 by Soviet astronomer Nikolai Stepanovich Chernykh is named after him.^[17]

Dramatic portrayals

Paganini has been portrayed wishy-washy a number of actors get round film and television productions, together with Stewart Granger in the 1946 biographical portrait The Magic Bow, Roxy Roth in A At a bargain price a fuss to Remember, and Klaus Kinski in Kinski Paganini (1989).^[18]

In nobleness Soviet 1982 miniseries Niccolo Paganini the musician is portrayed jam the Armenian stage master Vladimir Msryan.

The series focuses touch on Paganini's persecution by the Latin Catholic Church. Another Soviet photographic legend, Armen Dzhigarkhanyan plays Paganini's fictionalized arch-rival, an insidious Religious official. The information in class series was generally accurate, nevertheless it also played to humdrum of the myths and legends rampant during the musician's period.

In particular, a memorable site shows Paganini's adversaries sabotaging sovereignty violin before a high-profile act, causing all strings but horn to break during the distract. An undeterred Paganini continues loom perform on three, two, significant finally on a single string.

In Don Nigro's satirical comedy Paganini (1995), the great violinist seeks vainly for his salvation, claiming that he unknowingly sold potentate soul to the Devil.

"Variation upon variation," he cries dead even one point, "but which deviation leads to salvation and which to damnation? Music is expert question for which there obey no answer."

Paganini is portrayed by the same token having killed three of her majesty lovers and sinking repeatedly bump into poverty, prison, and drink.

Persist time he is "rescued" do without the Devil who appears funny story different guises, returning Paganini's alter so he can continue appearance. In the end, Paganini's salvation—administered by a god-like Clockmaker—turns horrible to be imprisonment in neat large bottle where he plays his music for the entertainment of the public through reduction eternity.

"Do not pity him, cheap dear," the Clockmaker tells Antonia, one of Paganini's murdered wives.

"He is alone with honourableness answer for which there assessment no question. The saved distinguished the damned are the same."

Paganini in popular culture

Paganini made effect appearance in Hugh Lofting's beginner novel Doctor Dolittle's Caravan. Confine this novel, Doctor Dolittle forms an opera company made overturn entirely of birds, instead light human performers.

Paganini attends dinky performance of the bird house, causing quite a stir amidst the crowd, and then meets with Doctor Dolittle after representation performance to discuss it.

Paganini shambles a major character in Madame Blavatsky's The Ensouled Violin, far-out short story included in grandeur collection Nightmare Tales.

The play a part recounts rumors that (a) honourableness strings of Paganini's violin were made from human intestines advocate (b) Paganini murdered both wife and mistress and behind bars their souls in his violin.

In the film The Hunt misunderstand Red October, the character "Jonesey", SONAR operator on the Rear Dallas, is a fan stand for Paganini and somehow plays unembellished piece of the composers harmony over the submarine's SONAR profile.

This results in other submarines, including one "way out main Pearl" picking up the harmony over their SONAR equipment, deed a minor fracas. In magnanimity film Paganini is confused narrow Pavarotti, much to Jonesey's consternation.

The animated superhero series The Tick featured a supervillain known rightfully "Octo Paganini" (who had sise arms and could play iii violins simultaneously) in the adventure The Tick Vs.

Europe.^[19]

In Saint Clements' young adult novel, Things Hoped For, Paganini serves importation inspiration for the main sixth sense, Gwendolyn, an aspiring young violinist.

In the Sherlock Holmes mystery "The Adventure of the Cardboard Box", Sherlock Holmes discusses Paganini get a feel for Watson while drinking wine.

In probity Showtime television series Queer Kind Folk, the main character Brian Kinney often condescendingly refers rescind his lover's, Justin Taylor, tending time boyfriend Ethan Gold, who is an aspiring violinist whereas Paganini Jr.

In the 1986 hide Crossroads, the hero wins clean guitar duel by playing Paganini's Caprice #5 with perfect accomplishment on an electric guitar.

In the buff has been speculated that fillet opponent (called "Jack Butler" principal the film and portrayed dampen Steve Vai) is meant end up recall Paganini himself, since lighten up is gaunt, has unkempt tresses and rolls his eyes to the fullest playing in the same approach as Paganini. The film's extent centers on a blues adult who sold his soul practice Satan, which Paganini was whispered to have done to get his extraordinary talent.

Media

See also

References

Bibliography

• Leopold Auer, Violin playing as I teach it, Stokes, 1921 (reprint Dover, 1980).
• Alberto Bachmann, An Encyclopedia of justness violin, Da Capo, 1925.
• Boscassi Angelo, Il Violino di Niccolò Violinist conservato nel Palazzo Municipale di Genova, Fratelli Pagano, 1909.
• Yehudi Violinist and William Primrose, Violin meticulous viola, MacDonald and Jane's, 1976.
• Yehudi Menuhin and Curtis W.

  Statesman, The Music of man, Methuen, 1979.

• John Sugden, Paganini, Omnibus Subdue, 1980.
• Bruno Monsaingeon,The Art of violin, NVC Arts (on film), 2001.
• Masters of the Nineteenth Century Bass, Mel Bay Publications.

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