
Niccolo Paganini was born on October 27, 1782 in Genoa, Italy as son of Antonio and Teresa Paganini. He was a famous Italian violinist, violist, guitarist and composer.
Biography and Career :
Niccolo Paganini first learned from his father when he was five to play the mandolin, then the violin by the age of seven, and began composing before he was eight.
He had his first public concert at the age of 12 in 1794.
Niccolo Paganini didn't get well with all the success and at the age of 16 he started drinking and gambling. A mysterious woman saved Paganini by taking him to her house. There the boy studied violin and guitar for three years.
He came back on the stage at the age of 23 and when he wasn't in a concert he was director of music to Napoleon's sister Elisa Baciocch
i, Princess of Lucca.
Niccolo Paganini changed dramatically the writing of violin music.
Niccolo Paganini debuted in Milan in 1813, Vienna in 1828, and both London and Paris in 1831.
Paganini soon became famous and had an impressive success. This way he managed to gather a fortune.
In 1833 in Paris,
Hector Berlioz produced for him “Harold in Italy”, a viola concerto, but Paganini never played it.
He started having serious problems with health and got cancer of the larynx. That's the reason Paganini lost his voice, but this didn't stop him to play the violin.
He died on the 27th of May 1840 in Nice.
Niccolo Paganini was one of the most important people in music, who was able to interpret some passages with 12 notes per second.
Many voices said he sold his soul to the devil.
Niccolo Paganini left us a big inheritance compounded of sonatas, caprices, six violin concerti, string quartets, and numerous guitar works.
Important Works :
- 24 caprices, for solo violin, Op.1
- 6 concerts for violin
- 12 sonatas, for violin and guitar, Op. 2 and 3
- 18 Centone di Sonate, for violin and guitar
- Introduction, theme and variations from Paisiello's 'La bella molinara' (Nel cor piů non mi sento)
- Introduction and variations on a theme from Rossini's 'Cenerentola' (Non piů mesta)
- Introduction and variations on a theme from Rossini's 'Moses' (Dal tuo stellato soglio)
- Introduction and variations on a theme from Rossini's 'Tancredi' (Di tanti palpiti)
- Maestoso sonata sentimentale (Variations on the Austrian National Anthem)
- Variations on God Save the King
- I Palpiti
- Perpetuela (Sonata Movimento Perpetuo)
- La Primavera
- Theme from "Witches' Dance"
- Sonata con variazioni (Sonata Militaire)
- Napoleon Sonata
- Variations, Le Streghe
- Cantabile in D major
- Moto Perpetuo in C major
- Romanze in A minor
- Tarantella in A minor
- Grand sonata for violin and guitar, in A major
- Sonata for Viola in C minor
- Sonata in C for solo violin
- 12 Quartets for Violin, Guitar, Viola and Cello, opus 4
Quotes :
- "I am not handsome, but when women hear me play, they come crawling to my feet."
Niccolo Paganini Image : muzikus.cz