The New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians. In the 29-volume second edition. Grove Music Online /General Editor – Stanley Sadie. Oxford University Press. 2001.
Paganini, Nicolò
(b Genoa, 27 Oct 1782; d Nice, 27 May 1840). Italian violinist and composer. By his development of technique, his exceptional skills and his extreme personal magnetism he not only contributed to the history of the violin as its most famous virtuoso but also drew the attention of other Romantic composers, notably Liszt, to the significance of virtuosity as an element in art. As a composer of a large number of chamber works, mostly with or for guitar, Paganini was influential in furthering the performance and appreciation of music in private circles.
1. Early years.
2. Lucca, 1801–9.
3. First Italian tour, 1810–24.
4. Second Italian tour, 1825–7.
5. Austria, 1828.
6. Germany, 1829–30.
7. France and Great Britain, 1831–4, and last years, 1835–40.
8. Playing style.
WORKS
BIBLIOGRAPHY
EDWARD NEILL
Paganini, Nicolò
1. Early years.
Paganini received his first musical education from his father, Antonio Paganini, a dock worker and an amateur musician, who taught him the mandolin and the violin. As the boy progressed rapidly in his studies, his father decided to place him in the abler hands of a professional violinist, Giovanni Cervetto (or Servetto), and later in those of Giacomo Costa, leader of the theatre orchestra. (About the latter Paganini once stated that he recollected with pleasure the lessons of ‘good old Costa’, but that he could not approve of his bowing.) He also studied composition, with Francesco Gnecco.
At about 12 he gave concerts in local churches and private circles, where his talent was noticed by the Marquis Giancarlo Dinegro from whom he received much encouragement. By this time Paganini had composed Carmagnola, a set of 14 variations for violin and guitar on a French revolutionary song. Since the guitar accompaniment is the same for all the variations, both the key (A major) and the rhythm (6/8) remain unchanged; however, this youthful work shows the composer's taste for unusual effects, such as ‘organetto’, directing the performer to imitate the nasal sound of a bagpipe by bowing on the bridge. Having been advised to continue his studies with Alessandro Rolla, leader of the ducal theatre at Parma, Paganini gave his own benefit concert in 1795 to raise funds to cover travelling expenses and tuition fees. Rolla was so impressed with the boy's outstanding technique and skill in sight-reading that he told him he could teach him nothing and recommended him to study composition with Ferdinando Paer. In Parma Paganini found also another teacher, Gaspare Ghiretti, who no doubt contributed to the completion of his musical education. When Paganini returned to Genoa at the end of 1796 he was already an accomplished composer with an excellent command of music theory, orchestration and counterpoint. As he later told his biographer (Julius Schottky), he also enjoyed playing the guitar, for which he was to write more than 100 pieces.
The invasion of Italy in the late 1790s by Napoleon's troops, who took possession of Genoa, and the ensuing blockade of the harbour by the British fleet forced Antonio Paganini to leave his home town for Livorno in order to find work at the docks there. He took his son with him and succeeded in organizing a series of concerts with the help of the British Consul, Archibald MacNeill.
Paganini, Nicolò