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Niccolò Paganini

2007 Schools Wikipedia Selection. Related subjects: Performers and composers

     Niccolò Paganini
    Niccolò Paganini
   Born October 27, 1782
        Genoa, Italy
   Died May 27, 1840
        Nice, France

   Niccolò (or Nicolò) Paganini ( October 27, 1782 – May 27, 1840) was an
   Italian violinist, violist, guitarist and composer. He is one of the
   most famous violin virtuosi, and is considered one of the greatest
   violinists who ever lived, with perfect intonation and innovative
   techniques. Although eighteenth century Europe had seen several
   extraordinary violinists, Paganini was the preeminent violin virtuoso
   of the nineteenth century.

Life

   Niccolò Paganini was born in Genoa, Italy, on 27 October 1782, to
   Antonio and Teresa (née Bocciardo) Paganini. Paganini first learned to
   play the mandolin from his father at the age of five, moved to the
   violin by the age of seven, and began composing before he turned eight.
   He gave his first public concert at the age of 12. In his early teens
   he studied under various teachers, including Giovanni Servetto and
   Alessandro Rolla, but he could not cope well with his success; and at
   the age of 16 he was gambling and drinking. His career was saved by an
   unknown lady, who took him to her estate where he recovered and studied
   the violin for three years. He also played the guitar during this time.

   He reappeared when he was 23, becoming director of music to Napoleon's
   sister Elisa Baciocchi, Princess of Lucca, when he wasn't touring. He
   soon became a legend for his unparalleled mastery of the violin, with
   debuts in Milan in 1813, Vienna 1828, and both London and Paris in
   1831. Paganini was one of the first musicians, if not the first, to
   tour as a solo artist, without supporting musicians. He became one of
   the first "superstars" of public concertizing. He made a fortune as a
   touring musician, and was uncanny in his ability to charm an audience.

   Paganini's signature violin is known as Cannone Guarnerius, its name
   given by Paganini to reflect the "cannon" sound it produced. Its
   strings are nearly on the same plane, as opposed to most violins, the
   strings of which are distinctly arched to prevent accidentally bowing
   extra strings. The stringing of the Cannone may have allowed Paganini
   to play on three or even four strings at once.

   In Paris in 1833, he commissioned a viola concerto from Hector Berlioz,
   who produced Harold in Italy for him, but Paganini never played it.

   His health deteriorated due to Mercury poisoning by the mercury
   compound used regularly. The disease caused him to lose the ability to
   play violin, and he retired in ca.1834. He died in Nice on 27 May,
   1840.

   He left behind a series of sonatas, caprices, six violin concerti,
   string quartets, and numerous guitar works.
   Niccolò Paganini
   Niccolò Paganini

   The orchestral parts of Paganini's works are polite, unadventurous in
   scoring, and supportive. Critics of Paganini find his concerti
   long-winded and formulaic: one fast rondo finale could often be
   switched for another. During his public career, the violin parts of the
   concertos were kept secret. Paganini would rehearse his orchestra
   without ever playing the full violin solos. At his death, only two had
   been published. Paganini's heirs have cannily released his concertos
   one at a time, each given their second debut, over many years, at
   well-spaced intervals. There are now six published Paganini violin
   concerti (although the last two are missing their orchestral parts).
   His more intimate compositions for guitar and string instruments,
   particularly the violin, have yet to become part of the standard
   repertoire.

   Paganini developed the genre of concert variations for solo violin,
   characteristically taking a simple, apparently naïve theme, and
   alternating lyrical variations with a ruminative, improvisatory
   character that depended for effect on the warmth of his phrasing, with
   bravura extravagances that left his audiences gasping.

Paganini and the evolution of violin technique

   The Israeli violinist Ivry Gitlis said in Bruno Monsaiegnon's film, The
   Art of Violin, "Paganini is not a development ... there were all these
   [violinists before Paganini] and then there was Paganini." Though some
   of these violinistic techniques employed by Paganini were already
   present, most accomplished violinists of the time focused on intonation
   and bowing techniques (the so-called right-hand techniques for string
   players), the two issues that are most fundamental for violinists even
   in the present day.

   Arcangelo Corelli (1653-1713) was considered the father of violin
   technique, transforming the role of the violin from a continuo
   instrument to a solo instrument. At around the same period, the Sonaten
   und Partiten for solo violin (BWV 1001-1006) of Johann Sebastian Bach
   (1685-1750) firmly established the polyphonic capability of the violin.
   Other notable violinists included Antonio Vivaldi (1678-1741) and
   Giuseppe Tartini (1692-1770). Although the role of the violin in music
   has been drastically changed through this period, progress on violin
   technique was slow up to this point.

