Paganini: 24 Capricci, Op. 1

Featuring

Roberto Noferini
Niccolò Paganini

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Composition History

The 24 Capricci were published by Ricordi in 1820, after two years of 'incubation', with a dedication 'to the Artists'.

Composer Biography

Paganini's hands were a mystery; contemporary sources describe the prodigious flexibility of his left hand, leading to speculation about a genetic disease.

Recording & Production

This recording uses an antique instrument, bow, and catgut strings to recreate the sound quality of Paganini's time.

Compositional Technique

Paganini's writing for the violin is characterized by extreme virtuosity, unusual modulations, bizarre bowing techniques, and complex polyphonic phrasing.

Composer's Artistic Vision

Paganini embodied Romanticism both as a performer, creating the figure of the international concert artist, and as a composer.

Cultural Impact

Paganini's Capricci inspired numerous later works by composers like Rachmaninov, Lutosławski, and Sciarrino, and the term 'capriccio' is now linked to solo violin music.

Instruments

The recording features a Giuseppe Scarampella violin from 1865 with its original neck, and an early 19th-century John Dodd bow, similar to those Paganini used.