![]() ![]() He was very tall and thin, and often dressed in black. Paganini was a striking man with hollow cheeks, pale skin and thin lips. It is said he could play 12 notes per second – a feat later achieved by violinist David Garrett, who plays Paganini in The Devil’s Violinist, a 2013 film based on the composer’s life story. He also purposely mistuned strings to make certain pieces easier to play. ![]() Known particularly for his fiendish 24 Caprices for Solo Violin, Paganini helped popularise certain string techniques such as bow bounces – spiccato – as well as left-hand pizzicato and harmonics. He was one of the first solo violinists to perform publicly without sheet music, choosing instead to memorise everything. One thing was for sure: Paganini’s skill on the violin was unparalleled. Women’s screams were said to be heard from his violin when he performed on stage. A rumour even spread that Paganini had murdered a woman, used her intestines as violin strings and imprisoned her soul within the instrument. The violinist’s fame slowly turned him into a heavy gambler, drinker and a serial womaniser. This is a famous fake daguerreotype (early photograph) of the violinist. But when 15-year-old Paganini embarked on solo tours, he had a breakdown and turned to alcoholism. The young Paganini was clearly a child prodigy. ![]()
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