   The first exhaustive exploration of violin technique was found in the
   24 caprices of Pietro Locatelli (1693-1746), which at the time of
   writing, proved to be too difficult to play, although they are now
   quite playable. Rudimentary usage of harmonics and left hand pizzicato
   could be found in the works of August Durand, who allegedly invented
   said techniques. Whilst it was questionable whether Paganini pioneered
   many of these "violinistic" techniques that made him famous, it was
   certain that he was the one popularized them and brought them into
   regular compositions.

   Paganini was capable of playing three octaves across four strings in a
   hand span, a seemingly impossible feat even by today's standards. His
   flexibility and exceptionally long fingers may have been a result of
   Marfan syndrome or Ehlers-Danlos syndrome. His fingering techniques
   included double-stops, parallel octaves (and tenths), and left-hand
   pizzicato, which are now routine exercises for aspiring violinists.
   Such leaps in the violin technique development were only paralleled by
   the likes of Josef Joachim, and Eugène Ysaÿe, almost half a century
   later.

Influence on music and composition

   Tomb of Paganini in Parma, Italy
   Tomb of Paganini in Parma, Italy

   The writing of violin music was also dramatically changed through
   Paganini. Even in his youth, he was able to imitate other sounds (such
   as horn, flute, birds) with his violin. Though highly colourful and
   technically imaginative, Paganini's composition was not considered
   truly polyphonic. Eugène Ysaÿe once criticised that the accompaniment
   to Paganini's music was too "guitar like", lacking any character of
   polyphonism. Nevertheless, he expanded the timbre of the instrument to
   levels previously unknown.

   Paganini was also the inspiration of many prominent composers. Both "La
   Campanella" and the a minor caprice (Nr. 24) have been an object of
   interest for a number of composers. Franz Liszt, Johannes Brahms,
   Sergei Rachmaninoff, Boris Blacher, Andrew Lloyd Webber, George
   Rochberg and Witold Lutosławski, amongst others, wrote well-known
   variations on its theme.

Listing of compositions

     * 24 caprices, for solo violin, Op.1
          + No. 1 in E major (The arpeggio)
          + No. 2 in B minor
          + No. 3 in E minor
          + No. 4 in C minor
          + No. 5 in A minor
          + No. 6 in G minor (The trill)
          + No. 7 in A minor
          + No. 8 in E-flat major
          + No. 9 in E major (The hunt)
          + No. 10 in G minor
          + No. 11 in C major
          + No. 12 in A-flat major
          + No. 13 in B-flat major (Devil's Laughter)
          + No. 14 in E-flat major
          + No. 15 in E minor
          + No. 16 in G minor
          + No. 17 in E-flat major
          + No. 18 in C major
          + No. 19 in E-flat major
          + No. 20 in D major
          + No. 21 in A major
          + No. 22 in F major
          + No. 23 in E-flat major
          + No. 24 in A minor (Tema con variazioni)
     * Concerto for violin No. 1, in D major, Op. 6 (1817)
     * Concerto for violin No. 2, in B minor, Op. 7 (1826) ( La
       Campanella, 'The little bell')
     * Concerto for violin No. 3, in E major (1830)
     * Concerto for violin No. 4, in D minor (1830)
     * Concerto for violin No. 5, in A minor (1830)
     * Concerto for violin No. 6, in E minor (1815?) — last movement
       completed by unknown hand.
     * 12 sonatas, for violin and guitar, Op. 2 and 3
          + Op. 2, No. 1 in A major
          + Op. 2, No. 2 in C major
          + Op. 2, No. 3 in D minor
          + Op. 2, No. 4 in A major
          + Op. 2, No. 5 in D major
          + Op. 2, No. 6 in A minor
          + Op. 3, No. 1 in A major
          + Op. 3, No. 2 in G major
          + Op. 3, No. 3 in D major
          + Op. 3, No. 4 in A minor
          + Op. 3, No. 5 in A major
          + Op. 3, No. 6 in E minor
     * 18 Centone di Sonate, for violin and guitar
     * Arranged works
          + Introduction, theme and variations from Paisiello's 'La bella
            molinara' (Nel cor più non mi sento) in G major (Violin Solo)
          + Introduction, theme and variations from Paisiello's 'La bella
            molinara' (Nel cor più non mi sento) in A major (Violin Solo
            with violin and cello accompaniment)
          + Introduction and variations on a theme from Rossini's
            'Cenerentola' (Non più 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
     * Miscellaneous works
          + 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
          + 60 Variations on Barucaba
     * 12 Quartets for Violin, Guitar, Viola and Cello, opus 4
          + No. 1 in A minor
          + No. 2 in C major
          + No. 3 in A major
          + No. 4 in D major
          + No. 5 in C major
          + No. 6 in D major
          + No. 7 in E major
          + No. 8 in A major
          + No. 9 in D major
          + No. 10 in A major
          + No. 11 in B major
          + No. 12 in A minor
          + No. 13 in F minor
          + No. 14
          + No. 15 in A Major

