NICCOLO PAGANINI

Nicolo Paganini

Born on October 27, 1782 in Genoa, Italy

He began his musical endeavors at the age of 5

One of the greatest violin virtuosos in history

Nicolo Paganini

He composed and performed his first sonata in 1790, at the age of 8.

He studied under many great violinist including Giovanni Servetto and Alessando RollaHis chose a self-study program with a schedule of 15 hours a day of practice.

His Tours

In 1795, he began to tour as a soloist

He was the first performer to travel without any back up instruments, he performed completely unaccompanied

The Devil made him do it.

He was labeled the “Hexenshon” the witch’s brat

In 1828, he lost all of his teeth, this only added to the eerie and demonic persona

The Performer

His compositions were written mostly for himself, as the techniques needed to play them were extremely advanced.

He was one of the first performers not to use sheet m

He would never perform a full solo piece in practice on stage

Techniques

Ricochet Bowing - bouncing the bow against the stringScordatura- mis-tuning the strings so one can play in various keys without shiftingPizzicato - plucking the strings; with both left and right handHarmonics were used to create unusual sounds

His Works

His works included 32 pieces written for violin with accompaniments5 violin solos2 orchestral arrangements4 chamber pieces guitar quartets

Most of his works were never published due to lack of copy rights and his belief that they were too difficult for others to have ever played

His Works

The last movement, La Campanella, became so well known that Paganini played it without the preceding movements.

Sonata per La Grand’ Viola and Orchestra was inspired by a Stadivari viola

His most famous work, 24 Capricci, consisted of 24 individual pieces that highlight a particular skill

His Instruments

His primary violin was a Cannone Guarnerius

. He gambled away his Amati violin and was lent the Guarnieri by an amateur violinist

Defects Have Their Advantage

Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome

Marfan syndrome

Personal Life

Paganini had a son with Antonia Bianchi, named Achilles Cyrus Alexander

He split with Antonia and raised Achilles on his own

Dark Side of Fame

developed a drinking and gambling habit by the age of 16

a string of failed relationships

Casino Paganini

Dies in Nice, from cancer of the larynx.

His Legacy

Paganini Competition

Cannone Guarnerius

His magnificent compositions

Niccolo Paganini’s 24 CapricesCaprice No. 1 in E major: Andante-"L'Arpeggio", this composition matches chordal playing with ricochet across all 4 strings. The piece opens in E Major and then quickly transitions into an E minor development section, where descending scales in thirds are introducedCaprice No. 2 in B minor: Moderato-caprice in B minor focuses on detache with many string crossings across non-adjacent stringsCaprice No. 3 in E minor: Sostenuto – Presto-slurred legato exercise with octave trills in the introduction and conclusionCaprice No. 4 in C minor: Maestoso-features passages with many multiple stopsCaprice No. 5 in A minor: Agitato-focuses on fast ricochet bowings. It begins with a section of ascending arpeggios followed by descending scalesCaprice No. 6 in G minor: Lento-exploits the use of left-hand tremolo on the violin by quickly alternating between different notes in the chord in one of the voicesCaprice No. 7 in A minor: Posato-focuses on slurred staccato passages, featuring many long slurred scales and arpeggios

Niccolo Paganini’s 24 CapricesCaprice No. 8 in E-flat major: MaestosoCaprice No. 9 in E major: Allegretto--"The Hunt", the violin's A and E strings imitate the flutes, while the G & D strings imitate the hornsCaprice No. 10 in G minor: Vivace-primarily a study in up-bow staccatoCaprice No. 11 in C major: Andante – PrestoCaprice No. 12 in A-flat major: Allegro-consists of a slurred pattern of a melody on an upper string alternating with a drone note

Caprice No. 13 in B-flat major: AllegroCaprice No. 14 in E-flat major: Moderato-displays the violin's ability to voice chords. It contains many triple and quadruple stopsCaprice No. 15 in E minor: PosatoCaprice No. 16 in G minor: PrestoCaprice No. 17 in E-flat major: Sostenuto – Andante-The middle section is famous for the incredibly difficult octave passage.

