diff options
Diffstat (limited to '39571.txt')
| -rw-r--r-- | 39571.txt | 6844 |
1 files changed, 6844 insertions, 0 deletions
diff --git a/39571.txt b/39571.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..ae36512 --- /dev/null +++ b/39571.txt @@ -0,0 +1,6844 @@ +The Project Gutenberg EBook of Nicolo Paganini: His Life and Work, by +Stephen Samuel Stratton + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: Nicolo Paganini: His Life and Work + +Author: Stephen Samuel Stratton + +Release Date: April 29, 2012 [EBook #39571] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK NICOLO PAGANINI: HIS LIFE AND WORK *** + + + + +Produced by Bryan Ness, Henry Flower and the Online +Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net (This +book was produced from scanned images of public domain +material from the Google Print project.) + + + + + +Transcriber's Note: Italic text is denoted by _underscores_ and bold +text by =equal signs=. + + + + + NICOLO PAGANINI: + HIS LIFE AND WORK. + + + + + PRINTED BY E. SHORE AND CO., + 3, GREEN TERRACE, ROSEBERY AVENUE, LONDON, E.C. + + + + +[Illustration: _Plate I.--See Appendix._ + +PORTRAIT OF NICOLO PAGANINI BY MAURIN.] + + + + + _"THE STRAD" LIBRARY, No. XVII._ + + NICOLO PAGANINI: + HIS LIFE AND WORK, + + BY + STEPHEN S. STRATTON. + + + "_Natura il fece, e poi ruppe la stampa._" + + ARIOSTO. + + _WITH TWENTY-SEVEN ILLUSTRATIONS._ + + London: + "THE STRAD" OFFICE, 3, GREEN TERRACE, ROSEBERY AVENUE, E.C. + J. LENG & CO., 186, FLEET STREET, E.C. + + New York: + CHARLES SCRIBNER'S SONS, 153-157, FIFTH AVENUE. + + 1907. + + + + +PREFACE. + + +The author of this work did not live to see the final sheets in print. +Although it has not received his revision, yet the book has had careful +editing. Mr. Stratton did not undertake the Life of Paganini without +adequate preparation. He had during many years thoughtfully studied the +artist and his attributes, and became an acknowledged authority on the +subject. He gathered from all available sources the most reliable +information. Almost his last journey was a pilgrimage to Paganini's +birthplace. This volume will exhibit his versatility, particularly the +chapter giving the analyses of Paganini's compositions. It is therefore +the most complete account of the greatest virtuoso recorded in the +annals of music. Those who peruse this most interesting biography of +Paganini, will naturally desire to learn something of the writer. + +Stephen Samuel Stratton was born in London on December 19th, 1840. He +began his career as a chorister of St. Mary's Church, Ealing. He studied +harmony and composition under Charles Lucas. As an organist, he held +these appointments--St. Mary the Virgin, Soho; and St. James's Church, +Friern Barnet. On his removal to Birmingham in 1866, he was organist at +St. Barnabas Church; Edgbaston Old Parish Church; St. John's, Harborne; +and the Church of the Saviour (1878-1882). In 1879 he commenced a series +of chamber concerts in Birmingham. + +From 1877 until the day of his death, Mr. Stratton was the musical +critic of the "Birmingham Daily Post." In that position his influence +was decidedly beneficial. He was also a contributor to the London +Musical Press. He will be remembered as the joint author (with Mr. James +D. Brown) of "British Musical Biography." His "Life of Mendelssohn" was +written for Messrs. Dent's "Master Musicians." Among other items may be +mentioned "Musical Curiosities," and valuable papers read before the +"Incorporated Society of Musicians." + +In private life he was highly esteemed--an honorable citizen--a genial, +kind hearted man, with a genuine love of his profession. He died, after +a short illness, in Birmingham, on June 25th, 1906. + + R. H. + + + + +CONTENTS. + + + CHAPTER I. + PAGE + + BOYHOOD 1 + + CHAPTER II. + EARLY TRIUMPHS 9 + + CHAPTER III. + ITALIAN TOURS 22 + + CHAPTER IV. + TOURS ON THE CONTINENT 35 + + CHAPTER V. + FIRST VISIT TO ENGLAND 50 + + CHAPTER VI. + FINAL TOUR 61 + + CHAPTER VII. + DEATH 73 + + CHAPTER VIII. + PAGANINI, THE MAN 85 + + CHAPTER IX. + THE ARTIST AND HIS CONTEMPORARIES 107 + + CHAPTER X. + HIS METHODS IN PLAYING 128 + + CHAPTER XI. + HIS COMPOSITIONS 148 + + CHAPTER XII. + MEMORIALS 191 + + + APPENDIX.--NOTES ON THE ILLUSTRATIONS 195 + + BIBLIOGRAPHY 201 + + + + +NICOLO PAGANINI: + +HIS LIFE AND WORK. + + + + +CHAPTER I. + + +There are some names, the mere mention or thought of which conjure up +distinct personalities; such are Handel, Bach, Beethoven, Wagner; but +not one has the extraordinary individuality of that of Paganini. Though +few can be living who ever saw the man, though his portraits are not now +commonly to be met with, the name of Paganini at once calls up a +picture--weird, uncanny, demoniacal; brings back the faint echo of +performances long lost in the corridors of time; and excites the +imagination in a manner altogether unique. The last few years have +witnessed the appearance of an unprecedented number of wonderful young +violinists, whose achievements culminate in the marvellous playing of +the boy Franz von Vecsey. These manifestations are almost enough to +induce belief in the theory or doctrine of reincarnation, and to make +one fancy that the great Genoese is once again in the flesh. These +violinists, too, are all playing Paganini's music; they seem to glory in +it, and so do the audiences, although to many serious and worthy folk +it is mere clap-trap stuff. This revived interest in Paganini and his +music seems to render the present an appropriate time to restate the +case of the man and the artist, notwithstanding the extensive literature +already associated with his name. + +It is a curious fact that nearly every distinguished musician, composer +or executant, has his namesakes. There was a constant succession of +Bachs in Thuringia for nearly two centuries; Beethoven's father and +grand-father were musicians; there were four Mozarts, musicians; and +more than twenty Wagners of some standing in the musical world. No one +seems to have traced the pedigree of Paganini, but he was preceded and +followed by others bearing the same name, and such particulars as can be +gleaned concerning these Paganinis may not be without interest, and at +least may serve by way of introduction to the greatest of them all. + +Dr. Burney, in his account of Italian Opera in London during the last +half of the eighteenth century, names a Signor and Signora Paganini as +engaged for the season of 1760-61. They came from Berlin, and the Doctor +is ungallant enough to say that the lady, known as "The Paganini," was +not young. She made her _debut_ on November 22, 1760, in Galuppi's "Il +Mondo della Luna," in a _buffa_ part, and was very captivating. At her +benefit, when another opera by Galuppi was given--"Il Filosofo di +Campagna,"--such a crowd assembled as had never been seen on any other +occasion. Not one third of those who presented themselves at the +Opera-house were able to obtain admission. "Caps were lost, and gowns +torn to pieces, without number or mercy, in the struggle to get in. +Ladies in full dress, who had sent away their carriages, were obliged to +appear in the streets and walk home without caps or attendants." +"Luckily the weather was fine," adds the Doctor, who witnessed this +uncommon spectacle. "The Paganini" thus anticipated the extraordinary +triumphs of the more famous artist of half a century later. Signor +Paganini, the husband, was only "a coarse first man," and sang almost +without a voice. Next comes Ercole Paganini, born at Ferrara, about +1770, the composer of several operas, produced at La Scala, Milan, and +at Florence, from 1804 to 1810. A tenor singer named Paganini appeared +in opera at Florence in 1830, was decidedly successful and became highly +popular in Genoa in 1836. After Francesco Lamperti was appointed (in +1850) professor of singing at the Conservatorio, Milan, among the good +pupils he turned out was one named Paganini, of whom, however, no +particulars are forthcoming. In 1865, Cesare Paganini, a theoretical +writer, published a treatise at Florence; and in November, 1898, +Signora Franceschati-Paganini was the Bruennhilde in a performance of +"Goetterdaemmerung," at Bologna. Then there was Dr. Paganini, who was +perhaps the brother in whose charge young Nicolo was allowed to go to +Lucca in 1798. Whomsoever he may have been, this Dr. Paganini died in +1835, which event gave rise to a rumour that the great violinist +was dead--a rumour happily untrue. This Dr. Paganini was not a +fiddle-player, but a fiddle-fancier. He possessed a violin ornamented +with mother-o'-pearl and ebony, which had belonged to a Shah of Persia, +the favourite violin of Lord Byron (so it was said), one that had +belonged to Stanislaus of Poland, father-in-law of Louis XV., one that +had been played upon by Charles IV. of Spain (the enthusiast who had +quartet performances at six in the morning, and who scorned to "keep +time,") and another, once the property of that monarch's favourite, Don +Manuel de Godoy, Duke of Alcudia. + +All the Paganinis mentioned above were eclipsed by _the_ Paganini +(_pace_ Dr. Burney), the artist who stood alone, whose life was full of +strange vicissitudes, who was worshipped and calumniated, who was +applauded as perhaps never artist was before nor since, yet who was +laughed at, hissed--only once--brought before the law-courts--threatened +with imprisonment and mobbed within an ace of being lynched. As a child +of four, Paganini narrowly escaped being buried alive; from youth up he +was a constant sufferer from physical disorders; he had no real home +till he was fifty-two; after death his remains were refused burial for +five years; and when his body had rested in the grave for half a century +it was exhumed, apparently in order that his features might once more be +gazed upon. Truly, Paganini's story is a romance, a drama, a tragedy. We +may not look upon his like again, nor is it desirable that we should; +for his life conveys a moral that few can fail to discern. + +The artist is the child of his age. What kind of age was it that +produced Paganini? A few years before he was born there came into the +world one who was to set Europe aflame. The age was the age of +revolution. Thrones tottered; armies devastated the Continent, and Italy +became a mere appanage of the French Empire. The political upheaval was +accompanied by a revolution in art. The romantic school in music arose, +and Beethoven, Schubert, Berlioz, Chopin, Schumann, Liszt, and Wagner, +were the psychic results of the turmoil into which the world was thrown. +Into such a world, already feeling the premonitory tremors of the great +Revolution, was Nicolo Paganini born, at Genoa, on October 27th, +1782.[1] + +[Illustration: _Plate II.--See Appendix._ + +THE BIRTHPLACE OF PAGANINI.] + +The Genoese--thrifty and industrious--bore no very good moral character +at that time; but they were then perhaps not alone in that respect. +Little information is available concerning the family of Paganini. The +father, Antonio Paganini, kept a small shop in the vicinity of the port; +he is described as a man of extraordinarily avaricious character, hard +and brutal, but possessing the redeeming quality of a love for music, +and showing some skill in the art; his instrument was the mandoline, +though Laphaleque says he was a violinist. The mother must have been of +a lovable disposition, from what little has been recorded of her. The +family consisted of two sons and two daughters. Of the elder son, +mention is made but once; of the daughters, nothing seems to be known. +Little Nicolo must have given evidence of musical talent very early, +but ere he was put to his studies he was attacked by the measles, and +that so severely that he remained for a whole day in a state of +catalepsy. He was given up for dead and was wrapped in a shroud, and +only a slight movement at the last, showing symptoms of life, saved him +from the horror of premature burial. Scarcely had he recovered, when his +father began his lessons in violin playing. The child's evident +disposition for the art excited the father's avarice, which found little +scope for gratification in his small business undertakings. He indulged +in golden dreams of the future, and to hasten their realisation was +unremitting in his work of instruction. His method was cruel in the +extreme. The poor child was kept to his task from morn till night; +slight faults were punished with rigour, even blows and starvation being +resorted to in order to force the talent which nature had bestowed. This +unnatural treatment must have wrung the heart of the gentle mother, and +doubtless by way of encouragement she told the poor little fellow of her +wonderful dream. An Angel had appeared to her, and promised her the +fulfilment of any desire. She asked that her son might become the +greatest of violinists, and her prayer was to be granted. This +disclosure may have fired the ambition of the child, for he was the +hardest of workers, and needed no spur. Already, at six years of age, he +was a tolerable player, and was even beginning to find out new paths. +His performances excited the admiration and amazement of the neighbours, +and even the Maestro Francesco Gnecco visited the little house by the +harbour to listen to the wonder-child. He introduced the boy to the +circle of his own friends, and made the father understand that he had +long outgrown his training. In short, the germ of the _virtuoso_ of +later days was already manifesting itself. Nicolo was now placed under +Giovanni Servetto, leader of the theatre band--a man of slight +attainments, with whom the boy did not stay long. His next master was +Giacomo Costa, the foremost violinist in Genoa and maestro di capella of +the Cathedral, a genial man, who took a lively interest in the boy. +Under Costa, Nicolo made rapid progress, and was introduced to a new +world, though the pedantry of the master frequently came into collision +with the peculiarities of the pupil. Young Paganini now had to play a +new concerto each week at one of the churches: that was one of the +conditions Costa imposed when taking him as a pupil. Paganini's +extraordinary powers as a player at sight were in great measure due to +this early experience. The father still exercised stern oversight, and +there was little relaxation or youthful pleasure for Nicolo. His health +was already undermined, and, as Dubourg touchingly puts it:--"the sickly +child, incapable of attaining a healthy maturity, was merged into the +suffering man." + +In his eighth year Nicolo composed a sonata for the violin--since, with +other works, lost. About that time a very vivid, almost shamefaced, +impression was made upon him by hearing that Mozart, at the age of six, +had composed a pianoforte concerto, with parts for orchestra, and so +difficult that only a _virtuoso_ could execute it. For long Nicolo +tormented himself with the thought of this musical superiority, and +strove day and night to remedy his own imperfection in the art. + +FOOTNOTE: + +[1] All biographical notices of Paganini, with the exception of that in +Riemann's "Dictionary of Music," give February 18th, 1784, as the date +of birth. The correct date seems to have been established when the +centenary celebration took place, in 1882. + + + + +CHAPTER II. + + +In 1793 Paganini made his _debut_ in the great Theatre of Genoa (the +Carlo Felice?). He was in his eleventh year, and his reputation must +have been considerable, for the occasion was of some importance, being +the benefit concert of two singers of repute, Luigi Marchesi and Teresa +Bertinotti.[2] Marchesi was second only to Pacchierotti among the male +_soprani_ of the time, and sang at the King's Theatre, London, during +the season of 1788; in the "Musical Reminiscences" of the Earl of Mount +Edgcumbe he is highly praised as the most brilliant singer of his day. +It was a great compliment to the talent of the young Nicolo that these +singers should apply for his assistance. Moreover, they promised to sing +for him when he should give a concert. Both functions duly took place, +and the boy-artist at each played a set of variations of his own +composition on "La Carmagnole"; an air then greatly in vogue. That old +melody "Malbrough s'en-va-t-en guerre," pressed into the service of the +French Revolution, was appropriately associated with the young artist, +himself a revolutionist. His success was phenomenal, performers and +audience being thrown into transports of admiration. + +It would appear that young Paganini studied with Giacomo Costa for a +period of six months only. He must then have continued to work by +himself, for it was not until about 1795 that his father took him to +Parma, to place him under the "Pride of Italy," Alessandro Rolla, to +whom the boy had been recommended by Costa. There was an affecting +farewell between Nicolo and his mother, for they were tenderly attached +to each other. Paganini has himself related the story of his interview +with Rolla, which, for the sake of completeness, must be summarised +here. + +When Nicolo with his father arrived at Rolla's house, the famous +violinist was ill in bed. His wife showed the visitors into an apartment +adjoining, and went to inform her husband of their arrival, but he was +disinclined to receive the strangers. On a table in the room where they +were waiting lay a violin, and a composition in manuscript--Rolla's +latest concerto. Paganini, prompted by his father, took up the violin, +and played the concerto through. Astonished at the performance, Rolla +asked what _virtuoso_ was in the next room, and on being told it was +only a boy he had heard, would not credit the statement without the +evidence of his own eyes. To the father's entreaty Rolla replied that he +could teach the boy nothing; it would waste his time to remain with +him. He must go to Ferdinando Paer, who would teach him composition. + +There are several versions of this story, and much uncertainty +respecting some points. Rolla was chamber _virtuoso_, and director of +the concerts at the Court of Parma. Paer, whose first opera was produced +in 1789, was at this time in great request at Venice, where he brought +out a succession of operas. In 1796 he may have been in Parma, for his +"Griselda" was produced there that year. Paganini, at some time or +other, doubtless did profit by Paer's friendly assistance; but his real +teacher was Gasparo Ghiretti, chamber musician to Prince Ferdinand of +Parma, and the master of Paer. Ghiretti was a violinist, as were nearly +all the Italian composers of that period. Under Ghiretti, Paganini went +through a systematic course of study in counterpoint and composition, +devoting himself to the instrumental style. He must, about the same +time, have received violin lessons from Rolla, though he afterwards +refused to acknowledge that he had been his pupil. Fetis tells of +discussions between Rolla and Paganini concerning the innovations the +latter was attempting, for he was always striving after new effects. As +he could but imperfectly execute what he aimed at, these eccentric +flights did not commend themselves to Rolla, whose taste and style were +of a more severe order. Of Paganini's work in composition little appears +to be known. Anders states that Paer when in Parma devoted several hours +daily to Paganini; and at the end of the fourth month entrusted him with +a composition of a _duo_, in which Nicolo succeeded to the complete +satisfaction of his master. Paganini may also at that time have +sketched, if he did not complete, the Studies, or Caprices, Op. 1. + +In 1797 the father took the boy from Parma, and set out with him on a +tour through Lombardy. Concerts were given in Milan, Bologna, Florence, +Pisa, and Leghorn. + +The young artist achieved an extraordinary reputation; the father took +possession of the more material rewards of art. The "golden dreams" were +in process of realisation! Returning to Genoa, young Paganini finished +the composition of his Twenty-four Studies, which were of such excessive +difficulty that he could not play them. He would try a single passage +over in a hundred ways, working for ten or eleven hours at a stretch, +and then would come the inevitable collapse. He was still under the +stern domination of his father, and his spirit must have chafed under +the bondage. His own ardour was sufficient to carry his labours to the +verge of exhaustion, and he needed no spur as an incentive to exertion. +In all directions save that of music his education was utterly +neglected. The moral side of his nature was allowed to grow wild. +There was the restraining influence of a mother's love, but there was +little else. It might indeed be said that, musically, Paganini was +self-educated; but that one of the world's great geniuses should lack +the intellectual and moral training that go to make the complete man was +sad in the extreme. Paganini's was a nature warped; on the one side +phenomenal power, on the other bodily suffering, intellectual and +spiritual atrophy. But more of this when we turn from his career to the +man himself. + +As the youth grew older the spirit of revolt arose. He must and would +escape from the tyranny of his avaricious father. But how? A way soon +offered itself. At Lucca, the festival of St. Martin, held each +November, was an event of such importance, musically, that it drew +visitors from all parts of Italy. As the November of 1798 drew near, +young Paganini besought his father's permission to attend the festival, +but his request was met by a point-blank refusal. The importunities of +the youth, aided by the prayers of the mother, at length prevailed, and +in care of the elder brother afterwards Dr. Paganini (?)