Works inspired by Paganini

   The Caprice No. 24 in A minor, Op.1 (Tema con variazioni) has been the
   basis of works by many other composers. For a separate list of these,
   see 24th Caprice.

   Other works inspired by Paganini include:
     * Arban - Carnival of Venice
     * Ariya - Igra S Ognyom (Russian Heavy-Metal band " Ariya", album and
       its title track - Play with Fire)
     * Michael Angelo Batio - "No Boundaries"
     * Jason Becker − 5th Caprice
     * Mario Castelnuovo-Tedesco − Capriccio Diabolico for classical
       guitar is a homage to Paganini, in reference to Paganini supposedly
       making a pact with the devil
     * Frédéric Chopin − Souvenir de Paganini for solo piano (1829;
       published posthumously)
     * Eliot Fisk - transcribed all 24 Caprices for solo guitar
     * Bela Fleck − "Moto Perpetuo (Bluegrass version)", from Fleck's 2001
       album Perpetual Motion, which also contains a more standard
       rendition of the piece
     * Fritz Kreisler − Paganini Concerto in D Major (recomposed
       paraphrase of the first movement of the Op. 6 Concerto) for violin
       and orchestra
     * Franz Lehár − Paganini, fictionalized operetta about Paganini
       (1925)
     * Franz Liszt − Six Grandes Études de Paganini, S.141 for solo piano
       (1851) (virtuoso arrangements of 5 caprices, including the 24th,
       and La Campanella from Violin Concerto No. 2)
     * Yngwie J. Malmsteen − Far Beyond The Sun
     * Nathan Milstein − Paganiniana, an arrangement of the 24th Caprice,
       with variations based on the other caprices
     * Cesare Pugni - borrowed Paganini's themes for the choreographer
       Marius Petipa's Venetian Carnival Grand Pas de Deux (aka the
       Fascination Pas de Deux from Satanella)
     * Uli Jon Roth − "Scherzo Alla Paganini" and "Paganini Paraphrase"
     * Marilyn Shrude − Renewing the Myth for alto saxophone and piano
     * George Rochberg − Caprice Variations (1970), 50 variations for solo
       violin
     * Robert Schumann − Studies after Caprices by Paganini, Op.3 (1832;
       piano); 6 Concert Studies on Caprices by Paganini, Op.10 (1833,
       piano). A movement from his piano work "Carnaval" (Op. 9) is named
       for Paganini.
     * Karol Szymanowski − Trois Caprices de Paganini, arranged for violin
       and piano, Op.40 (1918)
     * Steve Vai − "Eugene's Trick Bag" from the movie Crossroads. Based
       on 5th Caprice.
     * Philip Wilby − Paganini Variations
     * Eugène Ysaÿe − Paganini variations for violin and piano

Fictional portrayals

   Paganini's life inspired several films and television series. Most
   famously, in a highly acclaimed Soviet 1982 miniseries Niccolo Paganini
   the musician is portrayed by the Armenian stage master Vladimir Msryan.
   The series focuses on Paganini's persecution by the Roman Catholic
   Church. Another Soviet cinematic legend, Armen Dzhigarkhanyan plays
   Paganini's fictionalized arch-rival, an insidious Jesuit official. The
   information in the series was generally accurate, however it also
   played to some of the myths and legends rampant during the musician's
   lifetime. In particular, a memorable scene shows Paganini's adversaries
   sabotaging his violin before a high-profile performance, causing all
   strings but one to break during the concert. An undeterred Paganini
   continues to perform on three, two, and finally on a single string.
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