Niccolo Paganini’s 24 Caprices

Caprice No. 18 in C major: Corrente: Allegro-demonstrates playing on the G string in very high positionsCaprice No. 19 in E-flat major: Lento – Allegro AssaiCaprice No. 20 in D major: Allegretto-the use of the D string as a drone, back dropping a lyrical melody on the A and E stringsCaprice No. 21 in A major: Amoroso: Presto-a very expressive, aria-like melody played in double-stopped sixth, followed by a section of rapid up-bow staccatoCaprice No. 22 in F major: MarcatoCaprice No. 23 in E-flat major: Posato-the middle, contrasting section is an exercise in string crossings that requires the violinist to play patterns of 3 sixteenth notes on the G string and then cross quickly to play one on the E string, and then back to the G string, all at a quick tempoCaprice No. 24 in A minor: Tema con Variazioni: Quasi Presto-the theme from is well known, and has been used as the basis for many pieces by a wide variety of composers. This caprice uses a wide range of advanced techniques such as tremendously fast scales and arpeggios, double and triple stops, left hand pizzicato, parallel octaves and tenths, rapid shifting, and strings crossings

Listening Guide for Caprice #24 by Niccolo Paganini

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OHrZAplckpI0:00 Introduction- mezzo forte, single violin, vibrant melody0:07 mezzo piano, melody repeats0:12 forte, melody repeats0:30 vivace, forte, ricochet bowing technique0:36 high pitch scales, variation of the melody0:50-0:52 silence0:53 mezzo forte, variation of the melody1:14-1:16 silence1:17 dramatic, low pitch double stops2:00 high pitch ascending and descending scales2:21 low- high pitch transitions; double stops2:24 high pitch double stops2:53 ascending scales3:12 high pitch, urgent movement with low pith transitions3:45 double and triple stops4:14 right-hand pizzicato with ricochet bowing4:42 largo, high pitched melody variation5:32 silence5:35 mezzo forte, double stops with ascending scales6:07 ascending to descending scales6:13 trills6:18 finale, silence

Listening Guide for Caprice #20 by Niccolo Paganini

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0jCXC3xdRVg0:08 Introduction; single violin, melodic double stops, mezzo forte0:24 A as drone undertone, higher pitch, clear resolution0:29 D returns as drone undertone, low pitch, sad melody0:44 A returns as drone undertone, higher pitch, clear resolution0:50 triple stops with D as undertone, higher octave melody1:01 low pith triple stops with G as drone undertone1:14 rapid 16th note melody, low pitch, staccato 2:56 largo; melody variation with D as drone undertone3:40 melody in higher octave4:02 finale, silence

Listening Guide for Caprice #9 by Niccolo Paganini

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0jCXC3xdRVg 0:07 introduction, single violin, light vibrant melody depicting

a flute, mezzo forte 0:17 lower pitch, almost moody melody depicting a horn,

double stops, low pitch, forte 0:22 flute melody returns 0:24 horn melody returns to answer 0:25 flute melody returns, double stops, leads to resolution of

previous interaction in the two melodies 0:28 melody variation combining the two octaves, double

stops, forte, majestic 0:56 flute melody returns (next section as a conversation,

answering each other) 1:06 horn melody returns 1:12 flute melody returns

Listening Guide for Caprice #9 by Niccolo Paganini

1:14 horn melody returns 1:15 flute melody returns 1:19 both melodies answering one another as if

conversing, descending staccato runs 1:45 scale melody, slightly slower tempo, trills 1:51 scale melody repeats as above 1:52 both melodies conversing, ricochet bowing, 16th

notes, resolution before returning to the melody 2:21 flute melody returns 2:32 horn melody returns 2:38 flute melody returns 2:28 horn melody returns 2:40 flute melody returns for resolution 2:48 finale, silence

References

www.imslp.org www.lifeinitaly.com www.mayoclinic.com www.mayoclinic.com reference.findtarget.com www.paganini.com www.youtube.com www.viola-in-music.com/nicolo-paganini.html www.wikipedia.com