Last time we looked at violin virtuoso
Nicolò Paganini and his rise to stardom. Today, let’s focus in on Paganini as a
composer. Did you know that he was known to write challenging works that he
could then learn to play for his own concerts?
Paganini’s famous 24 Caprices is for solo violin and acts as a set of etudes, each
displaying a different skill. The works are quite challenging and have
influenced many violin students since their completion. Several composers have
even used the 24th Caprice as inspiration for their own works.
Below, you can listen to Paganini’s original, followed by a Brahms’ and
Rachmaninoff’s variations.
