Niccolò Paganini, born in Genoa in 1782, was taught violin and mandolin by his father and began playing concerts by the age of twelve.
Performer Biography
Denis Sungho Janssens, the guitarist on this album, made his 2005 Carnegie Hall début as a 'Rising Star' of the European Concert Hall Organization (ECHO).
Instruments
Denis Sungho Janssens performs on a Thomas Humphrey guitar for this recording.
Compositional Technique
Many of the Ghiribizzi incorporate themes from other composers, such as Rossini, Paisiello, Süssmayr, and Mozart, as well as Paganini's own works.
Composition History
Paganini's 43 Ghiribizzi (Whims) for guitar were written for a 'charming daughter' of Signor Botto, a 'little girl in Naples,' during the autumn of 1820.
Composer's Artistic Vision
Paganini considered his Ghiribizzi to be 'doodling' rather than composing, but he noted that some of the themes were 'not unappealing'.
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