Paganini — the Demonic Virtuoso, the 24 Caprices

The “Magician” of the Violin

In the Classical era, the foundation of instrument, bow, and technique was in place. Standing on it, the one who expanded the technical possibilities of the violin to the extreme at a stroke was Niccolò Paganini (1782-1840).

With his appearance, the violinist changed from a mere musician into a “star who displays superhuman virtuosity.” He is the prototype of the modern virtuoso.

The “Sold His Soul to the Devil” Legend

Paganini was plagued his whole life by the rumor that, because of his extraordinary technique, he had “made a pact with the devil”:

• A gaunt, tall figure, sunken eyes, pale skin — a sickly appearance
• Uncanny concentration and passionate gestures on stage
• The anecdote (as rumored) that he played on to the end on the one remaining string when strings broke one after another
• The Church once refused his burial

In reality, it has been suggested that Paganini may have had Marfan syndrome (which makes the joints abnormally flexible). Abnormally supple fingers and wrists may have enabled fingerings impossible for ordinary people — so the theory goes. The “devil’s” true identity may have been physical peculiarity.

[24 Caprices] — an Encyclopedia of Technique

Paganini’s representative work, the [24 Caprices, Op. 1] (published c.1820), is 24 études for solo violin. It is an encyclopedia of violin technique, still a summit today:

• No. 24 in A minor is the most famous — a theme and 11 variations. Later composers quoted it again and again
• Encompasses every kind of transcendent technique

The Techniques Paganini Wielded

• Left-hand pizzicato — plucking the string with the left hand while bowing
• Double stops and parallel 3rds/6ths/8ths/10ths — pressing multiple notes at once and moving fast
• Harmonics — touching the string lightly to produce overtone highs, especially double-stop harmonics
• Ricochet / spiccato — bouncing the bow
• Scordatura — irregular tuning for special effects

Many of these existed before Paganini, but he combined and elevated them to the extreme.

The Beloved Instrument “il Cannone”

Paganini’s beloved instrument was a Guarneri del Gesù of 1743, “il Cannone (the Cannon)”:

• As in the previous article, the del Gesù has a dark, thick, powerful sound — and Paganini raised its fame
• The name “Cannon” comes from its immense volume
• By Paganini’s will it was bequeathed to his hometown of Genoa, and it is still preserved in the city hall; only chosen players may play it on special occasions

Paganini’s bond with the del Gesù is handed down as the symbol of “a fateful meeting of player and instrument.”

The Shock to Liszt and Chopin

Paganini’s playing shocked the musicians of his time:

• Franz Liszt (1811-1886) — hearing Paganini play, resolved to “become the Paganini of the piano.” He wrote the [Grandes études de Paganini] and opened up piano virtuosity (see the Piano series)
• Chopin, Schumann — arranged Paganini’s Caprices for piano
• The very concept of “virtuoso” spread from Paganini

A revolution in violin technique triggered a revolution in piano technique — an influence beyond the instrument.

No. 24, Which Keeps Calling Later Composers

The theme of Caprice No. 24 is a special melody that later composers varied again and again:

• Brahms — [Variations on a Theme of Paganini] (piano)
• Liszt — [Grande étude de Paganini No. 6]
• Rachmaninoff — [Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini] (piano and orchestra; the 18th variation is especially famous)
• Continuing through the 20th-21st centuries — Lutosławski, even rock guitarists

As a “symbol of virtuosity,” Paganini’s melody lives on beyond classical music.

The Dawn of the Virtuoso Age

The age of the “virtuoso star” that Paganini opened:

• The concert became an “event for watching virtuosity” — the prototype of modern soloist culture
• Works displaying technique were mass-produced (Wieniawski, Sarasate, Ernst)
• Sarasate’s [Zigeunerweisen], Wieniawski’s concertos, and other post-Paganini virtuoso pieces became staples

At the same time, as a reaction against “technique for its own sake,” concertos valuing musical content (the great Romantic concertos of the next article) also developed in parallel.

From This Article to the Next

We have traced the technical extreme of the violin that Paganini expanded. The next article turns to the great Romantic concertos that form the counterpart to Paganini’s “technique” — the golden age of masterpieces by Mendelssohn, Brahms, Tchaikovsky, and Bruch that combine virtuosity and musicianship. And we look at the presence of the master Joachim who supported them.