The son of the dockman Niccolo Paganini not only managed to become famous all over the world - his violin playing was so virtuoso that it gave rise to incredible rumors: the violinist entered into an agreement with the devil, and instead of strings on his violin the intestines of the woman tortured by him were stretched. Paganini really played in such a way that, it would seem, it went beyond human capabilities, his success with women was overwhelming, and his persona was surrounded by an aura of mystery.
Violin virtuoso
Paganini's path to fame was not unhindered. From childhood, he had to endure the tyranny of his father, who forced him to study music all day long, not allowing him to go out. From lack of oxygen, movement and excessive exertion, the boy fell into a cataleptic coma. His parents considered him dead and almost buried him. After an illness, he did not leave his studies, and soon the fame of the talented violinist went far beyond the borders of Genoa.
* Devil's Violinist * Niccolo Paganini
At the age of 8, Paganini wrote a violin sonata and several difficult variations. At a young age, he created most of his famous capriccios, which still remain a unique phenomenon of musical culture. In playing the violin, Paganini was a real virtuoso. Having quickly mastered the traditional technique, he began to experiment: he imitated birdsong and human laughter, the sound of a flute, trumpet, horn, the hum of a cow, and applied various sound effects.
Eugene Delacroix. Portrait of Niccolo Paganini
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At the age of 19, he experienced his first and only true love for a woman, whose name he never mentioned. Their romance did not last long, but left an imprint on his entire life. Since then, he felt constant loneliness, despite many love relationships.
Sister of Napoleon Elise Bonaparte
Once Paganini made a bet that he would be able to conduct an orchestra with a violin with only two strings. He managed not only to win a bet, but also to impress Napoleon's sister Eliza Bonaparte - an impressionable Corsican woman fainted from delight. So their romance began. Playing on two strings did not become a redistribution of Paganini's capabilities: on Napoleon's birthday, he surpassed himself by playing on one string. The violinist quickly lost interest in Eliza and became interested in another sister of Bonaparte, Pauline Borghese. Their relationship was just as short-lived.
Napoleon's sister Pauline Borghese
As easily as women, Paganini conquered cities and countries. He was applauded in Italy, Austria, Germany, France, England, Ireland. Wherever he appeared, funny stories immediately happened that gave rise to rumors. Heinrich Heine wrote about this in "Florentine Nights": "Yes, my friend, it is true that everyone says about him - that when Paganini was the bandmaster in Lucca, he fell in love with a theatrical prima donna, was jealous of her for some insignificant the abbot, perhaps, became a cuckold, and then, according to good Italian custom, he stabbed his unfaithful beloved, ended up in hard labor in Genoa and finally sold himself to the devil in order to become the best violinist in the world."
Cartoons of Niccolo Paganini
After a concert in Vienna, one of the listeners claimed that he saw the devil standing behind the musician and moving his hand with a bow. The journalists picked up the news and reported it quite seriously. On numerous cartoons, he was portrayed as ugly, in the newspapers he was characterized as a greedy, stingy and petty person, envious people and enemies spread ridiculous rumors about him. Notoriety accompanied him everywhere and always.
* Paganini's widow * - this is the name of the favorite violin of the maestro by Guarneri
After the death of Paganini, the bishop of Nice accused him of heresy and forbade the church burial of his remains. The burial took place 56 years after his death, and eyewitnesses claimed that his body remained incorrupt all this time, and the sounds of a violin were heard from the grave. So, even after his death, the genius violinist remained the subject of rumors and legends.
Violin virtuoso Niccolo Paganini