--Nicolo was +allowed to leave home. + +Free at last, the youth, now in his seventeenth year, went on his way, +his whole being thrilled with dreams of success and happiness. At Lucca +he was most enthusiastically received, and, elated by his good fortune, +Paganini extended his tour, playing in Pisa and other towns. Enabled now +to earn his own living, Paganini determined never to return to the home +where he had suffered so much. His father must have obtained information +as to the youth's whereabouts, for it has been stated that he managed to +obtain a large part of the young artist's earnings. The money was freely +yielded to a certain extent, and the residue was obtained by threats. +But no threat or entreaty could induce Nicolo to return to his paternal +home. The bird had escaped, and liberty was sweet. But young Paganini +was scarcely fitted for an independent, uncontrolled career. He had no +moral ballast, and much would depend upon what kind of company he kept. + +One has to bear in mind that at the period now under +notice--1798--Europe was in a very unsettled state. The very pillars of +society were shaken, and there were many dangers in the path of the +young and inexperienced. But that is a very trite observation, for it +applies to all times and places. However, Paganini seems to have become +acquainted with what Fetis terms "artists of another kind," who +encouraged "play" of a more exciting, if less exalted order, than the +young musician had hitherto devoted himself to. With his ardent southern +temperament Paganini threw himself with the greatest zest into the +vortex of gambling, and frequently lost at a sitting the earnings of +several concerts and was reduced to the greatest embarrassment. Soon his +talent provided fresh resources, and his days ran on in alternations of +good and evil fortune. Tall, slight, delicate and handsome,[3] Paganini, +despite his frail constitution, was an object of attraction to the fair +sex. Incidents in his early manhood probably formed the foundation for +some of the stories told of him later. As Fetis puts it; the enthusiasm +for art, love and "play," reigned by turns in his soul. He ought to have +been careful of himself, but he went to excess in everything. Then came +a period of enforced repose, of absolute exhaustion, lasting sometimes +for weeks. This would be followed by a display of extraordinary +energy, when his marvellous talent took its highest flights, and he +plunged once more into the wildest bohemianism. Such a course of life +was enough to wreck the artist, and no friend seemed to be at hand to +save him from himself. Frequently he had to part with his violin in +order to raise money to pay his debts of honour, and it was upon one +such occasion that he met with the greatest good fortune he had yet +experienced, and acquired a violin which became the instrument of his +conversion from the fatal passion for gambling. + +[Illustration: _Plate III.--See Appendix._ + +PAGANINI'S VIOLIN IN THE MUNICIPAL MUSEUM AT GENOA.] + +Arriving at Leghorn, where he was to give a concert, Paganini yielded to +his weakness for the other kind of play and lost his money and his +violin. He was in a dilemma indeed, but was fortunate in meeting with an +enthusiastic musical amateur, M. Livron, a French merchant, the owner of +a superb Guarnerius violin. This instrument M. Livron lent to the young +artist, and attended the concert. When Paganini went to return the +violin to its owner, M. Livron at once exclaimed, "I shall take care +never to profane the strings your fingers have touched. It is to you now +that my violin belongs." A noble benefactor, that M. Livron. The +Guarnerius became Paganini's inseparable companion; he played upon it +throughout all his tours, and its subsequent history will be duly +related. + +Paganini acquired another instrument on the same easy terms, but +attended by different circumstances. Signor Pasini, of Parma, a painter +of some distinction, and an amateur violinist, had heard of Paganini's +wonderful powers as a reader of music at sight, but refused to credit +the statements. Pasini one day placed before Paganini a manuscript +concerto, in which difficulties of all kinds were brought together, and +putting into the artist's hands a splendid Stradivari violin, said: +"This instrument is yours if you can play that at sight, like a master, +without studying its difficulties in advance." "If that is so," replied +Paganini, "You may bid farewell to it at once." His terrific[4] +execution made the music seem as if it played itself as his eye fell +upon it. Pasini was petrified with astonishment. + +The abandonment of the vice of gambling came about in this way, his own +words being quoted. "I shall never forget," said he, "one day placing +myself in a position which was to decide my whole career. The Prince De +* * * * * had long desired to possess my excellent violin (the +Guarnerius), the only one I then had, and which I still possess. One day +he desired me to fix a price; but, unwilling to part from my instrument, +I declared I would not sell it for less than 250 gold Napoleons. A short +time after, the Prince remarked that I was probably indulging in banter +in asking so high a price, and added that he was disposed to give 2,000 +francs for it. Precisely that very day I found myself in great want of +money, in consequence of a heavy loss at play, and I almost resolved to +yield my violin for the sum he had offered, when a friend came in to +invite me to a party that evening. My capital then consisted of thirty +francs, and I had already deprived myself of my jewels, watch, rings, +pins, etc. I instantly formed the resolve to risk this last resource, +and if fortune went against me, to sell the violin and to set out for +St. Petersburg, without instrument and without funds, with the object of +retrieving my position. Soon my thirty francs were reduced to three, and +I saw myself on the road to the great city, when fortune, changing in +the twinkling of an eye, gained me one hundred francs with the little +that yet remained. That moment saved my violin and set me up again. From +that day I withdrew from play, to which I had sacrificed a portion of my +youth: and convinced that a gambler is universally despised, I renounced +for ever that fatal passion." + +It would be interesting to know when these things occurred, but dates +are wanting; it is sufficient to find the artist triumphant in one great +crisis in his life. Gambling, to which, however, he was not a party, was +destined to trouble the last years of his life, as will be seen further +on. + +Paganini's career, gambling apart, was by no means of a conventional +character. His irregular habits, fits of extraordinary energy followed +by langour and depression, led to frequent disappearances from public +view. One such disappearance lasted for about four years, and only the +romantic aspect of it has been described; the prime cause may have been +overlooked. Here is one view of the matter. Enter Napoleon; exit +Paganini. In 1800 Napoleon crossed the Alps; in 1804, he proclaimed +himself Emperor. He parcelled out Europe, providing for his brothers and +sisters, creating sovereigns at his own sweet will. Italy, invaded by a +foreign foe, shaken with wars, "alarums and excursions," was not a happy +hunting ground for a travelling virtuoso. Paganini vanished from view. +In absolute retirement he lived for over three years at the chateau of a +Tuscan lady of rank, who was a performer upon the guitar. Paganini threw +himself with ardour into the study of that instrument, and became as +great a virtuoso upon it as upon the violin. He composed a number of +pieces for guitar and violin. According to Fetis, Paganini also devoted +himself to the study of agriculture. + +But eventually he tired of a life of indolence and dalliance, and in +1804--the country settled now under French government--Paganini returned +to Genoa, but whether to the paternal roof is not clear. He was +doubtless invigorated by his long rest, and now resumed his arduous +course of study. It has been remarked that it was only after Paganini +had attained an almost perfect mastery over his instrument that he began +to investigate the methods of other virtuosi[5]; even so, he had formed +his own style of composition before studying the works of others. Now, +he busied himself with the studies of Locatelli, whose extravagances +almost equalled his own. It is said that he even gave lessons while in +Genoa, and mention is made of one pupil, Catarina Calcagno, who had a +brilliant, but brief career. + +In 1805, Paganini resumed his artistic tours, and arriving at Lucca, +played a concerto at an evening festival in a convent church. So great +was the enthusiasm of the audience (or congregation), that the monks +had to leave their stalls to put a stop to the applause. At that time, +Maria Anna (Elise), sister of Napoleon, was Princess of Lucca, and the +Tuscan court was held in that Capital. The fame of Paganini could not +fail to have reached the ears of the Princess, and it was but natural +that the first _virtuoso_ of Italy should receive an official +appointment. So it happened that in the year 1805 he was offered, and +accepted, the post of leader of the Court orchestra, and solo violinist. +He also gave violin lessons to Prince Bacciochi, the husband of Maria +Anna. It was during this period that Paganini began his experiments of +employing less than the four strings of his violin. He gave an account +of the origin of the practice to a friend at Prague many years later.[6] +"It fell to my lot," he said, "to direct the opera whenever the reigning +family visited it, as well as to perform at Court three times a week, +and to get up a public concert for the higher circles every fortnight. +Whenever these were visited by the Princess, she never remained to the +close, because the flageolet tones of my violin were too much for her +nerves. On the other hand there was another fascinating creature ... +who, I flattered myself, felt a penchant for me, and was never absent +from my performances; on my own side, I had long been her admirer +(Paganini was now twenty-three years of age, susceptible, and possibly +himself fascinating.) Our mutual fondness became gradually stronger and +stronger; but we were forced to conceal it, and by this means its +strength and fervour were sensibly enhanced. One day I promised to +surprise her at the next concert, with a musical joke, which should +convey an allusion to our attachment; and I accordingly gave notice at +Court that I should bring forward a musical novelty, under the title of +'A Love Scene.' The whole world was on tiptoe at the tidings; and on the +evening appointed, I made my appearance, violin in hand; I had +previously robbed it of the two middle strings, so that none but E and G +remained. The first string being designed to play the maiden's part, and +the second (fourth) the youth's, I began with a species of dialogue, in +which I attempted to introduce movements analogous to transient +bickerings and reconciliations between the lovers. Now my strings +growled, and then sighed; and anon they lisped, hesitated, joked and +joyed, till at last they sported with merry jubilee. In the course of +time, both souls joined once more in harmony, and the appeased lovers' +quarrel led to a _pas de deux_, which terminated in a brilliant _coda_. +This musical fantasia of mine was greeted with loud applause. The lady, +to whom every scene referred, rewarded me by looks full of delight and +sweetness, and the Princess was charmed into such amiable condescension, +that she loaded me with encomiums--asking me, whether, since I could +produce so much with _two_ strings, it would not be possible for me to +gratify them by playing on _one_. I yielded instant assent--the idea +tickled my fancy--and, as the Emperor's birthday occurred some weeks +afterwards (August 15th,) I composed a sonata for the G string, which I +entitled 'Napoleon,' and played before the Court to so much effect, that +a cantata, by Cimarosa, given the same evening, fell through without +producing any impression on its hearers.[7] This is the genuine and +original cause of my prejudice in favour for the G string. People were +afterwards importunate to hear more of this performance, and in this way +I became day by day a greater adept at it, and acquired constantly +increasing confidence in this peculiar mystery of handling the bow." +More of the "Napoleon Sonata" later. + +[Illustration: _Plate IV.--See Appendix._ + +CARICATURE PUBLISHED 1831.] + +When the Princess became Grand Duchess of Tuscany, the Court removed to +Florence, and Paganini, as a matter of course, was in the retinue. His +official career, however, came to an abrupt termination in the early +part of 1813. When appointed Court Musical Director, Paganini was +accorded the rank of Captain in the Royal Guard, and, as such, was +permitted to wear a brilliant uniform. Appearing in this garb at a State +function at Florence, in 1813, the artist was "commanded" to change it +for the ordinary dress suit. This request Paganini construed as an +insult, and refused compliance; whereupon there was a sudden rupture, +and instant resignation of office. Paganini, at different times, +obtained leave of absence, and undertook various professional tours; and +as he met with some strange experiences, we will follow him in his +wanderings. + +FOOTNOTES: + +[2] Anders, and others after him, give the name of the second singer as +Albertinotti. No such name can be traced, and it is probable that it was +the young Bertinotti, who was a juvenile prodigy, appearing in opera at +the age of twelve. She sang in London about the year 1812. + +[3] William Gardiner many years later spoke of the transparent delicacy +of Paganini's complexion, and said of his little son Achille that he was +the handsomest boy he had ever seen. + +[4] Fetis calls it "Foudroyante execution." + +[5] Naumann, "History of Music," p. 1140 (English Edition.) + +[6] Professor Julius Schottky. + +[7] Cimarosa, who died in 1801, espoused the revolutionary cause when +the French army entered Italy, and was imprisoned and condemned to death +when the reaction came, but was restored to liberty on condition of +leaving Naples. He would, naturally, have been popular with the +Bonapartists, and it was rather ungenerous vanity on the part of +Paganini to have exulted over this particular success. + + + + +CHAPTER III. + + +In 1808 occurred the first of these excursions. Paganini went to +Leghorn, the scene of his early triumphs. He had not been there for +seven years, but his first concert, this visit, was attended with some +unpleasant mishaps. He had run a nail into his heel, and came limping on +the stage, whereupon the audience set up a titter--an incident quite +enough to upset a sensitive artist. Then, just as he was commencing his +concerto, the candles fell from his music-stand, and the laughter was +unrestrained; after a few bars of his solo, the first string of his +violin snapped, and the merriment became uproarious; but he finished the +performance upon the three strings, and the artist soon converted the +audience to a demonstration of a more grateful character. Thus his "one +string" experience served him in good stead. + +At Ferrara something worse befell. For his concert there, Paganini had +engaged a vocalist, Signora Marietta Marcolini; but at the last moment, +the lady, either from indisposition or caprice, refused to sing. +Paganini went to his hostel boiling with rage, but was somewhat +mollified on being told there was a lady occupying an apartment in the +same house, who might perhaps take the place of the recalcitrant +singer. This was Signora Pallerini, the principal dancer at the theatre, +who had a very agreeable voice, but who made no pretension to being a +singer, although she was not without training and talent. Paganini lost +no time in seeking the young dancer, and by dint of perseverance +obtained her consent to his wish. + +But when the Signora came on to sing she was seized with stage-fright. +Her voice failed her, and her song produced no effect. Paganini offered +his arm to conduct her behind the scenes, but just before they reached +the wing, a shrill whistle was heard--equivalent to a hiss in England. +This was too much; the poor _debutante_ lost consciousness, and fell +into the arms of her friend. Pale with rage, Paganini promised himself a +signal vengeance. The concert was drawing to a close when the angry +artist whispered to Signora Pallerini, "Come! Listen!" He rushed on the +stage, and announcing to the audience that he would conclude the concert +with a musical jest, proceeded to imitate the cries of various animals, +the chirping of birds, the howling of dogs, and the crowing of cocks; +then, with a stolen glance towards the wing, as if to make known the +carrying out of his revenge, he advanced to the footlights, rested his +bow on the "chanterelle," close to the bridge, and with a single stroke +brought it violently on the "G," producing distinctly the sound of the +donkey's hee-haw! "This is for the man who whistled," he exclaimed, with +an air of triumph, and for the second time gave his imitation--with +added energy. Then he awaited the shouts of laughter that should assail +the poor whistler, but something quite different happened. The pit rose +to a man, and howling, whistling, and stamping, the audience proceeded +to storm the stage; and only precipitate flight by means of a private +door, saved the unlucky artist's life. + +The explanation came to Paganini later. The inhabitants of the villages +around Ferrara had from time immemorial a strong prejudice against their +Capital. The citizens they alleged were stupid in their nature, and +deserved the sobriquet "hee-haw." If a countryman, returning from +Ferrara, were asked where he came from, he replied by throwing back his +head and braying like an ass! Paganini had no knowledge of local +history; he was not a reader, he never even glanced at the papers, +except when they contained something concerning himself. His revenge +caused quite a tumult, in what way can be well perceived: and the +magistrate, to restore quiet, advised Paganini not to give his second +concert in the town, so that the offenders were really punished all +round. + +It is not necessary to enter into details concerning all Paganini's +tours. It appears to have been in 1810 that he wrote the "Napoleon +Sonata," and he performed it in public at a concert given by him at +Parma, August 18th, 1811. His fame was spreading beyond his own country, +and Schilling states that from 1812 the German musical journals bestowed +much attention upon him. He was at Milan in 1813, and his success there +was greater than ever. For that city he appeared to have a predilection, +for he was there, with the exception of a short stay at Genoa, until