Books › The violinist, 1900 › scan 168
Scan 168
The violinist, 1900
14 lines. Read by computer on 3 September 2026. No printed page number was found. See the scan on archive.org.
1The third master in this line is Rodolphe Kreutzer (1766-1831), one of the first stars of his time, and a most prolific composer (about three dozen operas, nineteen concertos, three double concertos, fifteen string quartettes, fifteen string trios, violin sonatas, duos, variations, and, last but not least, the immortal study-work, forty exercises for violin).
3Baillot (1771-1842), Lafont (1781-1839) and Boucher (1778-1861) may conclude the list of French violinists and composers of renown.
5The German school, in the eighteenth century, had produced, among others: Tisendel, J. G. Graun (brother of the celebrated composer), Konieseck, the Bendas, the Stamitzs, Canabison, Foerster, Cramer, Danner, Ignac, Fraenzel, Eck (the latter teacher of Spohr, who in turn became the real founder of the modern German school, which, finally, was to dominate all others).
7We will now consider the object of this treatise, Paganini, who was destined to surpass all the efforts of his predecessors by creating for us an almost new violin world. Nicolo Paganini was born in Genoa on February 18, 1784. At a very tender age the boy had to commence his violin studies. The severe treatment of his father had the expected results in developing his talent most rapidly. Teachers were changed several times, the last two being Giacomo Costa, a great musical authority in Genoa, and Alexandro Rolla, in Parma. This concluded the list of teachers, the boy then being thirteen years old. Nicolo's father had not neglected to have the son thoroughly study theory and composition all these years. In his ninth year he appeared in a concert as violinist and composer of Variations on the French air "la Carmagnole." It seems that as early as this period he was already speculating on the possibility of enlarging the technical mechanism of the violin, and certainly when he had ceased taking lessons (in his fourteenth year) and gave a concert in Genoa, introducing some of his own compositions, the critics of that city found the technical difficulties so unheard of as to simply declare them unsurmountable to other violinists.
9From this year begin his professional tours through Italy, first with his father as companion and manager, but very soon without him, as the father's tyranny had become unbearable to the son. He became his own master and acquired an independence, which in the end did him perhaps more harm than good. A most disastrous passion took hold of him—the passion for gambling. Not seldom that this frenzy cost him on a single evening the receipts of a whole concert, which amounted in some cases to more than one thousand francs. And this at such a tender age! Consequently he was at times reduced to complete poverty, but his violin helped him out of every embarrassing situation.
11When a mere child he had studied the mandolin. When a boy of sixteen or seventeen he fell in love with a lady of rank, who played the guitar beautifully. Paganini took up the study of this instrument for a couple of years, neglecting the violin, and by his great talent for finger technique acquired such a mastery as to become known as the greatest guitar player who ever lived. His love for the guitar remained till his death.
13In 1804 he returned to Genoa, occupying himself chiefly with the composition of four grand quartettes for strings and guitar. In 1805 he commenced concertising again. In Lucca, where the new court of Princess Eliza (sister of Napoleon and wife of Prince Bacciochi) had just been established, Paganini was offered the position as director of the Princess' private music and conductor of the opera, and though the salary was ridiculously small, he accepted. The Princess, taking the greatest interest in the young man, spurred his ambition to the highest pitch, and many of his acquirements, which in later years astonished all Europe, originated here. (Paganini's own statement.) He learned to play pieces for only two
The computer misreads some letters and numbers. Where a name matters to you, read the scan.