Paganini: 43 Ghiribizzi, MS 43

Featuring

Marcello Fantoni
Niccolò Paganini

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Composition History

The 43 Ghiribizzi are Paganini's last organized collection of works for solo guitar, written around 1820 in Naples.

Instruments

Paganini composed his guitar works for the 'chittarra francese', a six-string instrument that had replaced the older five-double-string 'Spanish guitar' in the late 18th century.

Recording & Production

The guitar used by Marcello Fantoni for this recording is a Pietro Gallinotti from 1970, equipped with D'Addario Pro Arte EJ45 Light Tension Strings.

Performer Biography

Marcello Fantoni, the guitarist on this album, has rediscovered and recorded many unpublished works for guitar, often as world premiere recordings.

Composer Biography

Niccolò Paganini, born in Genoa in 1782, was initially known as an "enfant prodige" on the violin, playing in city churches from a very young age.

Composition History

Paganini's 43 Ghiribizzi for guitar were originally intended for a young girl from Naples, as mentioned in a letter from Paganini to his friend Luigi Guglielmo Germi.

Compositional Technique

Paganini's Ghiribizzi often incorporate themes from his earlier compositions or works by other composers, such as Rossini's "Non più mesta" and Mozart's "Là ci darem la mano."