the +autumn of 1814. At that time he was by no means a recluse. He visited +the theatre, La Scala, and witnessed a performance of Vigano's ballet, +"Il Noce di Benevento," to which Suessmayer wrote the music; and from a +certain scene he took the theme of his variations known as "Le Streghe." +At a theatre he was inspired to write one of his finest movements. He +went to hear Demarini, Italy's greatest tragedian, and was so affected +by one scene that he could not sleep, and his emotion ultimately found +expression in music. This will be dealt with when noticing his +compositions. + +In October, 1814, Paganini went to Bologna, and there met Rossini for +the first time. Rossini, nine years the junior of Paganini, had already +produced a dozen operas--two in Milan that year. By Court favour Rossini +had just escaped the conscription, and had hastened away to Bologna. The +meeting of these artists was of importance to both. Meyerbeer went to +Italy in 1815, and was there for some years, producing several operas. +Laphaleque tells a story to this effect: Meyerbeer was on the eve of +leaving Florence to proceed to Naples to bring out one of his works. He +did not yet know that place, and it offered a double attraction; he +wanted to enjoy the beautiful blue sky as well as his artistic triumph. +But he went to hear Paganini, and dreamt no more of Naples, nor of his +opera. Paganini travelled all through Tuscany, and Meyerbeer followed; +and not until he had heard Paganini eighteen times could he tear himself +away from him. + +Within the period of five years, Paganini returned to Milan five times, +making a long stay on each occasion, and giving a great number of +concerts. He played at Verona, Padua--where the "prison" stories seem to +have originated--returned to Milan early in 1816, when he met the +French violinist, Charles Lafont, with whom he played and of whom more +will be said. Then to Venice, Trieste, and back to Venice in time to +hear Spohr (October 18th), on whom he called both before and after the +concert. Spohr greatly desired to hear Paganini play, but the latter +excused himself. + +Paganini must ere this have received invitations to visit other +countries, for Spohr in his diary remarks, when referring to Paganini's +first visit, that he had apparently abandoned his project of going to +Vienna. In 1817, Paganini visited Piacenza, where he met the Polish +violinist, Karl Joseph von Lipinski, who had gone to Italy expressly to +hear Paganini. The Italian treated his Polish brother artist generously, +and played with him at two concerts. Paganini was also again at Milan +that year and paid a visit to his mother at Genoa. According to Anders, +his father died in 1817. At the close of the same year Paganini was in +Rome, where Rossini's opera "La Cenerentola" was produced at the opening +of the Carnival season, December 26th. It is related that Meyerbeer was +also in Rome at this time, and that Rossini's "Carnovale" was sung in +the streets by the composer, Meyerbeer, and Paganini, who disguised +themselves for the frolic. Paganini in the Palace of Prince von Kaunitz, +the Austrian Ambassador, was introduced to Prince Metternich, who, +charmed with his talent, pressed him to visit Vienna. But the +violinist's health was in a precarious state. He suffered from an +intestinal disorder, aggravated by his addiction to some quack remedy. +He gave concerts in Rome, of which Schilling, who gives the date, +however, as 1827, gives a very curious account. The first concert, +though held in a Palace--such buildings being met with at every +step--was in a room like a hay-loft. The orchestra consisted of some +half-dozen shabbily dressed players, the singers were mechanics, members +of the chorus of the Teatro Argentina, and the audience scarcely +numbered fifty. Rome, professedly the first musical city of Italy, and +of Europe, was ignorant of Paganini, the greatest violin virtuoso of +Italy and the world. But his extraordinary genius kindled coldness into +enthusiasm. At his second concert the attendance increased tenfold; at +the third the success was even greater. + +In 1818, and the following year, he gave concerts at Verona, Turin, +Florence, and other towns. At Verona, the conductor of the theatre +orchestra, one Valdabrini, persuaded himself that Paganini was little +else than a charlatan, one who might play the pieces of his own +repertory very well, but who could not execute a work such as a concerto +of his, Valdabrini's, composition. Paganini was informed of this +estimate of his abilities, and hastened to assure Valdabrini that he +would be happy to reproduce the inspirations of the _chef d'orchestre_ +of Verona; and as this trial would be a powerful attraction, he would +reserve it for his last concert. The day of rehearsal arrived, and +Paganini was in his place. Instead of the music of the concerto, +however, the artist improvised all kinds of fanciful passages, insomuch +that the astonished orchestral players, lost in admiration, forgot to go +on with their own work. The disappointed Valdabrini exclaimed: "My +friend, this is not my concerto you are playing, I can recognise +nothing of what I have written." "Don't distress yourself," replied +Paganini, "at the concert you will recognise your work well enough, only +now I claim a little indulgence." + +The concert night arrived, and Paganini commenced with pieces of his own +choice, reserving the concerto for the end. All were attention for the +great event. Paganini came on at last, holding in his hand a Malacca +walking cane. Everyone asked himself: What will he do with that? +Suddenly he seized his violin, and, employing the cane as a bow, played +the concerto (thought by the composer to be practicable only after long +study) from beginning to end, not only rendering the most difficult +passages, but introducing charming variations, never failing for an +instant to display the purity, grace and verve that characterised his +art.[8] This pleasantry was not to the taste of Valdabrini, we may be +sure; but it was a rebuke to his presumption. Such amenities are +scarcely possible now-a-days. + +Paganini visited Naples in 1819 for the first time. When he arrived he +found the local musicians badly disposed towards him, and he had +something like a repetition of his experience at Verona, only he used +the cane no more! These musicians affected to doubt the reality of the +marvels fame attributed to Paganini, and proposed to amuse themselves at +his expense. They engaged a young composer, Danna (Dana?)[9] fresh from +the Conservatorio, to write a string quartet, filled with difficulties +of every kind--for the first violin--persuading themselves that the +great violinist could not overcome them. When all was ready--no doubt +the other parts had been well practised--Paganini was invited to a +musical reunion, where he found the violinists Onorio de Vito, Giuseppe +Mario Festa, the violoncellist Ciandelli, and the composer Danna. Hardly +had he arrived, when they placed the music before him, and invited him +to play it at sight. Perceiving that they had set a trap for him, +Paganini cast a hurried glance at the music, and played it off as though +it had long been familiar to him. Confounded by what they heard, his +assistants were prodigal in their admiration, and declared him +incomparable. + +Paganini's health now gave way to an alarming degree, and his landlord, +fearing the malady was consumption--infectious, according to current +opinion--proceeded to turn the violinist and his belongings into the +street. Medical science has confirmed the views of the Neapolitans in +respect to the contagious character of consumption, and the open-air +treatment is now considered the proper method to adopt; but the +landlord's rough and ready application of the remedy was highly +objectionable, and so thought Ciandelli, who chanced to be passing at +the time. He gave the landlord a severe thrashing, and conveyed Paganini +to more comfortable lodgings, where he was carefully tended. Paganini +repaid this act of kindness, as will be seen. These little scenes throw +curious side-lights on life in Naples at that period. + +In 1820, Paganini returned to Milan, where he founded an Amateur +Society, _Gli Orfei_, and conducted its concerts for a time; but the +roving habits he had acquired rendered a settled life irksome, and he +was soon again on the move. The winter found him once more in Rome, +where he must have stayed on and off for another year; for he was +there in December, 1821, when Rossini was about to produce his opera, +"Matilda di Sabran," at the opening of the Carnival season. On the day +of the last rehearsal the conductor fell ill, and Rossini was in +despair to replace him. Paganini, hearing of his friend's dilemma, +offered to conduct the rehearsal and the first performance--his +operatic experience at Lucca must not be forgotten--an offer Rossini +gratefully accepted. Without a moment's preparation, Paganini set to +work to communicate to an unskilled orchestra--it was at the _Teatro +d'Apollone_--the composer's intentions and the manner in which they +should be interpreted. Having no time for verbal explanation, he did +everything by example, playing the first violin part an octave higher +than it was written, and making himself heard above the strongest +_fortissimo_. At a glance he penetrated the meaning of every movement, +and he so worked upon the executants that they obeyed him as if +by enchantment. This single rehearsal sufficed to bring about an +irreproachable performance, the orchestra undergoing a veritable +metamorphosis, to the astonishment of everyone, Rossini included. So +far Laphaleque. Sutherland Edwards[10] says Paganini conducted the +first three performances, adding, "Never, it is said, did the band of +the 'Apollo' play with so much spirit before." + +For the next two years Paganini was constantly travelling, and in the +year 1823 we have the first glimpse of him through the medium of an +English musical journal.[11] This first reference is quite incidental. +Giuseppe Rastrelli was playing in Naples in 1822 (or 1823), and was well +received, "although his predecessor, the celebrated Paganini," was still +fresh in the public remembrance. This assumes that Paganini was well +known to English readers. He had indeed been mentioned in books +published before this date. On his way to Pavia in 1823, Paganini was +attacked with illness, and his life was despaired of. At that time he +had again intended going to Austria, but a long rest was needed to +restore his health. This repose he enjoyed at Genoa, and recovered +sufficiently to give two concerts in the _Teatro da Sant'Agostino_, in +1824. The second concert introduced two youthful claimants to public +favour. The first was a Signora Bianchi, under twenty years of age, who +was characterised in the bills as the little _virtuosa forestiera_, and +who sang three airs; the other was a Signora Barette, who played a +_Pezzo Cantabile_ and a _Sonatina_ upon the violoncello. They both +experienced a flattering reception.[12] The young violoncellist was not +more than fourteen years old, and there is no reason to suppose that she +was the first of her sex to appear in public as a violoncellist. The +other "little guest" or stranger was to play an important part in +Paganini's history. + + +This concert afforded another proof of Paganini's power of attraction. A +certain M. Bergman, a (Swedish?) traveller and passionate lover of +music, reading accidentally the evening before in the journal at +Leghorn, an announcement of Paganini's concert, lost no time, but +instantly set out for Genoa, a distance of a hundred miles, and luckily +reached the spot just half an hour before the concert began. He went +with his expectations raised to the utmost, but, to use his own +expression, the reality was as far above his anticipations as the +heavens are above the earth. Nor could this enthusiastic amateur rest +content with once hearing Paganini, but actually followed him to Milan, +in order to hear him exercise his talents a second time. Now-a-days the +enthusiasts are young ladies, who mob their favourites in the artists' +room! + +In 1824 Paganini gave two concerts in _La Scala_, Milan, which was +crowded to excess. At the first he played a concerto, and three airs +with variations--all on the fourth string, so said the report. A +surfeit, this, even for his fervent admirers. In the same year at Pavia, +he gave two concerts, the bills being headed: + + PAGANINI + + _Fara sentire il suo Violino._ + +(Paganini will cause his violin to be heard.) He was received with no +less enthusiasm than at Milan. Paganini then returned to Genoa, but soon +left for Venice. There he formed an union with Antonia Bianchi, the +young singer he introduced at Genoa, who became his companion, sang at +his concerts, and shared his triumphs. + +In 1825, Paganini was again at Naples, where he gave a concert, causing +his name to be announced in the bills as-- + + _Filarmonico_, + +a term which gave rise to much discussion, some considering it as +indicating modesty, others just the reverse; but at all events it +savoured of affectation. In the summer of 1825, Paganini went to +Palermo, where he also gave a concert. The delicious climate of Sicily +had a great charm for him, and he remained there for nearly a year, +giving concerts at different places, but enjoying prolonged intervals of +repose. His health strengthened, Paganini again entertained the idea of +leaving Italy, but determined upon one more tour before carrying out his +intention. In 1826, he visited Trieste, Venice, and finally Rome, where +he gave five concerts. In April, 1827, Pope Leo XII. invested Paganini +with the order of the Golden Spur, a distinction so rare that it +afforded a topic for conversation for some time. From Rome Paganini went +to Florence, and as "Il Cavaliere Paganini" gave a concert at the +_Teatro Pergola_, which was attended by all the rank and fashion of the +place. He was detained for some time at Florence owing to a disease +breaking out in one of his legs. As soon as he was able to travel he set +out for Milan, where he was received with every demonstration of +affection. He gave four musical soirees at the close of 1827, and in +the early part of 1828, two concerts in _La Scala_, when he appears to +have played for the first time the concerto with the "Rondo ad un +Campanello;" the piece created a great effect. Paganini had now +traversed the whole of Italy at least three times, giving hundreds of +concerts, building up an ever growing reputation and exciting universal +admiration, despite those detractors whose machinations have been +exposed. At last, on the 2nd of March, 1828, Paganini started on his +long projected visit to Vienna. + +FOOTNOTES: + +[8] Laphaleque. + +[9] Son of Giuseppe Dana, of Naples? + +[10] The Life of Rossini, p. 226. + +[11] With the exception of a Literary Supplement to the "New Musical and +Universal Magazine," 1774, there was no publication devoted to Music +until the year 1818, when "The Quarterly Musical Magazine and Review" +appeared, edited by Robert Mackenzie Bacon. This was followed in 1823 by +"The Harmonicon," edited by William Ayrton. + +[12] Harmonicon, Vol. III., p. 37. + + + + +CHAPTER IV. + + +Paganini arrived at Vienna, March 16th, 1828, and gave his first concert +in the Redouten-Saal[13] on the 29th of the same month, creating a +_furore_ the like of which had never been witnessed. It must be borne in +mind that Paganini was now no romantic-looking youth to move the +feelings of sentimental or hysterical young ladies. He was in his +forty-sixth year, and his face bore the marks of suffering; he wore his +long hair in ringlets falling over his shoulders, but physically he was +a wreck. Yet no youthful artist of to-day has made a more sensational +_debut_ than that of Paganini in the Austrian Capital in 1828. To repeat +the oft-quoted account given by Schilling: "At the first stroke of the +bow on his Guarnerius, one might almost say at the first step he took +into the hall, his reputation was decided in Germany. Kindled as by an +electric flash, he suddenly shone and sparkled like a miraculous +apparition in the domain of art." + +Another account, if less familiar, is equally interesting. In a letter +from Vienna, addressed to the _Literary Gazette_, the writer says:--"The +great novelty and prodigy of the day is one M. Paganini, an Italian +performer on the violin. + +"This is the first time he has left Italy; but I heard him previously, +about five years ago, at Milan, in competition with M. Lafont, whom he +beat fairly.[14] He is, without contradiction, not only the finest +player on the violin, but no other performer, upon what instrument +soever, can be styled his equal: Kalkbrenner, Rode, Romberg, Moscheles, +Jew and Gentile, are his inferiors by at least some thousand degrees; +they are not fit, as we say in Germany, to _reach him water_. He is +Mathews of the violin, performs a whole concert on a single string, +where you are sure to hear, besides his own instrument, a harp, a +guitar, and a flute. In one word, he is a necromancer, and bids fair +to beat _la Giraffe_. We have here hats, shawls, gloves and nonsense +of every description, _a la Giraffe_; but yesterday I actually +ate _Auflaufy_--a very innocent, rather insipid sweetmeat--_a la +Paganini_.... He has already performed twice to crowded houses in our +great masquerade-hall. The beginning of the concert was, as usual, +advertised for half-past eleven [in the morning]: at eleven o'clock not +a pin dropping from the roof would have reached the ground; people were +already there at nine o'clock. He came hither with six florins in his +pocket; now you may style him a warm man. From Vienna he intends to +proceed to Paris, and thence to London."[15] + +Here a brief digression is pardonable. The Pasha of Egypt, a short time +before Paganini's visit, had presented to the Emperor of Austria a +Giraffe, an animal then new to Europe. That interesting quadruped, a +superb specimen of its kind, created such a sensation, and so completely +absorbed public attention, that as seen in the letter just quoted, +everything was _a la Giraffe_.[16] Paganini's phenomenal success gained +him a popularity that quite eclipsed the poor Giraffe, and now the mode +was _a la Paganini_. All kinds of articles were named after him; a good +stroke at billiards was a _coup a la Paganini_; his bust in butter and +crystallised sugar figured on every banquet table; and portraits, more +or less faithful, adorned snuff-boxes, cigar-boxes, or were carved on +the canes carried by the fops. Paganini himself went into a shop one day +to buy gloves. "_A la Giraffe?