Classical to RomanticNiccolò Paganini
Niccolò Paganini was born in Genoa, Italy.
Niccolò Paganini’s life
The big moments of this life, and what was happening in the world at the same time.
A life at a glance
- 1782👶 Birth
Born in Genoa on 27 October
- 1789🌍 Meanwhile
Storming of the Bastille: the French Revolution
- 1795📚 Trainingage 13
Studies in Parma; already giving concerts
- 1805🎩 Careerage 23
Violinist at the court of Elisa Bonaparte, Napoleon’s sister
- 1813🎩 Careerage 31
Triumph at La Scala in Milan with Le Streghe
- 1816🌍 Meanwhile
Maelzel patents the metronome (1815–16)
- 1820🎼 Workage 38
Publication of the 24 Caprices for solo violin
- 1825🌍 Meanwhile
First public passenger railway (England)
- 1828🧳 Journeyage 46
Tour of Vienna: ‘Paganini-mania’ begins
- 1840🕯️ Deathage 58
Dies in Nice on 27 May
- 1840🌍 Meanwhile
Adolphe Sax invents the saxophone (c. 1840)
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Excerpts of up to 90 seconds, freely licensed recordings from Wikimedia Commons.
Once upon a time…
Niccolò Paganini was born in Genoa, Italy. His dad made him practise the violin for hours and hours. Niccolò became the most incredible violinist of his time!
He invented ways of playing nobody had seen: playing on a single string, plucking with the left hand, making very high whistling notes. His 24 Caprices are so difficult that few violinists dare to play them.
Tall, thin and dressed all in black, he impressed people so much that some said he had made a pact with the devil! In Vienna they even sold “Paganini” hats and cakes.
His favourite violin is called “the Cannon” because it sounds so loud. It is still carefully kept in Genoa.
Niccolò Paganini’s instruments
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