Niccol Paganini

Niccol Paganini (27 October 1782 27 May 1840) was an Italian violinist,
violist, guitarist, and composer. He was the most celebrated violin virtuoso
of his time, and left his mark as one of the pillars of modern violin
technique. His 24 Caprices for Solo Violin Op. 1 are among the best known
of his compositions, and have served as an inspiration for many prominent
composers.

Niccol Paganini was born in Genoa, then capital of the Republic of Genoa,
the third of the six children of Antonio and Teresa (ne Bocciardo)
Paganini. Paganini's father was an unsuccessful trader, but he managed to
supplement his income through playing music on the mandolin. At the age
of five, Paganini started learning the mandolin from his father, and moved
to the violin by the age of seven. His musical talents were quickly
recognized, earning him numerous scholarships for violin lessons. The
young Paganini studied under various local violinists, including Giovanni
Servetto and Giacomo Costa, but his progress quickly outpaced their
abilities. Paganini and his father then traveled to Parma to seek further
guidance from Alessandro Rolla. But upon listening to Paganini's playing,
Rolla immediately referred him to his own teacher, Ferdinando Paer and,
later, Paer's own teacher, Gasparo Ghiretti. Though Paganini did not stay
long with Paer or Ghiretti, the two had considerable influence on his
composition style.
The French invaded northern Italy in March 1796, and Genoa was not
spared. The Paganinis sought refuge in their country property in
Romairone, near Bolzaneto. It was in this period that Paganini is thought to
have developed his relationship with the guitar.[1] He became rather
adept on this instrument, but preferred to play it in exclusively intimate,
rather than public concerts.[2] He later described the guitar as his
"constant companion" on his concert tours. By 1800, Paganini and his
father traveled to Livorno, where Paganini played in concerts and his
father resumed his maritime work. In 1801, the 18-year-old Paganini was
appointed first violin of the Republic of Lucca, but a substantial portion of
his income came from freelancing. His fame as a violinist was matched
only by his reputation as a gambler and womanizer.

In 1805, Lucca was annexed by Napoleonic France, and the region was
ceded to Napoleon's sister, Elisa Baciocchi. Paganini became a violinist for
the Baciocchi court, while giving private lessons to Elisa's husband, Felice.
In 1807, Baciocchi became the Grand Duchess of Tuscany and her court
was transferred to Florence. Paganini was part of the entourage, but,
towards the end of 1809, he left Baciocchi to resume his freelance career.
For the next few years, Paganini returned to touring in the areas
surrounding Parma and Genoa. Though he was very popular with the local
audience, he was still not very well known in the rest of Europe. His first
break came from an 1813 concert at La Scala in Milan. The concert was a
great success. As a result, Paganini began to attract the attention of other
prominent, albeit more conservative, musicians across Europe. His early
encounters with Charles Philippe Lafont and Louis Spohr created intense
rivalry. His concert activities, however, were still limited to Italy for the
next few years.

In 1827, Pope Leo XII honoured Paganini with the Order of the Golden Spur.
[3][4] His fame spread across Europe with a concert tour that started in
Vienna in August 1828, stopping in every major European city in Germany,
Poland, and Bohemia until February 1831 in Strasbourg. This was followed
by tours in Paris and Britain. His technical ability and his willingness to
display it received much critical acclaim. In addition to his own
compositions, theme and variations being the most popular, Paganini also
performed modified versions of works (primarily concertos) written by his
early contemporaries, such as Rodolphe Kreutzer and Giovanni Battista
Viotti.

His travels also brought him into contact with eminent guitar virtuosi of
the day, including Ferdinando Carulli in Paris and Mauro Giuliani in Vienna.
[5] This did not inspire him to play public concerts with guitar, and even
performances of his own guitar trios and quartets were private to the point
of being behind closed doors.
Throughout his life, Paganini was no stranger to chronic illnesses. Although
no definite medical proof exists, he was reputed to have been affected by
Marfan syndrome[6][7] or EhlersDanlos syndrome.[8] In addition, his
frequent concert schedule, as well as his extravagant lifestyle, took their
toll on his health. He was diagnosed with syphilis as early as 1822, and his
remedy, which included mercury and opium, came with serious physical
and psychological side effects. In 1834, while still in Paris, he was treated

for tuberculosis. Though his recovery was reasonably quick, after the
illness his career was marred by frequent cancellations due to various
health problems, from the common cold to depression, which lasted from
days to months.

In September 1834, Paganini put an end to his concert career and returned
to Genoa. Contrary to popular beliefs involving his wishing to keep his
music and techniques secret, Paganini devoted his time to the publication
of his compositions and violin methods. He accepted students, of whom
two enjoyed moderate success: violinist Camillo Sivori and cellist Gaetano
Ciandelli. Neither, however, considered Paganini helpful or inspirational. In
1835, Paganini returned to Parma, this time under the employ of
Archduchess Marie Louise of Austria, Napoleon's second wife. He was in
charge of reorganizing her court orchestra. However, he eventually
conflicted with the players and court, so his visions never saw completion.
In Paris, he befriended the 11-year-old Polish virtuoso Apollinaire de
Kontski, giving him some lessons and a signed testimonial. It was widely
put about, falsely, that Paganini was so impressed with de Kontski's skills
that he bequeathed him his violins and manuscripts.