_" asked the salesman. "No, no, some other +animal," said the _maestro_, whereupon he was handed a pair _a la +Paganini_! It is said that a certain driver, whom Paganini had once +engaged, obtained permission to paint on his vehicle the words +_Cabriolet de Paganini_, by which means he gained notoriety and enough +money to set up as a hotel-keeper. Paganini was much sought after by the +leaders of society and fashion; but Prince Metternich alone received the +favour of a visit. + +It may be remembered that Franz Schubert gave his first, and as it +turned out, his only concert, in the hall of the Musik-Verein, Vienna, +on the 26th of March, three days before that of Paganini. Schubert +cleared over L30--the first piece of luck that came to the poor +composer. The money flowed freely; he paid his five Gulden (something +over six shillings) to hear Paganini, and went a second time, not so +much for his own sake, as to take his friend Bauernfeld,[17] who had not +five farthings, while with him (Schubert) "money was as plentiful as +black-berries." Generous, simple Schubert! Did he and Paganini ever +meet? What a pair they would have made! + +Paganini's Vienna concerts were so successful that he increased the +number from six to twelve. It is said that poor musicians actually sold +their clothes to raise the needful in order to hear him; and that no +halls were large enough to contain all who wished to attend his +concerts. Paganini's last concert was given by express command of the +Emperor of Austria, who honoured the occasion by his presence. Among +other things, Paganini introduced the National hymn "God preserve the +Emperor," which he performed with a truth and fervour of expression that +seemed to impart a novelty even to so familiar a theme. He did some +wonderful things on the G string, astonishing and delighting all +present, especially rivetting the attention of the Emperor, who led the +applause. + +The Court Gazette announced that His Majesty, as a testimony of his +admiration, had sent Paganini a diploma, appointing him one of the +Emperor's chamber musicians, and exempting him from the usual fees of +office; this was accompanied by a splendid gold snuff-box set with +brilliants. The chief magistrate of Vienna presented Paganini with the +gold medal of San Salvador; and, to crown all, a medal was struck in +Paganini's honour. This, the work of J. Lang, has on the face a portrait +in relief of the violinist, with the inscription:-- + + NICOLAO PAGANINI VINDOBONA + + MDCCCXXVIII. + +and on the back the words:-- + + PERITURIS SONIS NON PERITURA GLORIA. + +surrounding an open music book with the theme of the "Bell Rondo," upon +which lies the famous Guarnerius wreathed with laurel. This was the +city's parting gift to the great artist. + +These doings were too good to escape the notice of the caricaturist, and +a two-act piece was produced at the _Theater an der Wien_, entitled "The +Counterfeit Virtuoso; or, the Concerto on the G string," the music by +Kapellmeister Franz Glaeser. The overture was ingeniously made up of the +principal subjects of Paganini's concertos, ludicrously contrasted with +counter subjects of a popular kind. Several of the _quodlibets_ were +full of humour, and, with the _bon mots_ and anecdotes, tended to make +it a very amusing production for the moment. + +It was at Vienna that the rumour spread abroad of Paganini being in +league with the Devil, which accounted for his marvellous performances. +The great violinist was much disturbed and annoyed by these calumnies, +and had to appeal to the press for aid in refuting them. It may be that +his estrangement from the world, his love of solitude, morose temper, +and the avarice which displayed itself, all had their origin in the +hostile attitude assumed by a section of the public during his foreign +tours, for when in Italy Paganini seems to have lived much as others +did. Paganini was accompanied by his companion Signora Bianchi, and the +son born to them, when he visited Vienna. + +It was in May the little party left Vienna. The concerts had quite +prostrated Paganini, and the family went to Carlsbad. After resting +there some time Paganini departed for Prague, but an abscess in the face +kept him a prisoner for three weeks. Here is a contemporary account +which is interesting. Paganini was obliged to place himself under the +care of two celebrated medical men, Krumblholz and Nusshardt, and they +were the only visitors he received during his lonely residence up three +pair of stairs. After a successful operation on the jaw-bone, one of his +physicians expressed a desire which was cherished in vain by the whole +city--that of hearing some notes from the hitherto silent instrument of +the great master; and he entreated him to try if he could rest his +violin on his hardly healed chin. Paganini confirmed what has long been +said, that even before friends he was very niggardly in the display of +his talents. He took his instrument, played one stroke with his bow, and +said, "_Es geht schon_" (that will do). "For eight days before the first +concert," continues the writer, "every place was engaged. When I reached +the theatre at four o'clock in the afternoon, it appeared as if the +house was about to be stormed, so great was the throng on the outside. +Many magistrates and people of the first rank were amongst the crowd, +and shared my anxious expectation. At last I found myself, I scarcely +know how, in the pit, and there awaited for two hours and a half the +opening of the concert." The writer then goes on to describe the +violinist, his appearance, his smile that made everyone shudder, and the +extraordinary performance which roused the audience to the wildest +enthusiasm. He then quotes the saying of a Vienna critic: "Paganini has +nothing in common with other players but the violin and the bow," and +regrets that his friend will not for some time have the opportunity of +hearing the superb performer, for he learns that Paganini does not yet +intend to visit Paris or London.[18] + +[Illustration: _Plate V.--See Appendix._ + +FROM A CONTEMPORARY GERMAN PICTURE.] + +Paganini's first concert only was well attended. There was then a +reaction. Some attributed the falling off to the high prices charged for +admission, but there was, in fact, a traditional hostility in art +matters between Prague and Vienna; that which was praised in Vienna must +be condemned in Prague, and what was approved in Prague must not be +tolerated in Vienna. It was at Prague that Paganini actually published +this letter from his mother as proof that he was not the son of the +devil! + + DEAREST SON,--At last, after seven months have elapsed since I + wrote to you at Milan, I had the happiness of receiving your letter + of the 9th current, through the intermediary of Signor Agnino, and + was much rejoiced to find that you were in the enjoyment of good + health. I am also delighted to find that, after your travels to + Paris and London, you purpose visiting Genoa expressly to embrace + me. I assure you, my prayers are daily offered up to the Most High, + that my health may be sustained, also yours, so that my desire may + be realised. + + My dream has been fulfilled, and that which God promised me has + been accomplished. Your name is great, and art, with the help of + God, has placed you in a position of independence. Beloved, + esteemed by your fellow citizens, you will find in my bosom and + those of your friends, that repose which your health demands. + + The portraits which accompanied your letter have given me great + pleasure. I had seen in the papers all the accounts you give me of + yourself. You may imagine, as your mother, what an infinite source + of joy it was to me. Dear son, I entreat you to continue to inform + me of all that concerns you, for with this assurance I shall feel + that it will prolong my days, and be convinced that I shall still + have the happiness of embracing you. + + We are all well. In the name of your relations, I thank you for the + sums of money you have sent. Omit nothing that will render your + name immortal. Eschew the vices of great cities, remembering that + you have a mother who loves you affectionately, and whose fondest + aspirations are your health and happiness. She will never cease her + supplications to the All-powerful for your preservation. + + Embrace your amiable companion for me, and kiss little Achille. + Love me as I love you. + + Your ever affectionate mother, + _21st July, 1828_. TERESA PAGANINI. + +From Prague, Paganini went to Berlin, where he remained four months. He +was received with the utmost enthusiasm, and on the evening of his first +concert he exclaimed: "I have found my Vienna public again." Wherever +Paganini stayed for any length of time it suddenly became the fashion to +learn to play the violin; and the fair members of the aristocratic +families were among the most eager to become pupils of the famous man. +Paganini made a great deal of money in Berlin. The critics were divided +in opinion as to his merits; but Rellstab, whom Schumann once called +"Wretched Berlinese reviewer," was favourably impressed. Paganini is +said to have received a challenge from Baron Sigismond von Praun, to a +public contest for supremacy in performance, but as the would-be +opponent was a youth of seventeen, Paganini disdained him. Perhaps he +thought of his own presumption in his young days! + +Paganini's tour was one continual triumphal progress. At Koenigsberg his +first concert realised about L330, an unprecedented sum in that place; +at Frankfort his four concerts produced something like L1,000. A critic +wrote of him: "One striking peculiarity of his playing is the +extraordinary effect it produces on persons wholly devoid of musical +cultivation. Most _virtuosi_ play only for the learned; not so +Paganini. His performance is alike appreciated by men of business and +connoisseurs, by children and grown persons--it is felt and understood +by all. This is the distinctive characteristic of all that is great in +art." + +He was at Leipzig in 1829, and was among the visitors at the house of +Abraham Mendelssohn--the pleasant garden-house in the Leipziger +Strasse--and his portrait figures in Hensel's collection. In June, 1830, +Paganini was in Cassel, when Spohr heard him for the first time--of +which more later. In Hamburg the same year Heine heard him, and his +vivid and extraordinary notice of the artist must be briefly quoted. "I +believe," said Heine, "that only one man has succeeded in putting +Paganini's true physiognomy upon paper--a deaf painter, Lyser by name, +who in a frenzy full of genius has with a few strokes of chalk so well +hit the great violinist's head that one is at the same time amused and +terrified at the truth of the drawing. 'The devil guided my hand,' the +deaf painter said to me, chuckling mysteriously, and nodding his head +with a good-natured irony in the way he generally accompanied his genial +witticisms.... The Hamburg Opera House was the scene of this concert, +and the art-loving public had flocked there so early, and in such +numbers, that I only just succeeded in obtaining a little place in the +orchestra." Then he goes on to describe the audience and the entrance of +Paganini. "Is that a man brought into the arena at the moment of death, +like a dying gladiator, to delight the public with his convulsions? Or +is it one risen from the dead, a vampire with a violin, who, if not the +blood out of our hearts, at any rate sucks the gold out of our pockets? +Such questions crossed our minds while Paganini was performing his +strange bows, but all those thoughts were at once still when the +wonderful master placed his violin under his chin and began to play. As +for me, you already know my musical second-sight, my gift of seeing at +each tone a figure equivalent to the sound, and so Paganini with each +stroke of his bow brought visible forms and situations before my eyes; +he told me in melodious hieroglyphics all kinds of brilliant tales; he, +as it were, made a magic lantern play its coloured antics before me, he +himself being chief actor.... A holy, ineffable ardour dwelt in the +sounds, which often trembled, scarce audibly, in mysterious whisper on +the water, then swelled out again with a shuddering sweetness, like a +bugle's notes heard by moonlight, and then finally poured forth in +unrestrained jubilee, as if a thousand bards had struck their harps and +raised their voices in a song of victory." Thus, a poet on a poet in +tones. + +In 1829 Paganini was in Warsaw, and Chopin was among those who heard +him. As he was leaving, in July, he was stopped some distance from the +city by a numerous company who had met together in a garden. They drank +the health of the artist, and Joseph Xaver Elsner, Director of the +Conservatoire, handed him a costly snuff box, bearing this inscription: +"Al Cavaliere Nicolo Paganini, gli ammiratori del suo talento, Varsovia +19 Luglio 1829." Paganini pressed it to his lips, speechless with +surprise, and affected almost to tears. At Munich he gave three concerts +in November of the same year; and at the close of the last _soiree_ the +artist was crowned by Stunz, the Kapellmeister, while thousands of +laudatory poems were showered from different parts of the hall. At +Stuttgart, the King of Wuertemberg presented him with 100 _louis d'or_, +and it is said that before leaving Germany Paganini sent over L6,000 to +the Bank of England for safe custody, a proceeding which showed his good +sense, and perhaps revealed a mistrust of his continental friends. + +Paganini's tours, extending over three years, embraced Bohemia, Poland, +Saxony, Bavaria, Prussia, and the Rhine provinces. Many more details +might be given, but they are really needless: it was always the same +story of the artist's success, excepting, indeed, at Augsburg, where the +criticisms were adverse, as at Prague. An anecdote may fitly close the +narration of Paganini's long stay in Germany, as it reveals an +interesting trait in the character of the peasantry. Paganini, in the +autumn of 1829, was summoned to appear before the Queen Dowager of +Bavaria, at the Castle of Tegernsee, a magnificent residence of the +Kings of Bavaria, situated on the banks of a lake of the same name. At +the moment the concert was about to begin, a great bustle was heard +outside. The Queen, having enquired the cause, was informed that about +sixty of the neighbouring peasantry, having been told of the arrival of +the famous Italian violinist, were come with the hope of hearing some of +his notes, and requested that the windows should be opened, in order +that they also might enjoy his talent. The Queen went beyond their +wishes, and with truly Royal good-nature, gave orders that they should +all be admitted into the saloon, where she had the pleasure of remarking +their discernment, and the judicious manner in which they applauded the +most striking parts of the distinguished artist's performance. + +Frankfort seems to have been a favourite stopping place with Paganini, +and from there, at last, he quitted the fatherland, and arrived at +Strasburg, where he gave two concerts, and thence proceeded direct to +Paris. + +It has to be observed that France had just been through another +Revolution, and the turmoil, social and political, had not subsided. To +a populace seething in this fevered atmosphere anything by way of +diversion would be welcome. The man of the hour was Paganini, for in a +sense he combined within himself the surrounding elements and +influences. At the moment the public was just in the mood for Paganini, +and the artist met the craving for excitement. He gave his first concert +in the Opera House on March 9th, 1831, and notwithstanding that the +prices of admission were tripled, the house was crammed. It would be +impossible, says Fetis, to describe the enthusiasm with which the +audience were seized when listening to the extraordinary artist, an +enthusiasm approaching delirium, frenzy. Paganini's Studies had long +been known to Parisian violinists, but they remained enigmas impossible +of solution. At his third concert, March 25th, Paganini introduced a new +concerto, in D minor, which, like so much of his music, is lost. In +Paris the infamous persecution of the artist seems to have reached its +climax. Fetis states that Paris was above all places hostile to +Paganini, although that city had contributed more than any other place +to the _eclat_ of his success. His portrait was on every wall, and +exhibited in the windows of print shops. Paganini himself stopped to +look at one representing him in prison; and while scanning it with +some amusement, found he was being surrounded by a crowd who were +scrutinising him with close interest, evidently comparing his features +with those of the lithograph. This was too much, and Paganini sought his +friend Fetis, and confided to him his troubles, seeking his aid for +their amelioration. Fetis requested Paganini to supply him with +particulars, and then indited a long epistle, which, signed by Paganini, +appeared in the _Revue Musicale_. Quotation may be deferred until the +narration of Paganini's public career is completed, and a more detailed +consideration of the character of the man and the artist is entered +upon. + +One incident that occurred during Paganini's visit to Paris may be +related. The officers of the different legions of the National Guard +combined to organise a grand ball to be held in the Opera House for the +benefit of the poor. They thought it would add greatly to the +attractions of the function if they could prevail upon Paganini to +attend and play a few pieces. To ask for violin solos in a place +prepared for a ball, and among an assemblage met for dancing, argued a +very curious taste, or want of it. Paganini owed it to his dignity as an +artist to refuse the invitation, which he did. For this he was bitterly +assailed by a section of the press, and was compelled to publish a +letter justifying himself.[19] He explained that he had already given up +the Opera House, which was at his disposal, for the preparations for the +ball, and that involved the loss of receipts for one concert--from +15,000 to 20,000 francs. He added that in Berlin, Vienna, and all the +towns where he had continued any time, he made it a duty to perform for +the benefit of the unfortunate; and he certainly should not leave Paris +without devoting the proceeds of one of his _soirees_ to the relief of +the poor of that capital. He kept his word; gave the promised concert, +and the poor profited by a refusal that was attributed to him as a +crime. + +Berlioz, then in Italy--he had just won the Grand Prix de Rome--passing +through a crisis in his life, stayed a few days in Genoa. In his +autobiography he wrote: "All Paris was raving about Paganini, while I, +with my usual luck, was kicking my heels in his native town instead of +listening to him. I tried to gather some information about their +distinguished townsman from the Genoese, but found that, like other +people engaged in commerce, they cared little for the fine arts, and +spoke quite indifferently of the genius whom Germany, France and England +had received with open arms. They could not even show me his father's +house." So quickly and easily can one be forgotten! England had not yet +received Paganini, but it was many years after this time that Berlioz +penned his autobiography. + +Liszt, in Paris, his first dream of love cruelly dispelled, shunned the +world and buried himself in seclusion. For the time the artist within +him was dead, and his thoughts turned to the priesthood. The revolution +of 1830 awoke him. The Magyar blood was aroused, and sympathising with +the people's struggles Liszt planned a _Symphonie revolutionnaire_. But +it was Paganini who, the next year, touched Liszt as it were with a +magic wand, and gave the direction to the genius and energy of the young +artist. Of this more in its proper place. Early in May, 1831, Paganini +left Paris for London. + +FOOTNOTES: + +[13] Where Beethoven gave his concerts in 1814. + +[14] The writer's memory played him false. The meeting with Lafont took +place in 1816; or, according to some, in 1812! + +[15] This letter was reproduced in the "Harmonicon." + +[16] Lady Morgan, in her book, "France in 1829-30," gives an account of +the Giraffe just then arrived in Paris. The animal was added to the +collection in the London Zoological Gardens in 1836. + +[17] Litterateur, of Vienna: writer of comedies, etc. + +[18] This letter was published in _The Quarterly Musical Magazine and +Review_. + +[19] Addressed to _Le Corsaire_, and reproduced (in English) in _The +Globe_. + + + + +CHAPTER V. + + +Fetis stated that Paganini's visit to London excited the most lively +curiosity, but did not awake that intelligent interest which welcomed +him in the Capital of France. This does not sound complimentary to +London, but perhaps Fetis read some of the introductory comments of the +press when Paganini was about to reach our shores. This is a specimen: +"We shall talk of Paganini very much till he comes. When he arrives +nobody will speak or think of anything else for nine, perhaps eighteen, +days: he will be everywhere: all other violinists will be utterly +forgotten: it will be agreed that the instrument was never before heard; +that his predecessors were all tyros; all other fiddles mere kits. There +will be Paganini rondos and waltzes; variations, long, short, hard, +easy, all _a la Paganini_. We shall have Paganini hats, caps, etc., and +the hair of all the beaux patronised by beauty, will be after his +curious pattern. His influence will extend to our tables, and there will +be Paganini puffs served up daily. Then, all at once, his very name will +cease to be pronounced by persons of _ton_; and, as a matter of course, +people not of _ton_--not of the Devonshire circle, not of Almack's--will +imitate those who are: and the Italian player, like the penultimate +fashion, will be utterly forgotten!