Caprici di diablo paganini biography

 History of Paganini and the 24 Caprices

Biographical Summary

Niccolo Paganini was born in Genoa on 27th October, His natural aptitude for violin became apparent at an early age, and he had his first lessons on the instrument from his father, who was in the shipping trade but was an accomplished performer on the mandoline.

The young Paganini subsequently had lessons with Giacomo Costa, maestro di cappella of the Cathedral of San Lorenzo. He made his first public appearance in , and at Costa's suggestion he then began to play solos regularly in church every Sunday - a discipline which he was to appreciate in later years.

A period of study in Parma with Alessandro Rolla and Gaspara Ghiretti followed, and in Paganini, accompanied by his father, embarked on the first of his many concert tours. On his return to Genoa he wrote down his first compositions for his instrument.

He spent the years in Tuscany, in comparative retirement, but devoting himself principally