Niccolò Paganini: The "Demonic" Violinist of Romanticism

Early Life

Niccolò Paganini was born in Genoa on 27 October 1782 to Antonio and Teresa Paganini. Though an unsuccessful ship chandler, his father, Antonio, made a humble living as a musician. At five years old, Paganini started learning the mandolin from his father, however, he switched to the violin at the age of seven. He studied under various local violinists including Giovanni Servetto and Giacomo Costa whom he quickly outpaced regarding musical ability. His musical talents were prodigal, earning him several scholarships for violin lessons. On 31 May 1794, the eleven-year-old Paganini performed for the first time as a soloist at the San Filippo oratory. This level of prestige at a young age was primarily made possible by his father, who imposed a hard and strict study routine in hopes of turning his son into a musical phenomenon that would allow him to reap the financial benefits. Some claim that Paganini was forced to practice the violin for up to 15 hours a day, even being deprived of food and water as punishment for lack of enthusiasm.

“My father Antonio soon recognized my natural talent and I have him to thank for teaching me the rudiments of the art. His principal passion kept him at home a great deal, trying by certain calculations and combinations to figure out lottery numbers from which he hoped to reap considerable gain. He therefore pondered over the matter a great deal and would not let me leave him, so that I had the violin in my hand from morn till night. It would be hard to conceive of a stricter father. If he didn’t think I was industrious enough, he compelled me to redouble my efforts by making me go without food so that I had to endure a great deal physically and my health began to give way.”

Career

In March 1796, the French invaded northern Italy, causing the Paganinis to seek refuge in their country property in Romairone. During this period, Paganini developed a passion for guitar which he later described as his "constant companion" on his concert tours. This love for guitar was kept very private, however, as he often played it behind closed doors for an exclusive audience for most of his career. By 1800, Paganini began playing in various concerts after travelling to Livorno with his father. In 1801, he was appointed first violin of the Republic of Lucca, though most of his income came from freelancing.

Lucca was eventually annexed by Napoleonic France in 1805, and the region was bequeathed to Napoleon's sister, Elisa Bonaparte. Subsequently, Paganini became a violinist for the Baciocchi court and gave private lessons to Elisa's husband, Felice Baciocchi, for ten years. During this time, he composed his works to play exclusively in his concerts. These compositions, such as his 24 Caprices,, profoundly influenced the evolution of violin technique. The two dozen caprices, contain an incredible array of double-stops, left-hand pizzicati, trills, cross-string, arpeggios, and whirlwind scales, covering a surprisingly wide range of musical styles and moods. However he eventually left Baciocchi to resume his career as a freelancer.

According to legend, Paganini made a pact with Satan enabling him to create effects on the violin far beyond what anyone had ever seen before. Others thought he was possessed by the devil and coaxed the violin to produce what they interpreted as the devil's music. He was often characterised as a sorcerer and charlatan during his early career, implying some level of trickery or the use of dishonest methods to acquire special musical powers.

Although popular with local audiences in Parma and Genoa, Paganini was still not very well known in the rest of Europe. His first breakthrough as a musician came in 1813 at a concert at La Scala in Milan. It was a great success and thus attracted the attention of prominent musicians across Europe. His fame continued to grow with a concert tour that started in Vienna in August 1828, stopping in every European city, until February 1831 in Strasbourg. He also toured in Paris and Britain, performing his own compositions as well as modified versions of works written by Rodolphe Kreutzer and Giovanni Battista Viotti. Some of his arrangements such as La Campanella and the A minor Caprice (No.24) inspired many of his successors such as Franz Liszt, Robert Schumann, Johannes Brahms, Sergei Rachmaninoff and George Rochberg.

Paganini was often labelled as a magician or a wizard by audience members. In his Journal des débats, Castil-Blaze wrote: "...let him be glad of it himself; if he had played his violin like that two hundred years ago, he would have been burned as a magician."

Despite a successful music career, Paganini suffered from health issues that have been said to be caused by his frequent schedule and extravagant lifestyle, as well as an early diagnosis of syphilis. His remedy, which included mercury and opium, came with detrimental physical and psychological side effects. The deterioration of his health was so great that he put an end to his concert career in September 1834. Instead, he devoted his time to publishing his compositions and violin methods. He also taught several students, including Camillo Sivori and Gaetano Ciandelli. Some speculate that the Polish 11-year-old Apollinaire de Kontski, who Paganini befriended and mentored in Paris, was so impressive that Paganini bequeathed him his violins and manuscripts.

Final years and Death

Paganini returned to Paris in 1836 to set up a casino, which would eventually lead to his financial ruin. To recoup his losses, he auctioned off his personal treasures including his musical instruments. His condition worsened, however, even after leaving Paris for Marseille.

On the 27th of May in 1840, the 57-year-old died from internal haemorrhaging before a priest could be summoned. For this reason, the Church denied his body a Catholic burial in Genoa. This and the fact that he had "associations with the devil." It took four years for the decision to be appealed by the Pope and for his body to be transported to Genoa, however, it was still not buried. It was not until 1876, that he was finally put to rest in a cemetery in Parma.

Known for his incredible talent and virtuosic compositions, Paganini has become a staple in the world of classical music. He stands as an idol for classical musicians due in part to his contributions that revolutionised violin technique.