--_in good society_. I will +even allow him to flourish here two whole months, provided no new +chin-chopper[20] arrive in the interim, no _danseuse_ with a miraculous +toe, to contest the supremacy of his wonderful bow: should any such +rival enter the lists with him, his glory will set in less than a moon, +and never blaze again above our fashionable horizon."[21] + +[Illustration: _Plate VI.--See Appendix._--TITLE-PAGE OF COMIC SONG, +1831.] + +Here is another from _The Examiner_:--"There cannot be a more +inoffensive creature. His sole propensity is to gain money by his art, +and his passion to lose it at the gambling table. Paganini's bow +(_Scottice_, boo) is almost as wonderful as his bow (_Anglice_, +fiddle-stick)--the craw-fish would attempt something like it were he on +the stage, but not so well." + +Well, we've improved in manners somewhat since 1831. No respectable +paper would publish now such notices in advance of any distinguished +artist, however eccentric he might be. Paganini duly arrived in London +in May, 1831. His first concert was announced for the 21st in this +manner: + + THE KING'S THEATRE. + + SIGNOR PAGANINI respectfully informs the Nobility, Subscribers, and + Frequenters of the Opera, and the public, that he will give a + GRAND MISCELLANEOUS CONCERT of VOCAL and INSTRUMEMTAL MUSIC, at + this theatre, TO-MORROW EVENING. + + _Prices of Boxes_:--Pit Tier, 8 Guineas; Grand Tier, 10 Guineas; + One Pair, 9 Guineas; Two Pair, 6 Guineas; Three Pair, 4 Guineas; + Stalls, 2 Guineas; Orchestra, 1-1/2 Guineas; Admission to the Pit, + 1 Guinea; Ditto to the Gallery, Half a Guinea. + +This announcement produced a storm of indignation. Articles appeared in +_The Times_, _The Courier_, _The Observer_, _The Chronicle_, and +correspondence of a heated character was carried on. The editor of _The +Harmonicon_, calculated that a full house at the prices would realise +more than 3,000 guineas, and M. Laporte, the manager of the King's +Theatre, was virtually accused of conspiring to rob the public. It must +be explained that Laporte "farmed" Paganini; and as the latter +invariably doubled the ordinary prices of admission, his impressario +naturally desired to share in the golden harvest. Laporte wrote to _The +Times_ a hurried note on May 19th, at eleven p.m., stating that at some +future time he would refute the charges brought against him; and the +next day a letter from Paganini to Laporte, and advertised in the +newspaper, gave pause to the wordy warfare. It was as follows:-- + + + Sir, _Friday_, 29th May. + + Finding myself too unwell, I request you will respectfully inform + the public that the Concert announced for to-morrow will not take + place. + + Your obedient Servant, + To M. Laporte. NICOLO PAGANINI. + +Paganini was in a wretched state of health when he reached London, and +his condition was not improved by the turmoil his announcement had +created. The terms of his contract with Laporte were published in _The +Observer_, and it was shown that Paganini had practically surrendered +his freedom of action. This may be illustrated by a story that I have +not met with in any English publication, though it may be true all the +same. It is from the notice of Paganini in Mendel's "Musikalisches +Conversations-Lexikon." His Majesty William IV. sent to enquire what +honorarium Paganini required to play at the Court. Paganini answered: +L100, a mere bagatelle. As the messenger tendered him one half that sum, +Paganini haughtily replied, "His Majesty can hear me at a much cheaper +rate if he will attend my concert. But my terms are not left for me to +settle." + +The concert postponed from May 21st was then announced for June 3rd, but +the question of the high prices had yet to be disposed of. Conflicting +statements were made--one to the effect that Paganini expressed his +regret that they had not been fixed still higher! Be that as it may, +that was not the time to trifle with an angry public. There was not a +moment to be lost, and some one must give way. The matter was soon +decided. On June 2nd, appeared in _The Courier_ and _The Globe_ the +translation of a letter from Paganini, which may be reproduced for the +sake of its contents: + + "The time appointed for my first Concert at the King's Theatre so + nearly approaches, that I feel it my duty to announce it myself, + and to claim the favour of the English nation, which honours the + arts as much as I respect her. Having been accustomed in all the + towns of the Continent to double the usual prices at the theatres + where I have given my Concerts, and, but little acquainted with the + customs of this Capital, where I present myself for the first time, + I thought I might do the same here. But having been informed by + several papers that the existing prices here are higher than those + on the Continent, and having myself ascertained that the statement + was correct, I willingly second the wish of a public whose esteem + and protection I desire as my greatest recompense. + + (Signed) NICOLO PAGANINI. + London, June 1st, 1831." + +At last the concert took place in the King's Theatre, June 3rd, 1831. +There was an orchestra erected on the stage. Many musicians have left a +record of the extraordinary impression made by Paganini on that +occasion, and have attempted to describe the man. In the present place +quotation may be limited to the remarks of the editor of _The +Harmonicon_, William Ayrton, a cultivated musician, and a sober-minded +critic. He wrote thus: "The long, laboured, reiterated articles relative +to Paganini, in all the foreign journals for years past, have spoken of +his powers as so astonishing, that we were quite prepared to find them +fall far short of report; but his performances at his first concert, on +the 3rd of last month, convinced us that it is possible to exceed the +most sanguine expectation, and to surpass what the most eulogistic +writers have asserted. We speak, however, let it be understood, in +reference to his powers of execution solely. These are little less +than marvellous, and such as we could only have believed on the evidence +of our own senses; they imply a strong natural propensity to music, with +an industry, a perseverance, a devotedness, and also a skill in +inventing means, without any parallel in the history of his instrument." + +[Illustration: _Plate VII.--See Appendix._ + +SKETCH BY D. MACLISE, R.A.] + +So far, the musician. The critics on the press may also have been +musicians, though at that time it was not usual to have a musical +department, if such a term may pass, in the daily or weekly papers. _The +Athenaeum_, in its notice, does not reveal the polished style of a +high-class literary journal. This is how it deals with the concert:--"At +length all differences have been arranged, and the _mighty wonder_ has +come forth--a very Zamiel in appearance, and certainly a very devil in +performance! He is, beyond rivalry, the _bow_ ideal of fiddling faculty! +He possesses a demon-like influence over his instrument, and makes it +utter sounds almost superhuman.... The arrival of this magician is quite +enough to make the greater part of the fiddling tribe commit suicide." + +And now let us turn to the concert itself. The fashionable world did not +rush to the theatre, and only two boxes were let. The stalls and +orchestra were full, and also the pit, but not crowded. The audience +consisted in great part of musicians; and even those engaged in the +orchestra were listeners for the first time, as Paganini at rehearsal +only played such passages as served for "cues," and in nowise revealed +his powers. + +The object of a great _virtuoso_ would naturally be an exhibition of his +own talent, but Paganini was not prodigal of his playing at the first +concert. He had engaged the orchestra of the Philharmonic Society, then +probably the finest in Europe, and his programme opened with Beethoven's +Symphony, No. 2, in D. It will be shown later that Paganini had a great +veneration for Beethoven. Then Signor Lablache was the solo vocalist, so +Paganini was in the best of company. His first piece was the Concerto in +E flat[22], and his second solo the Military Sonata for the G string, +the theme being Mozart's "Non piu andrai." The receipts were L700. +Paganini had a most flattering reception, and his performances were +greeted with acclamations, and waving of hats and handkerchiefs. The +members of the orchestra were astounded. Mori avowed that if he could +not sell, he would at least burn, his fiddle; Lindley, who stammered +terribly, said that "it was the d-d-devil"; and Dragonetti (whose "he's +were she's") growled out, "She's mighty esprit!" Cramer thanked heaven +that he was not a violinist. A striking feature of Paganini's +performance was his playing from memory. The _Athenaeum_ remarked, "He +plays without a reading desk or book stand; this gives an air of +_improvising_ to his performance, which we hope to see imitated, if any +one be found hardy enough to undertake a violin solo for the next seven +years." No violinist would venture to play a concerto now with the music +before him, but he may not be aware that it was Paganini who set the +fashion of playing without book. + +The public now forgot all about the trouble of the high prices, and the +second concert, given in the same place on the 10th, was so well +attended that the receipts were about L1,200. On this occasion Paganini +played his Concerto in B minor, and Lablache struck the little silver +bell in the Rondo. He also gave his variations on "The Carnival of +Venice," and a Sonata on the fourth string, in which the Prayer from +_Mose in Egitto_ was introduced. The third concert took place on the +13th, when Paganini brought out another new Concerto. Something like +L900 was realised. At the fourth concert, on the 16th, Paganini played a +_Cantabile_ on two strings, a _Rondo Scherzoso_, by Rodolphe Kreutzer--a +detail to be noticed,--a _Larghetto gajo_, the Military Sonata, and the +variations on "Non piu mesta," from Rossini's _La Cenerentola_. The +fifth and last Concert was on the 22nd, when the house was crowded to +excess, and the enthusiasm greater than ever. + +But Paganini, or his astute manager, began to presume a little too much +on the good nature of the public. Parting was "such sweet sorrow," that, +like another Juliet, Paganini was inclined to prolong that process as +long as possible. Final concerts succeeded each other--much like the +"Farewells" of popular singers--until the audiences began to dwindle. At +one, at the King's Theatre on July 4th, Paganini played a new Concerto +in E major, "all expression and grace," and by far the best proof given +of his talent since his arrival in London. Paganini gave two concerts at +the London Tavern in July. The first was well attended, but at the +second there was no orchestra. The concert was a failure--"and no +wonder, for the Signor tried an experiment on the forbearance of the +citizens, and actually took only a pianist and one or two second-rate +singers with him to make up a half-guinea concert! This was too much +even for John Bull to submit to."[23] + +What a curious side-light this shows upon concert matters in the first +half of the nineteenth century! Now-a-days the "experiment" is for the +_virtuoso_ to engage an orchestra.[24] + +Paganini played at some of the benefit concerts during the season, +taking one-third of the gross receipts. There was evidently ill-feeling +on this point, for Lablache and Rubini now refused to sing where +Paganini played. It was said, even, that the leader of his orchestra had +to sue Paganini for recovery of his fees, but the artist in question, +Spagnoletti, put the matter right by publicly stating that his action +was against M. Laporte, and that against Signor Paganini he had never +had the slightest cause of complaint. Time was found for a few +provincial visits. In July Paganini gave two concerts at Cheltenham, and +there he got into trouble. It was announced that his engagements would +not permit his remaining beyond the second day. His concerts were well +supported, and one of the Subscription Balls, at the Rotunda, was +relinquished in order that no hindrance should stand in the way of +those desirous of hearing the violinist. But when it was given out that +Paganini would give a third performance, there was a disturbance. Some +leading residents had a handbill printed calling upon the "nobility and +gentry" to support the established amusements of the town, by +patronizing the Ball, if only as an act of justice to the proprietor. +The effect was to secure a thronged attendance at the Rotunda, and so +poor an assemblage at the theatre, that Paganini refused to perform. Of +course the manager had to communicate this unpleasant piece of +information to the audience, at the same time offering to return the +admission money; but the people were in no pacific frame of mind, and +they marched straightway to the hotel where Paganini was staying, and +demanded the fulfilment of his engagement. A mob soon collected, and +their demeanour became so threatening that there was nothing left but +compliance with their demand. Paganini went to the theatre, played two +of his most favourite pieces with great success, and at midnight posted +off for London. It appeared that he had agreed to perform for two-thirds +of the receipts, but finding the house not half full, demanded two +hundred guineas in advance. This the local manager refused, and informed +the audience of the fact; and the outbreak was the natural result. The +local paper remarked: "We believe this is the only instance as yet upon +record of Paganini's playing to empty benches, and himself unpaid." +Paganini addressed a letter to the _Times_, giving another version of +the incident, but he did not appear to have come out of the affair very +well. His manager's share in the business may be left to conjecture. + +One other little circumstance seems to have caused a certain amount of +irritation. Paganini was engaged for the Lord Mayor's banquet at the +Mansion House on July 9th. When the Lord Mayor proposed the toast of the +Lord Chancellor, before Lord Brougham's rising to return thanks, +Paganini played a solo. He evidently displaced the usual glee party, but +in any case it was not the most artistic function to assist at, and +money must have been the chief consideration. + +Paganini carried his London concerts into August, and visited Norwich, +where again a third performance took place when only two were announced. +The local manager was a heavy loser, as Paganini (or his agent) had +arranged for a specific sum, and there was very little in excess for the +payment of vocalists, and general expenses. There was also a clashing +with an important fixture at the theatre, and feeling ran high, though +there was no violent demonstration as at Cheltenham. Towards the end of +August, Paganini set out for Dublin, being engaged for the first Musical +Festival held in that city. + +[Illustration: _Plate VIII.--See Appendix._ + +THE CELEBRATED STATUETTE (CARICATURE), BY DAINTON.] + +FOOTNOTES: + +[20] An allusion to Michael Boai, whose performances in London, in 1830, +were of a curious description,--producing tones by merely striking his +chin! + +[21] The Dilettante, in _The Harmonicon_, VIII, 479. + +[22] Now played in D. + +[23] Harmonicon, IX. p. 190. + +[24] At that time concert givers always engaged an orchestra, but the +gigantic combinations of the present day were, of course, unknown, and +unnecessary. + + + + +CHAPTER VI. + + +Dublin held her first Musical Festival from August 30th to September +3rd, 1831, and in connection with this event, it is interesting to note, +Henry Fothergill Chorley contributed his first musical criticism to the +_Athenaeum_.[25] There was very little about Paganini, but much about the +oratorio, "The Triumph of Faith," of Ferdinand Ries. It may be observed, +in passing, that in the first half of the nineteenth century musical +festivals were more numerous than they are now--there were five in 1831. +With the exception of those given in York Minster (1823-1835), they were +not on the large scale of the principal present day celebrations; but +they were relatively of more importance, inasmuch as there were then +fewer musical centres beyond the metropolis, and small towns would have +had little music but for those periodic gatherings. + +Dublin's scheme was ambitious; for Paganini's fees for the three evening +concerts was 500 guineas. Braham and Henry Phillips were among the +vocalists engaged, and the latter, in his "Musical Recollections," gives +a very interesting and amusing account of Paganini at the festival. No +one seemed to know how Paganini arrived in Dublin, which gave rise to a +vague idea that he was wafted across by the _Flying Dutchman_. Where he +lodged was equally a mystery. He arrived at the stage door of the +Theatre Royal on the evening of the first concert, and immediately +ordered an apartment to be got ready, and the room to be perfectly +darkened. There he paced up and down, playing snatches of his music +until the time for his _debut_ before a Dublin audience. + +The Theatre was crammed to suffocation. The Lord Lieutenant and his +Suite attended in State, and all the _elite_ of Dublin were in the dress +tier. When the Conductor, Sir George Smart, led Paganini to the centre +of the stage there was a terrific outburst of applause, followed by +breathless silence, as the great artist went through his deliberate +process of adjusting his violin, raising his bow, and letting it rest +upon the strings before commencing. This was too trying to the mercurial +temperament of the occupants of the gallery, and before many seconds +there was a stentorian shout, "Well! we're all ready!" The house was +convulsed with laughter, peal after peal rang through the theatre. +Paganini, stamping with rage, turned to Sir George Smart, and cried, +"_Qu'est ce que c'est?_" The explanation seemed to make matters worse, +and Paganini left the orchestra. Some time elapsed before he could be +induced to return; but when he did so, and began to play, he created the +same effect as elsewhere. The next day everybody was exclaiming: "Ah! +sure, have you heard the Paganini; och murther! and his fiddle?" Such +is the account Henry Phillips gives, but it is not easy to attach +credence to all he has put in his book. + +At one of the concerts Paganini played the concerto in B minor, with the +Rondo _a la clochette_, when an excited Hibernian shouted above the +storm of applause, "Arrah now, Signor Paganini, have a drop of whiskey, +darling, and ring the bell again!" Paganini's departure from Dublin was +as mysterious as his arrival. On his return to London he failed to +attract much attention, and seems to have been mostly on tour in the +provinces and in Scotland. One incident in London was so singular that +it deserves mention. Carlyle was supposed to have taken a walk with +Paganini. Fancy "the Sage of Chelsea" in company with "the magician of +the bow"! Thomas Carlyle was in London in 1831 vainly negotiating for +the publication of "Sartor Resartus." One day his friend, Edward Irving, +took him to Belgrave Square to dine with Henry Drummond. They walked +along Piccadilly, thronged with fashionable promenaders; and as both men +were of pecular personal appearance, they doubtless attracted some +attention. This is what Carlyle subsequently wrote:--"Irving, I heard +afterward, was judged, from the broad hat, brown skin, and flowing black +hair, to be in all probability the one-string fiddler, Paganini--a tall, +lean, taciturn abstruse-looking figure--who was then, after his sort, +astonishing the idle of mankind."