Books › the history of the violin, 1864 › scan 210
Scan 210
the history of the violin, 1864
2 lines. Read by computer on 28 September 2026. Printed page 188. See the scan on archive.org.
1very properly paid him his stipulated sum, and a subscription was made for him at Leicester. Lafont, born in Paris 1781, had a good tone, and fine taste; he commenced playing in public at the age of fourteen. Habeneck, born at Mézières in the same year, led the opera at Paris for a considerable time. Louis Sphor, born at Saesen in Brunswick, about 1784, and only recently dead, was celebrated not only as a fine performer, with finished execution and expression, but also as a great composer, with a perfect knowledge of the theory of music; his compositions are, of course, well known to and admired by our readers. At the same time was born at Gênes the greatest performer on the violin that ever lived, Nicholas Paganini. So much has been said of him, and so much is known, that a slight notice here will suffice. Those who were fortunate enough to see and hear him will never forget the impression produced by his strange, almost unearthly figure, when, advancing to the front of the orchestra, he seized his violin as if it were a cherished living creature, and then, with his marvellous bow, and wonderful fingers, produced such an extraordinary effect from his beautiful tone, double stops, pizzicatos, and harmonics, on which long and rapid passages were played, that his auditors became breathless with astonishment. No doubt his extraordinary style of play has tended to advance the character and power of the instrument, and as professors of talent studied the passages introduced by him, a higher scale of eminence was established, and the great powers of execution of some of our accomplished modern performers may originate from the time of Paganini. He began the instrument at the age of six, and after a time was placed under the tuition of Giacomo Costa, the director of the opera at Gênes; he was then placed under the excellent player Alexander Rolla. In 1805 he was
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