N
iccolò Paganini
born on October 27, 1782 in Genova, Italy
died on May 27, 1840 in Nizza, France
He was an Italian violinist, violist, guitarist and composer.
In his time, he was the most famous violin virtuoso.
Reference to the Goldener Adler
He was a guest at the Goldener Adler in 1828 and carved his name on the windowpane of his room. But that was not the reason why his visit remains unforgettable to this day… and also we do not recommend to imitate him 😉
E
xcursion tip
In the middle of the 20th century, Innsbruck took up the rich musical history of the past and began to cultivate early music in magnificent halls and churches.
In 1963, to celebrate 600 years of Tyrol’s affiliation with Austria, a concert of early music was initiated in the Spanish Hall of Ambras Castle.
This gave rise to the Ambras Castle Concerts, which were first held in 1964 and are today the oldest concert series for early music still in existence.
In 1976, concerts with the lecturers of the Innsbruck Summer Academy for Early Music, which had been initiated, gave rise to the first Innsbruck Week for Early Music, from which the Innsbruck Festival of Early Music emerged.
From the beginning, the Innsbruck Early Music Festival has been dedicated to the cultivation of Renaissance and Baroque music, sometimes also of the Viennese Classical period.
The focus is on Baroque operas, and there are also concerts at historic sites with music from the Middle Ages to the early 19th century.
The main maxim of the festival is: original sound, i.e., the performance of the music in an appropriate sound on instruments of the period and with the knowledge of the historical performance practice handed down in treatises.
Even today a must and therefore today our tip for you! Works by Paganini have also been presented here. Mid-July to the end of August every year, be there and book your ticket:
Life and facts
Niccolò Paganini received violin lessons from his father in early childhood. At the age of 19, he left his parental home to go on concert tours in Europe.
Soon he was known throughout Europe as the “Devil’s Violinist”.
Paganini was so called by the people because he reinvented the tonal possibilities and many of his playing styles were considered unplayable at the time, such as double stops or a mixture of bowing and pizzicato.
He was a pop star of his time. People travelled from all over the world and his concerts were almost always sold out.
Even food, fashion or utensils were named after him.
Paganini was also active as a composer; his first works were written when he was still a teenager and were adapted and quoted by other composers during his lifetime.
Six of his eight violin concertos are still extant today.
Among the most famous works are: “La Campanella”, “24 Caprices for Solo Violin”.
The 24 Caprices are so difficult that it was not until 50 years after his death that it was possible to reproduce them without simplifications.
In 1840 Niccolò Paganini died in Nice, France, but his body was not buried until 1876 in Parma, Italy.
The church in Nice did not allow burial because they accused Paganini of having a connection with the devil and he never came to confession.
Sources
https://www.altemusik.at/de
https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Niccol%C3%B2_Paganini
https://portraits.klassik.com/people/template.cfm?KID=255
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