[26] Carlyle has said many true, and +many beautiful things about music, but one may search his writings in +vain for a good word about musicians! + +In December of this year (1831) Paganini was announced to play in +Bristol. The following "squib" or lampoon was issued:-- + + PAGANINI. + + TO THE CITIZENS OF BRISTOL. + + FELLOW CITIZENS,--It is with feelings of unqualified disgust that I + witness the announcement of SIGNOR PAGANINI'S Performance to take + place in this City: Why at this period of Distress? With the + recollection of so many scenes of misery still fresh in our minds, + and whilst SUBSCRIPTIONS are required to the extent of our means in + order to FEED and CLOTHE the POOR: why is this FOREIGN FIDDLER now + to appear? for the purpose of draining those resources which would + be infinitely better applied in the exercise of the best feeling of + man--CHARITY. Do not suffer yourselves to be imposed upon by the + Payment of Charges which are well worthy the name of extortion; + rather suffer under the imputation of a want of TASTE than support + any of the tribe of Foreign MUSIC-MONSTERS, who collect the Cash of + this Country and waft it to their own shores, laughing at the + infatuation of John Bull. + + _December 10th, 1831._ PHILADELPHUS. + + A. SAINT. TYP. CASTLE PRINTING OFFICE, 54, Castle Street, Bristol. + +Paganini's concerts at Leeds, early in 1832, were so well managed that, +out of the profits, a liberal donation was presented to the fund for the +relief of the poor. At Birmingham, in February of that year, his visit +caused such an influx of strangers to the town, that neither lodgings +nor stabling could meet the demand made upon them. A popular song was +written for the occasion, and the streets rang with it long after the +violinist had left the place. Two lines ran thus:-- + + "It's well worth a guinea to see Paganini, + To see how he curls his hair." + +At Brighton some time earlier, the high prices were nearly causing a +riot, through the issue of an inflammatory placard against them. Mr. +William Gutteridge, a well-known musician of that place, who had +arranged for the concerts, had to ask the protection of the magistrates, +but fortunately no outbreak occurred. The squabbles about prices, the +charges of avarice brought against Paganini, and the acrimonious tone of +part of the press, afford melancholy reading. His gains were said to +reach L20,000. In March, 1832, he left London for Paris. There, he gave +a concert for the poor on March 18th. He did not stay very long in +France, and on his way again to this country, occurred the incident +referred to as one of the indignities to which he was subjected. This is +the story. + +Paganini having to pass through Boulogne on his way to England, decided +to give a concert in that town, which boasted of a Philharmonic Society. +Paganini deputed a friend to arrange for that Society to assist at the +concert. + +All seemed going well until Paganini arrived on the scene, when the +amateurs stipulated for a certain number of free admissions for their +friends and families, as a recognition for their assistance. Paganini +represented to them that in a small concert room so many free admissions +would leave little room for the paying public, and he could not accede +to their demand. However, they would not give way, so Paganini declared +his intention to engage a professional band. This did not suit the views +of the amateurs, and they threatened the professional players with the +loss of patronage and pupils if they dared assist Paganini; and the +unfortunate artists, dependent as they were upon that support, had to +refuse the offer made them. But Paganini was not to be baffled; he +determined to give the concert, and to perform without any accompaniment +at all. This he did; and now came the ludicrous sequel. A number of +those amateurs actually paid for admission to the concert, on purpose to +hiss the independent artist. This they did as soon as he entered the +concert-room. Despising such petty spite, Paganini entrusted his revenge +to his art, and the rapturous plaudits of the audience proper soon +reduced to a pitiable silence those who had offered so gross an insult. +As a writer said at the time: "The amateurs of Boulogne have earned for +themselves a niche in the history of the art--they have _hissed_ +Paganini." + +To digress, for a moment. Paganini's performance, solus, was a recital +pure and simple; perhaps the first ever given in a concert room. In +Grove's "Dictionary of Music and Musicians" there is this definition: +"Recital, a term which has come into use in England to signify a +performance of solo music by one instrument and one performer." It was +probably first used by Liszt, in 1840, when he advertised his +performances as "Recitals." The first was given at the Hanover +Square Rooms, on June 9th, and was called by the _Musical World_ a +curious exhibition. The "one man show," as the recital has been +irreverently termed, may not conduce to the highest interest of art, +but Paganini--not Liszt--was its inventor. + +[Illustration: PLATE 9. (_See Appendix._)] + +Paganini made his _rentree_ at Covent Garden Theatre on July 6th, but he +did not appear to have played anything new. Neither did he attract much +attention, and little need be said respecting his visit. He was back +again in London in 1833, but was out of favour, and was advised to +postpone his concerts until the public anger, caused by his refusal to +play for the distressed English actors in Paris, had subsided. His first +concert was given in the King's Theatre, on June 21st, when apparently +he played nothing new, and had but a small audience. The press in +general appeared to be hostile--the _Athenaeum_ did not notice him at +all--and it is probable that his stay was not prolonged. He was in Paris +later in the year, and was present at the concert given by Berlioz on +the 22nd of December, when he heard the _Symphonie Fantastique_, and was +so impressed that he wished Berlioz to write a solo for the wonderful +Stradivari viola he possessed.[27] + +Between Paganini and Berlioz there was a mutual attraction. Both had +something of the volcanic in their nature; both did much battling +with the hostile outer world. But more of their friendship later. + +Paganini was in London once more in 1834, and gave a concert at the +Adelphi Theatre on April 7th. Again nothing new, according to report. +The next morning he gave a second concert at the Hanover Square Rooms, +at which it was said not more than one hundred persons were present, and +half of those went in with free tickets. The erstwhile popular idol was +now dethroned. Paganini fell ill after this, and postponed his third +concert. + +The _Athenaeum_ referred to Paganini's playing to crowded houses at the +Adelphi, and empty benches at the Hanover Square Rooms, and then went on +to say: "His performance on the _Viol di Gamba_,[28] or some such +instrument, is yet to come as is also a duet with Dragonetti, which, we +are told, is to be the _ne plus ultra_ of what is beautiful and amazing. +He has, hitherto, only repeated his best compositions, and, as before, +left every other violinist, ancient and modern, at an inconceivable +distance behind him." This concert was to be the last, which induced the +writer of the _Athenaeum_ notice to attend it. He found the "new +instrument" nothing but a full-sized viola, tuned in the ordinary way. +"Considering the difference of stop between this and the violin, his +precision and brilliancy upon the former, as displayed in double stop +passages, harmonics, and _arpeggi_, of extraordinary difficulty, were +most amazing.... In his grand concerto in E flat, his cadenza was one of +the most wonderful combinations of novel harmony, and passages of +execution, we ever heard." Apparently the duet with Dragonetti was not +played, as nothing was said of it. + +The directors of the music at the Oxford Commemoration week, May, 1834, +were anxious to add Paganini's name to the attractions offered. He was +approached, accordingly, and, through his manager, announced his +terms--one thousand pounds. Astounded by the answer, the Oxford Delegate +desired that it might be committed to writing. This was done, but when +shown to Paganini, he directed that guineas should be substituted for +pounds. He knew that art was not commerce! There is no record of his +playing at Oxford. + +This last visit of Paganini to England had a romantic termination. He +had separated from Signora Bianca on account of her jealous temper, and +had fallen in love with a young English girl--that is if current report +may be trusted. He proposed, for the purpose of securing her a proper +legal settlement, that the marriage should take place in Paris, and he +left London on June 26th, arranging for her to follow him to Boulogne. +The young lady secretly left her home, but her father had his +suspicions, and apparently arrived at Boulogne first, for the daughter, +instead of meeting Paganini, was confronted, on landing, by her father, +with whom she returned home. There is no doubt as to the occurrence, for +it was "in the papers," and names were given. Schilling, whose +_Encyclopaedia_ was published in 1837, gives a long account of the +affair, which he would not have done had there been no truth in it, even +though the law of libel was not then very stringent. Here it will +suffice to say that the young lady was the daughter of a man with whom +Paganini lodged, and who was associated with the concert work of the +artist. Moreover, the girl herself had, it would seem, sung at some of +the concerts, and had become fascinated with the great violinist. + +The incident might be passed over, only for the fact that to it was +owing the impression that Paganini visited America before returning to +Italy. Dubourg, in the later editions of his work "The Violin," states +that Paganini spent part of his time in America, previous to his return +to Italy in 1834. Now George Dubourg was a contemporary of Paganini, and +his statement is not to be dismissed lightly, though he offers no +evidence in support of it. At the present time it is difficult to find +proof, one way or the other. The American papers in 1835 were +speculating as to the birthplace of Paganini, and some of the +explanations were meant to be funny, but are too vapid for repetition +now. The _Musical World_ for August 4th, 1837, in quoting an anecdote +concerning Paganini's kindness to a poor musician, ends by saying +Paganini took the poor man with him to America. The question was raised +in the _Musical World_ for January the 9th, 1886, and decided in the +negative. The legend had this slender foundation. In the early part of +1835, the young lady whom Paganini wished to marry, went to the United +States--she was an actress and vocalist of moderate ability--but her +stay was brief. Still, everybody wished to see her, for wherever she +went she was looked upon as the heroine of a romantic episode, and her +name was always coupled with Paganini's. The story of the elopement had +been carried across the Atlantic by scandal's winged feet; and it was +said that Paganini sent a special messenger to America to reopen +negotiations on the delicate subject--arrangements that came to +nothing. The agent might have been taken, by Dubourg, for the +principal--hence the mistake. Paganini never went to America, neither +did he again return to the shores of Albion. + +FOOTNOTES: + +[25] Chorley, then living in Liverpool, had previously sent some short +pieces in verse to that paper, but did not become a member of its staff +until 1833. + +[26] "Reminiscences," by Thomas Carlyle, I., 311. + +[27] Which resulted in the Symphony, "Harold in Italy," with a solo part +for the viola. + +[28] The spelling betrays an ignorance of the instrument, though the +writer must have been Chorley himself. Interest in those antique +instruments had not then been revived, nor were there artists to play +upon them. + + + + +CHAPTER VII. + + +In the summer of 1834, Paganini, after an absence of six years, returned +to his native land. He was now a rich man, and he invested part of his +fortune in landed property, purchasing, among others, the Villa Gajona, +near Parma, which he made his home--the first he could really call his +own, and he was in his fifty-second year! His health was irretrievably +broken down; he suffered from consumption of the larynx, and was losing +the power of speech. He now sought peace and quiet, and thought of +preparing for publication a complete edition of his compositions, which, +if he had accomplished it, might have led to the explanation of his +alleged secret. In November, or December, Paganini gave a concert at +Piacenza--on the very same boards where he almost began his brilliant +career--for the benefit of the poor; this was the first time he had been +heard in Italy since 1828. The year 1835, Paganini passed alternately at +Genoa, Milan, and his villa near Parma. The cholera then raging at Genoa +was the cause of the rumour of Paganini's death. The dread scourge had +claimed him for a victim, it was said, and the Continental journals +devoted columns to him in the form of obituary notices. + +The only English contribution to the necrology of Paganini known to me +was written by Chorley in the _Athenaeum_. It is both interesting and +curious: for Chorley manages to squeeze in his account of Paganini at +the Dublin festival, which the editor evidently cut out in 1831. That +scarcely concerns us now, though it relates that the _furore_ caused by +Paganini's performance could not be appeased until he had mounted the +grand pianoforte, in order that the audience might obtain a better view +of his lank proportions! An extract from his notice must be given. It +begins thus:--"_E Morto!_--the words which the silent and absorbed man +murmured to himself, in a tone of deep feeling, after listening to one +of Beethoven's magnificent symphonies, are now--alas!--to be uttered +sadly for their speaker--Paganini is dead! + +"We would fain believe that the newspaper reports are in error.... +Let us hope that the intelligence from Genoa, received this week +[September], that the artist had been carried off by the sudden and +fearful death of cholera, may, by some happy chance, prove one of those +'mistakes which it gives them pleasure to contradict.' But, should it +not then, indeed, may Music put on sackcloth and sit in ashes for her +High Priest!" Then follows an "appreciation," to use a modern +expression, to which reference may be made later. + +Chorley was an impressionable young man, in his twenty-third year, when +he attended the Dublin festival, and so excited did he become over +Paganini's performances, that he gave vent to his feelings in verse. +That poem he now inserted in the _Athenaeum_, "as a farewell to one +whose like we shall never hear again!" There are really fine thoughts in +the poem, and, though too long to quote in its entirety, a few stanzas +may well be rescued from the periodical in which they are buried. + + O Paganini!--most undoubted king + Of St. Cecilia's flock, alive or dead, + Whether their pasture be of pipe, or string, + Or mighty organ, which doth overspread + Ancient Cathedral aisles with flood of sound,-- + In all the wizard craft, matured by labour, + That doth the spirit move, delight, astound, + Thou hast no peer--thou hast not even a neighbour, + In the long lapse of years from Tubal Cain to Weber. + + Sages have said, who read the book of night, + That once each hundred years some meteor flares + Across the startled heavens with brilliant flight, + Making strange tumults in the land of stars; + And, 'mid the realm of constellations vast, + In steady splendour ever rolling on, + Sweeps far and wide with fierce and furious haste, + Rushing from pole to distant pole anon; + And, like the monarch's ghost--"'Tis here--'tis there--'tis gone!" + + Thou dost to these, the meteor-born, belong, + O mighty monarch of the strings and bow! + And though it were to do sweet Cupid wrong + To call thee else like him--yet on thy brow, + And in thy curved lips and flashing eyes, + His clearest seal hath god-like Genius set, + Who bade thee from the common herd arise + And win thyself a crown--nor ever yet + Hath Art her votary graced with brighter coronet. + + O that a stately temple might be reared + On some wide plain--and open to the sky-- + Where all the great, the gifted, the revered + Side close to side, ensepulchred might lie! + And there, where many a breeze at evening's close + In solemn dirge around their tomb should sweep, + Should all the sons of melody repose, + That pilgrims from afar might come and weep, + And by their sainted dust a silent vigil keep! + + And there together in renown should rest, + The Italian minstrel of the broken heart![29] + And he whose Requiem for a spirit blest + Was his own dirge--too early lost Mozart! + And he of the Messiah--and the flight + Of Israel's children from their bonds abhorred, + When God was cloud by day, and fire by night! + And he, who sung of darkness, at one word + Bursting to light--and Earth created by its Lord! + + And many more--with whom ungentle Time + Forbids my weak and wandering verse to say; + Save one great master-spirit, whom my rhyme + _Must_ pause to honour--for the meteor ray + Burnt with intensest radiance o'er his head; + Albeit too soon within his eager ear + The realm of sound deep silence overspread, + Whom yet the world is learning to revere-- + Beethoven! he should sleep with thee--the Wizard--near! + + There's left a space, beside his hallowed dust, + For thee with whom began my feeble song; + But be it long before the encroaching rust + Of Time wear out thy energies--and long + Ere the grim Tyrant with resistless call + Beckon thee hence--before thy bow be hung + In some gray chapel--and thy brethren all + Strive for thy magic instruments unstrung; + If Heaven were kind to man, thou shouldst be ever young! + +A fortnight later, Chorley was able to reassure his readers by +contradicting the report. It seems that the rumour was started through +the death of Dr. Paganini (referred to at the beginning of this essay), +and there seems little doubt but that he was the brother of the +violinist. + +[Illustration: _Plate X.--See Appendix._ + +COPY OF OIL PAINTING OF PAGANINI IN THE MUNICIPAL MUSEUM AT GENOA.] + +In 1836, some speculators applied to Paganini to give the support of his +name and his talent to the founding of a Casino in Paris, of which the +ostensible object was music, the real end, gambling. It has been +suggested that the project appealed to Paganini's avarice, which caused +him to lend himself to the accomplishment of the undertaking. On the +other hand, it is fair to assume that the artist was in ignorance of the +true motive of the promoters of the scheme; and the fact that certain +instructions to the trustees of the fortune settled on his son had been +made public some four years earlier lends countenance to the impression +that he was disgusted with gambling, and had long ceased to indulge in +the vicious pastime. + +In the early summer of 1837, Paganini's health having improved, he gave +several concerts in Turin, both for the benefit of the poor, and on his +own behalf. Later in the year, however, he was in Paris, living in the +greatest seclusion. The CASINO PAGANINI was opened, apparently in +October, 1837. The building was situated in the Rue Mont Blanc, and was +supposed to be a kind of Club of Art and Literature. An orchestra of +some fifty performers was engaged for concerts, which were open to +subscribers only. In the grounds a brass band played to those +assembled, and admission there apparently was free to the public. The +object of the undertaking was not made known. A French paper stated by +way of a joke that Paganini's part in the proceedings was to walk round +the garden when the weather was fine. The Government refused to license +the place as a gambling-house, and the management had to rely upon the +concerts alone. It would appear that Paganini had signed a contract to +play at the concerts, but the wretched state of his health was the +excuse for his not doing so. He had been in Paris off and on from 1837 +to some time in 1839. In 1838, certainly before April, he was there, and +went to hear a newly invented instrument termed the Harmoniphone. This +was the work of an ingenious musician, Jacques Reine Paris. It was a +small key-board instrument designed to imitate the oboe, and intended as +a substitute for it, in places where oboe players were not available. A +distinguished company was invited to meet Paganini, who was greatly +interested and pleased with the invention. Then, in December, Paganini +witnessed what Berlioz described as the massacre of his "Benvenuto +Cellini" at the opera. In the same month was inaugurated a society for +the production of classical compositions, and for the encouragement of +musical artists, and at this brilliant function, held in the Salle +Erard, Paganini was present, with Meyerbeer, Auber, De Beriot, +Donizetti, and a host of other celebrities. On the 16th of the month +Paganini attended the concert given by Berlioz at the Conservatoire, +when the symphony, "Harold," was performed. Paganini heard it for the +first time, and at the close of the concert occurred the affecting +incident of Paganini kneeling on the stage and kissing the hand of +Berlioz, the demonstration being followed by a magnificent donation of +20,000 francs. Paganini seems to have had a transient recovery, for the +papers spoke of his becoming corpulent. + +Still, he did not play at the Casino Concerts, and a crisis soon arose. +Early in 1839, the directors of the Casino brought an action against +Paganini for breach of contract, and he was decreed to pay damages to +the amount of 20,000 francs. This decision so much displeased both +plaintiffs and defendant that they appealed against it. The case did not +come on again for some time, and Paganini sought rest and change in the +south of France. He stayed for some time at Marseilles, where, at the +house of a friend, he once more abandoned himself to his art, devoting +his time alternately to his violin and his guitar. Fetis states that +notwithstanding his feeble health, Paganini attended a performance of +Cherubini's _Requiem_ for men's voices; and on June 21st went to one of +the churches to take part in the performance of Beethoven's Mass in C. + +But his malady could only be alleviated by frequent change of clime. +Accordingly, in October we find him at Genoa, in the vain hope that his +native air would prove beneficial; but he was prostrated by a violent +nervous attack almost immediately following his arrival. He must, soon +after, have left for Nice, which he never quitted alive. Nice, though a +pleasant place, was not regarded as at all a favourable retreat for +persons suffering from pulmonary or bronchial affections, and it proved +fatal to the great artist. But we must, for the moment, return to Paris. + +The rehearing of the Casino case came before the _Cour Royale_, Paris, +on January 3rd, 1840. Paganini could not, of course, attend in person, +but he was represented by Counsel, and it may be of interest to name the +man who was entrusted with his defence. It was a certain Mons. +Chaix-d'Est-Ange. From accounts of the proceedings, this legal luminary +addressed the Court at great length. He described the prayers and +entreaties of the proprietors of what he termed "this catchpenny +establishment" to induce the grand _Maestro_ to lend his mighty arm and +name to their speculation. He had promised, in writing, to play nowhere +but at their concerts; but as he had played nowhere else, the +proprietors could have no legal right to such excessive damages. The +counsel for the plaintiff, Mons. Barillon, declared that as Paganini's +defection had ruined the speculation, the damages ought to be +proportionate to his transcendent talent. Going into details, he stated +that Paganini was installed in a splendid suite of apartments at the +Casino, one boudoir being lined with flannel expressly for him; and that +when he was complaining of his wretched health, he accepted a dinner +offered him by the musicians of the orchestra, and gave toasts in both +French and Italian. After that, he allowed bills to be printed, +announcing that he would play at the Casino concert. Hundreds of tickets +were eagerly bought at twenty francs each, when suddenly Paganini +refused to play. Entreaties were in vain; Paganini, in his own room, +with closed doors, would practise, but would not play at the concert. +Recourse was had to the musicians of the Grand Opera, so as not to +disappoint the audience, but the prefect of police would not allow the +_employes_ of the opera to be taken from their theatre, and ordered the +Casino to be closed. Ruin stared the proprietors in the face, and 20,000 +francs was no adequate compensation. The former decision was reversed, +and Paganini was condemned by the Court in 50,000 francs[30] damages, +and ten years imprisonment in default of payment. + +[Illustration: _Plate XI.--See Appendix._ + +THE HOUSE IN WHICH PAGANINI DIED.] + +Whether the fine was actually paid, I have found no evidence to prove, +but the imprisonment was certainly not enforced. In a few months' time, +the gaoler whom none can deny, touched Paganini with his icy hand, and +the troubled spirit left its frail earthly tenement on May 27th, 1840. + +[Illustration: _Plate XII.--See Appendix._ TABLET ON HOUSE IN WHICH +PAGANINI DIED.] + +But not to rest were the mortal remains consigned. No peaceful grave for +the wandering, restless being whose fitful fever of life was over at +last. Paganini died without receiving the last Sacrament of the Church. +He had indeed been visited by a priest, sent by the Bishop of Nice; but +not deeming his end so near, made no confession, nor prepared himself +for death according to the rite of the Church of Rome. The doubt as to +his faith caused the Bishop of Nice to refuse burial in consecrated +ground. The son, the friends of Paganini, and the principal artists of +the place solicited the authorisation of a solemn service for his +eternal repose, but in vain; all that was conceded was the offer of an +authentic record of death, with leave to transport the corpse whither +they might wish. This compromise was not accepted, and the matter came +before the Court of Justice, when the decision was in favour of the +Bishop. There was no alternative but to appeal to Rome, when the +Bishop's decree was annulled, and the Archbishop of Turin was charged, +conjointly with the Canons of the Cathedral of Genoa, to institute an +inquiry into the Catholicism of Paganini. Meanwhile the remains--stated +by the _Athenaeum_ to have been embalmed for interment at Genoa--were +subjected to shocking indignities. The landlord wanted to let the house +where the artist had died, and the corpse was laid in the cellar until a +more fitting resting-place was found. Then it is said to have been moved +to the hospital of Nice, thence by sea to the _Lazzaretto_ of Villa +Franca, and finally to a country house Polcevera, near Genoa, part of +the property of the heir of the illustrious artist. There the body +remained four years. Rumours spread abroad of piteous moans and other +lamentable noises being heard at night. To put a stop to these +unpleasant reports, the young Baron Achille made an application for +permission for a solemn service to be celebrated at Parma, in virtue of +Paganini having been a knight of St. George. This was not fruitless. The +service was celebrated in the church of _La Steccata_, appropriated to +that order of chivalry. After the solemnity the friends of the deceased +obtained the permission of the Bishop of Parma to bring the body within +the boundary of the Duchy, when it was transferred to the _Villa +Gajona_, for interment in the Communal cemetery. So, at last, in May, +1845, the mortal remains of the illustrious violinist were laid in the +grave; by order of the government, there was no display of any kind, no +outward symbol of homage. The mourners might, however, hope at least for +the repose of the casket that once enclosed the fiery, turbulent, +soaring spirit of one who knew no rest in life. But, alas! even that was +not the end. In the letter addressed by Paganini to the Editor of the +Paris _Revue Musicale_, the closing sentence breathed a prayer that, +however calumniated he might be in life, the world would at least allow +his ashes to repose in peace. That appeal was not granted. It has been +shown that five years elapsed between his death and his burial; fifty +years more, and the repose of the grave was broken. The _Athenaeum_ of +September 7th, 1895, contained this paragraph:-- + + "In the Communal Cemetery of Parma the mortal remains of the great + violin player, Paganini, have just been exhumed. The violinist was + buried there fifty-five years ago, nevertheless his face has been + found to be well preserved and easily recognizable. It is proposed + to show the body to the public before it is re-interred." + +Horrible! But first note the mistake. The body was buried fifty, not +fifty-five, years before. Those terrible five years seem to have been +unnoticed in this country, and I have been unable to find any reference +to the mournful function of May, 1845.[31] + +Now, what was the reason for exhuming the remains? For the purpose of +removal to a more prominent site! Thus is homage paid to genius! Such, +too, was the fate of Beethoven. His remains were removed in 1888 to the +Central Cemetery at Vienna, and lamentable incidents attended the +exhumation. Schubert, who, by his own desire, was buried by the side of +the great master, did not escape the doom; but Mozart was mercifully +spared; he was buried in a pauper's grave, and his body has remained +undiscovered. The story of the preservation of his skull may be +dismissed as apocryphal. But what are gorgeous monuments? Does the true +artist value the case more than the instrument? Why seek ye the living +among the dead? The artist does not die--he puts off the "muddy vesture +of decay"; he lives in his art-work. + +[Illustration: _Plate XIII.--See Appendix._ + +THE TOMB OF PAGANINI AT PARMA.] + +FOOTNOTES: + +[29] Pergolesi. + +[30] The _Athenaeum_ puts the amount at 52,000 francs. + +[31] In the _Musical World_ of February 16th, 1843, there is a paragraph +stating that Paganini's remains were still unsepulchred, the corpse +lying in an uninhabited house. + + + + +CHAPTER VIII. + + +Having traced the career of Paganini "from the cradle to the grave," let +us now look a little more closely at the man, the artist. Glimpses of +his character have already been revealed, but so curiously interesting a +personality will repay further study. Totally uneducated, he yet made +himself so much a man of the world, as to enjoy the personal friendship +of such notabilities as Lord Byron, Sir Thomas Clifford Constable, Lord +Holland, Prince Metternich and others. In his official positions at +Court he comported himself with dignity. He had the pride of the artist, +and would not play if the conditions were not suitable. One instance has +already been given. Here is another, which also occurred in Paris. +Paganini was asked to play at a Court concert at the Tuilleries. He went +the day before to inspect the _salon_ where the function was to take +place, and found the heavy draperies so numerous that the tones of his +violin would be deadened, and the effect of his playing would be lost +unless the curtains were removed or rearranged; he acquainted an +official with his wish to alter them. To that august personage a +"fiddler" was a mere nobody, and Paganini was given to understand his +proper place. Highly offended with the manner of the official, Paganini +resolved not to play. The Court was assembled for the concert, but the +great violinist was absent. A messenger was sent to his hotel, and was +informed that the Signor had retired to rest very early. + +Mobbed by ill-mannered crowds whenever he appeared in the streets, (and +this especially in London, when strangers not only spoke to him, but +even felt him, to ascertain if he was really flesh and blood), Paganini, +with his sensitive nature, shrank more and more from contact with the +outer world. He was not a Milton, "whose soul was like a star, and dwelt +apart," but he was essentially a solitary, a recluse. His character was +the result of his environment. Accustomed to brutal treatment in his +childhood, he became hardened; set free from restraint, he tasted the +wild joys of youth, only to find them turn to Dead Sea apples. Schumann, +in his "Advice to young musicians," wrote: "The laws of morality are +also the laws of art." But Paganini had no mentor, and learnt by bitter +experience the lesson of life. He was accused of avarice, and many +ridiculous stories were told of him. When at Prague, it is said that +even the members of the theatre were struck off the free list, and he +was annoyed that the police who watched the upper galleries could not be +made to pay for their places! He beat down a London laundress a +halfpenny in her charge for washing his shirts, and Moscheles gives +currency to the story, though he cannot vouch for its truth, that +Paganini gave his servant a gallery ticket for one of his concerts on +condition that the man served him gratuitously for one day! All these +wretched things may have been true, more's the pity. But there is one +little story that appears to have been overlooked. The father of Nicolo +Paganini was avaricious, and compelled his son to minister to his +avarice, even robbing him of the first-fruits of his own earnings; +Nicolo in turn became avaricious, but it was for the sake of his little +son, whose life he desired might be better than his own. "He saves for +his yet uneducated child," wrote Guhr, in 1829. Yes, this man, proud, +scornful, despising the crowds whose money made him rich, in the +recesses of his heart nourished a love, pure and unselfish. That was the +fine gold; his wealth was dross. His affection for the child was +boundless, and he allowed the little fellow to tyrannise over him +completely. There are pretty stories of his playing with the boy, but +there is nothing about teaching the boy to play--the violin. The memory +of his own childhood was quite sufficient to deter him from any attempt +to force instruction on his boy, and cloud the sunshine of his young +life. + +The world gave Paganini its plaudits and its money; but there never +seemed to be any bond of sympathy between the artist and the public. Yet +Paganini could appreciate kindness. Moscheles relates that the father of +his wife rendered Paganini some important service before the visit to +England. When Paganini first called upon Moscheles he was profuse in +expressions of gratitude, and taking down a miniature portrait of his +benefactor he covered it with kisses. "Meantime," Moscheles writes, "we +had leisure to study those olive-tinted, sharply defined features, the +glowing eyes, the scanty, but long black hair, and the thin, gaunt +figure, upon which the clothes hung loosely, the deep sunken cheeks, and +those long, bony fingers." Moscheles was of service to Paganini during +his first days in London, and, to use his own words, he was paid with +quite as many honied epithets as his father-in-law received. But he +suspected the Italian to be rather too sweet to be genuine. Indeed, the +friendship was too fervent to last long, and money was the cause of the +rupture. Mori commissioned Moscheles to write a piece "Gems a la +Paganini," taking the precaution of obtaining the violinist's consent. +His style is imitated, and he expresses his admiration of the piece. A +second and third book of "Gems" are published, and down comes Paganini +with the charge of musical piracy. His permission extended only to the +first book. A lawsuit was commenced, but Paganini effected a compromise +with Moscheles, conceding the free sale of the three books of "Gems" in +return for pianoforte accompaniments to twelve small violin pieces. +Moscheles reluctantly consented to write the accompaniments, but refused +to allow his name (which Paganini wanted) to appear on the title-page. +Mori had to pay something by way of damages, and Moscheles at last +rejoiced at being quit of an episode so little worthy of an artist, and +at having done with those dreadful lawyers.[32] + +But quite enough has been said in reference to Paganini's avarice: it +has been shown that he had a motive for saving money. Is it as easy to +account for other traits of his character? That aloofness, that scorn +of the world, that hard bargaining: "Take me or leave me," revealing +callous indifference, was there no cause for all that? There is a very +graphic, and at the same time, appalling, account of the impression +produced by Paganini among the Parisians, which is translated at length +in Dubourg's "The Violin." Berlioz wrote of the weird genius making his +appearance in France during the uproar of the collapse of a dynasty, and +arriving in Paris--with the cholera. The terrors of the scourge were +powerless to check the tide of curiosity: the people were mad for the +time being. This is the conclusion of the notice just mentioned: "Of +such a public, and such an artist, how saddening is the sight!... The +public, made up of idlers--of beings isolated, cold, corrupt--must be +_amused_, forsooth! and the artist exhausts his taste and his sentiment, +and well nigh perspires blood and water, to comply with their +exactions--to _amuse_ them! and if he attain this end, the public clap +their hands, the manager of the theatre counts out to him a heap of +gold, and he goes away, with his ears deafened at the noise which has +surrounded him, and which, for a moment, it may be, has made his heart +beat high;--he goes away, with a loving grasp tightened over the coin he +has so hardly won; and now inwardly exclaims, with a smile of pity, 'The +blockheads--the barbarians! who is there among them that can comprehend +me--that can _feel_ my intentions!' and then the home-returning public, +selfish to the very soul, indemnify themselves for their finger's-end +applause by sottish contempt, by remarks that are empty, or worse--that +are scornful, bitter, shocking, disgusting even--such as those which may +have been buzzed into one's ears in Italy or in Paris, but varied in a +hundred ways, and aggravated at will, just as _he_ varies and enlarges, +twists and turns, beneath his magic bow, a subject of apparently +the most simple and insignificant kind. And now the voices most +distinguishable among the ebbing crowd murmur out the words, 'Gambler, +Libertine'! or worse.... And the privileged public resort again to the +theatre, to admire the talent of him who they comprehend not; and the +artist returns, in like manner, to _amuse_ those who provoke his pity, +and whom he beholds so far below him! Thus we have contempt on one side, +compassion on the other; applause from hands chilled with the touch of +gold, on the one part,--on the other, sounds that borrow their animation +from no social sympathy! Such are the relations between the public and +the professor--such the bonds that connect them!" Unhappy artist; +miserable public! How shall we account for this pitiful state of things, +this gulf between the performer and the auditor? We must seek the +explanation in the letter to the _Revue_, referred to more than once, +but now claiming our attention more directly. + +[Illustration: _Plate XIV.--See Appendix._ + +PAGANINI IN PRISON.] + +The pictures of "Paganini in Prison," exhibited so lavishly while the +artist was in Paris in 1831, provoked him to remark that there were some +"honest fellows" making money of a calumny that had pursued his steps +for the last fifteen years. He then referred to the different versions +of the crime imputed to him: that he killed a rival whom he found in +company with his mistress; or that it was his mistress who had been the +victim of his jealous fury; the only point of agreement was the +imprisonment. "Let me tell you," the letter continued, "what happened to +myself in Padua about fifteen years ago (1816), on this very subject. I +had given a concert with some success: the next day I went to a +table-d'hote; I entered the room late; was, perhaps, the sixtieth guest, +and took my seat unnoticed. One of the company expressed himself in +flattering terms of the effect produced by my performance the evening +before. His next neighbour agreed in the praises bestowed on me, but +added, 'Nobody ought to be surprised at Paganini's ability: he owes it +all to an eight years' solitary imprisonment in a dungeon, with nothing +but his violin to occupy his time, or soften the rigours of his +confinement. He was condemned to this long incarceration for having +assassinated a friend of _mine_, who was unfortunate enough to be his +rival.' As you may easily believe, every one was loud in denouncing the +enormity of my crime; when I addressed myself to the speaker, begging +him to inform me where and when this tragical adventure had occurred. +All eyes were in an instant turned upon me, and you may judge the +astonishment of the company at finding the hero of this tale of murder +and imprisonment one amongst them. The relater of the story was not a +little embarrassed. 'It was not a friend of his own that had fallen--he +had heard--he had been told--he believed--but after all it was very +possible he might have been deceived,' etc. Now see, Sir, how easy it +is to play with the reputation of an artist merely because men, inclined +to indulge in idleness themselves, cannot conceive it possible that he +may have studied as closely in his own chamber and in full possession of +his liberty, as he would if he had been chained up in a dungeon." + +There was an occurrence that gave rise to these reports, and which +Paganini related in the same letter. "A violin player, named D----i,[33] +who was at Milan in 1798, associated himself with two other men of bad +character, and engaged with them in a plot to assassinate, by night, the +curate of a neighbouring village, supposed to be in possession of much +wealth. Luckily for the curate the heart of one of the conspirators +failed him, and he denounced his companions. The gendarmes watched the +spot, and took D----i and his accomplice into custody at the moment they +arrived at the curate's dwelling. They were condemned to twenty years' +confinement in irons, but General Menou, after he had been appointed +governor of Milan, at the end of two years restored the violinist to +liberty. Would you believe it, Sir? this is the sole foundation upon +which the whole history of my incarceration has been erected. A violin +player, whose name ended in _i_, had been engaged in a murder and +imprisoned--it could only be _Paganini_--the assassinated party +was converted into either my rival or my mistress, and it was I, +_Paganini_, who had been so many years loaded with chains, and immured +in a dungeon. Solely with the view of wringing from me the secret of my +new system, have they complimented me with fetters, whose only effect +would have been to paralyze my arms." + +Paganini further stated that he called on the Italian ambassador +resident in Vienna, to testify that he had known the artist for nearly +twenty years, during all which time his conduct has been that of an +honest man. He also pointed out that having been constantly before the +public from the age of fourteen, he must have had a mistress and a rival +when he was seven! for there was no room for an interval of eight years +afterwards. It was at Vienna that one of the audience, while Paganini +was playing "The Witches' Dance," distinctly saw the devil close to the +violinist, guiding his fingers and directing his bow; the said devil was +dressed in red and had horns and a tail, and the striking likeness of +the countenances of the two, plainly proved the relationship between +them. That pretty story followed Paganini everywhere: and, as has been +seen, in Prague he had to publish a letter from his mother disproving +the rumour of his Satanic parentage. There is something intensely +pathetic in Paganini's conclusion: "I see nothing else for it but to +leave malignity at liberty to disport itself at my expense." + +In this prosaic, materialistic twentieth century, which believes in +little besides money, there is no fear of any of our violin wonders +being associated with the arch-fiend. They may be regarded as physic +problems, but the supernatural is eliminated from the study. But +Paganini did not live in the twentieth century, and in his day the devil +was a very real personage, notwithstanding the temporary overthrow of +much belief through the French Revolution, and the enthronement of the +"Goddess of Reason" in the Church of Notre Dame, Paris. It may seem +absurd, now, even to recall these calumnies; but we have to deal with +the environment of a great genius, to study the cause of his failing to +become great as a man; for surely he had the making of a fine character. +That he should traverse the greater part of Europe, pursued by tales of +devilry and murder, is one of the saddest comments on that period; that +the "iron entered into his soul," and the man capable of affection +became a miser and a misanthrope, is more mournful still. He was the +"Flying Dutchman" of the violin. + +How was it that the devil and the violin came into relationship? We have +it on the authority of Martin Luther that the devil hates music. Luther +not only believed in the devil, but he fancied he saw him: and in the +room of the Castle of Wartburg may still be seen the mark on the wall, +where he threw his inkpot at the fiend, who tried to thwart his work of +translating the Bible. It is curious that the only instrument which, to +the present writer's knowledge, Satan has been represented as playing +upon, is one of the precursors of the violin. There is a piece of +sculpture in the Cathedral of Amiens, depicting Satan playing on an oval +three-stringed Vielle, of the thirteenth century.[34] The story of +Tartini and his dream, when the devil played so marvellously on the +violin, is known to everyone, and is, moreover, perpetuated in the +sonata _Il Trillo del Diavolo_. It is related of Thomas Baltzar, the +first great violinist ever heard in England, that when he played at +Oxford he astonished everyone by "running up his fingers to the end of +the finger-board." John Wilson, the Oxford Professor of Music, "the +greatest judge of musick that ever was," according to Anthony a Wood, +"did, after his humoursome way, stoop down to Baltzar's feet, to see +whether he had a huff on, that is to say, whether he was a devil or not, +because he acted beyond the parts of man." As this took place in 1658 +there was some excuse for the grim pleasantry; moreover music had +suffered an eclipse, and performers in this country were comparatively +few. Even the gentle and polite Corelli forgot himself so far as to +apply the term, devil, to another violinist. As the story may not be so +well known as the foregoing, I shall briefly repeat it. Nicolaus Adam +Strungk (or Strunck), violinist to Ernest Augustus, Elector of Hanover, +when in Rome (_circa_ 1684) made it his business to see Corelli. +Introducing himself to the Italian master as a musician, Corelli asked +what was his instrument. Strungk replied that he could play upon the +harpsichord, and a little upon the violin; but he particularly wished to +hear Corelli on the latter instrument, his fame being widely known. +Corelli obligingly consented, and played a piece to the harpsichord +accompaniment of Strungk. Strungk afterwards played a toccata, with +which Corelli was so much taken that he laid aside his instrument in his +transport of admiration. When Strungk had finished at the harpsichord, +he took up the violin, and began handling it in a careless manner, +whereupon Corelli remarked that he had a good bow-hand, and wanted +nothing but practice to become a master of his instrument. At that +moment Strungk put the violin out of tune, and played on with such +dexterity, attempering the dissonances occasioned by the mistuning with +such amazing skill, that Corelli cried out in broken German: "I am +called Arcangelo, a name that in the language of my country signifies an +Archangel; but let me tell you, that you, Sir, are an Arch-devil!" + +There is nothing malicious in these stories of the devil and the +fiddler; and if Paganini had experienced nothing worse than what has +just been related, he might have treated the matter as a joke. But that +which malice or envy originated, a "reptile press" promulgated. Innocent +of crime, Paganini was branded as a felon; gifted with genius of the +rarest order, cultivated to a perfection absolutely unique, his skill +was attributed to the aid received from the devil. Add to this his +wretched health, and there is both mental and bodily suffering. In his +later years he was cut off from intercourse with others, like +Beethoven--but with this difference: Beethoven employed a tablet or +note-book for his friends to convey their words to him; Paganini +transmitted, through a similar medium, his thoughts to others. He was +dumb! Is there no brighter side to this picture? If there be, let us +turn to it. + +It is, perhaps, fortunate that no man can be consistent throughout his +life; the morose must smile at times, and the misanthrope mitigate his +hatred of mankind. Paganini was but human, and his life was not all +shadow. Though his intimate friends were few, there were some who were +able to place on record details of the private life of the great +violinist. Of such, the most useful to biographers was George Harris. He +was an Englishman, attached to the Court at Hanover then connected with +Britain; a dramatist of a certain order, he accompanied Paganini on his +tours in Germany, acting for a time as his secretary, and apparently +he was with him when in England. From him we learn a good deal. + +Paganini was always on the move, and travelling in his day was not +the rapid, comfortable, even luxurious process it is now. In the +post-chaise Paganini stowed his luggage, which was of the simplest--and +shabbiest--description. A dilapidated box held his beloved violin, his +linen, cash and jewellery; a carpet-bag and a hat-box completed his +outfit. He was philosophically indifferent to comfort, but in his later +years he always had the windows of his carriage closed. When he arrived +at his quarters, the windows of his room were thrown open, and he +indulged in a sun-bath--again anticipating modern medical advice. +Paganini, when travelling, was fond of taking a stroll when the horses +were changed. It was a relief to stretch his legs after the close +confinement of the post-chaise, but sometimes his rambles were so +prolonged that there was weary waiting for him when all was ready to +resume the journey, and drivers became exasperated. Paganini was made to +suffer on one occasion. That was when travelling from London to +Birmingham. He had already tried the patience of his coachman by causing +loss of time, and the man declared he would drive on without him, rather +than wait again. At the next stopping place Paganini walked off as +usual, leaving Harris asleep in the vehicle. The horses being changed, +the driver started, leaving Paganini behind. This caused some trouble, +for a post-chaise had to be sent from the next station in search of the +derelict, and Paganini in his rage refused to pay the extra expense. He +was summoned before the Birmingham magistrates, and the case going +against him he was compelled to discharge the debt. Poor Paganini, he +always suffered when he came into contact with the law. + +[Illustration: PLATE 15. (_See Appendix._)] + +[Illustration: PLATE 16. (_See Appendix._)] + +[Illustration: PLATE 17. (_See Appendix._)] + +In his personal habits Paganini was simplicity itself. Frugal to a +degree in his repasts, a cup of chocolate sufficed for a meal when +starting early on a journey, and often he would fast until evening. When +in a happy mood after a concert, he would join the table d'hote and do +as others did, but the slightest indulgence was punished the next day. +He preferred solitude, but when he mixed with others he would join +freely in the conversation; if music were touched upon he became silent, +or left the room. So long as he could find accommodation that was quiet, +he cared little for its quality. Scenery had no charms for him, and all +climates but his own were equally indifferent to him. His accounts were +kept in a little red pocket-book (found under his pillow after his +death), in a kind of arithmetical shorthand only decipherable by +himself. He never had been taught the science of numbers, or he might +have been made a first-rate mathematician. + +Harris stated that all the time he was with Paganini he never heard him +play a single note except before an audience. That may have been correct +so far as Germany was concerned, but the Rev. John Edmund Cox, in his +"Musical Recollections," has something very different to say about +Paganini. "During his career he visited my native town,[35] and as I +had the good fortune then to be able to converse in French, the friends +who had engaged him for a round of concerts in that place and its +vicinity placed me in direct communication with him somewhat in the +capacity of a secretary; so that I not only travelled in his company and +heard him at every concert at which he appeared, but I lived in the same +hotels and lodgings which had been secured for him. This kind of +semi-official position necessitated my seeing much of him during his +leisure hours, when he threw off the suspicious restraint which was +always apparent in his manner when he was among strangers, whom he +imagined were bent upon getting as much as possible out of him for their +own advantage. Then, indeed, he would evince anything but a hard and +ungenerous nature, his manner being not only kind but courteous; whilst +any attention that was afforded to his wants or to his comforts was +sure to elicit not only looks but words of gratitude. In public he +confined himself almost exclusively to the performance of his own +music,--... but in private--for he had his violin constantly in his +hand--he would sit and dash off by the hour together snatches from the +compositions of the best masters, and give readings of such originality +to passages that had been heard again and again, as apparently have +never been supposed to be possible by any other player. As an instance +in point, he one morning, whilst I was writing several notes for him, +commenced the first _motivo_ of Beethoven's magnificent violin concerto. +To write was then impossible; and he, perceiving how entranced I seemed, +asked whether I knew what it was. On my replying in the negative, he +promised, if it could be managed, that I should hear the whole of that +movement before we separated." The promise was redeemed. The above is +valuable as showing that Paganini was not quite so wanting in knowledge +as was generally supposed. He could converse in French, though at that +time--1831--he had only spent a few weeks in France. Education, proper, +he had none; but the statement that he could speak no language but his +own, is evidently incorrect. The allusion to strangers bent upon getting +as much as possible out of him for their own advantage, finds an +illustration in the story of the Englishman who is said to have followed +Paganini for some six months, watching his every movement, lodging at +the same hotels, and employing every means to get at the great secret of +the violinist's art. At last his perseverance seemed about to be +rewarded. Looking through the keyhole of Paganini's door, the +Englishman saw the violinist take his instrument from its case--raise it +to his shoulder, even shift the left hand up and down the neck; but not +the ghost of a sound. It was just a study of positions, and the violin +was then restored to its place. In despair, the inquisitive amateur gave +up the quest. + +The concerts Paganini gave for the poor were evidence of his natural +goodness of heart. It is true, such efforts cost him little; he gave a +few hours' time: the public found the money. One day, when walking in +Vienna, he saw a poor little Italian boy playing the violin in front of +a large house. He drew from him a touching story of poverty, and a sick +mother; and emptying his pockets into the boy's hands, he took from him +his violin and began to play. He was soon recognised, and a crowd +assembled; the people were immensely diverted, and gave a generous +response when the hat was handed round. With "Take that to your mother," +Paganini sent the boy off rejoicing, and turning to the companion of his +walk, he remarked, "I hope I've done a good turn to that little animal." +He was fond of applying the word "animal" to those sometimes spoken of +as "the lower classes," but was not altogether singular in that respect. + +At the anniversary dinner of the Royal Society of Musicians, in 1832, +among the donations announced was one of ten guineas from Paganini. This +was thought so excessively mean an acknowledgment of the generosity of +the English nation, that the announcement was received with groans and +hisses. That was distinctly rude on the part of those who, having dined +well, ought to have been in a genial state of mind. + +At least one generous action must be placed on record. It was told by +George Augustus Sala many years ago.[36] The mother of that voluminous +writer was a vocalist, and made her _debut_ at Covent Garden Theatre in +1827, as the Countess in Bishop's version (or perversion) of Mozart's +"Marriage of Figaro." In 1828 she became a widow, and supported her +family by teaching singing and giving annual concerts, chiefly at +Brighton, where she lived. For one of her benefit concerts she engaged +Paganini. The most distinguished artists of her day had gladly given +their gratuitous assistance at similar functions, and Paganini accepted +the small fee of twenty-five guineas. Sala was a very small boy at that +time (born in 1828), and possibly drew upon his imagination when +recounting the event so many years later. This is what he wrote:--"'Take +your little boy with you, Madame Sala,' was the shrewd counsel of ----, +a valued friend of my mother; 'take the boy with you when you pay Pag.; +perhaps _that_ will soften him a little.' I was the smallest and +chubbiest of the tribe; then, duly washed, combed and made spruce, my +parent took me in her hand, and led me to the Old Ship, where Paganini +was staying. We were ushered, not without fear and trembling on my part, +into the presence of the mighty musician, who was at breakfast. Then my +mother, alluding as far as she in delicacy could to her large family +and small means, proceeded to count out--sovereign by sovereign, +shilling by shilling--Paganini's fee of five and twenty guineas. I can +see with the eye of memory the whole man before me now, his gaunt +angular form, his black elf-like locks falling in weird confusion over +his neck and shoulders, his cadaverous face and shaggy brows, his long +bony hands with the veins standing out like cordage, his amazingly large +feet, and especially his neck, disproportionately long, scraggy, and +corrugated. I can see the glare--so it seemed to me--which, when he +raised his bent brows, darted upon the pile of money, and the spasmodic +avidity with which he extended his hand and swept the pile towards +him.... 'A very nice little boy,' he was good enough to say, alluding to +myself; 'but time is bad, and there is no monish in de vorld: no, never +no monish at all.' My mother rose with a heavy heart to depart. 'Stop, +little boy,' said the great violinist, and he beckoned to me with a +skinny finger, which any of the witches in Macbeth would have been proud +to own; 'stop, take this, it will buy you a cake.' He thrust a crumpled +piece of paper into my hand, rose from his chair, and, without more ado +'bolted'--that is the only word suited to the action--into his bedroom. +He had given me a bank note for fifty pounds! Superstitious people used +to whisper that Paganini had sold himself to the enemy of mankind; +spiteful people used to draw him as a greedy, flint-hearted miser.... I +only know how he acted towards my mother." + +FOOTNOTES: + +[32] Life of Moscheles (English Edition), I., p. 252-7. + +[33] Duranowski, a talented Polish violinist. He entered the French army +and was _aide-de-camp_ to a General. He lost his rank when released; +returned to his violin, and was living at Strassburg up to 1834. + +[34] An engraving of it is in Naumann's "History of Music" (English +Edition), p. 255. + +[35] Norwich. + +[36] In the "Bow Bell's Annual" for 1878 (?) + + + + +CHAPTER IX. + + +From the man we now turn to the artist. Schiller wrote: "The artist is +the son of his age, but pity for him if he is its pupil or even its +favourite." It has been shown how truly Paganini was the child of his +age; the pity was that he became its pupil and its favourite; in +consequence he failed to attain the supreme height where dwell the +spirits of the greatest. But he was a great artist, in spite of his +concessions to the public taste; and he held in reverence that which he +found great in others. When in Vienna in 1828, exactly a year after the +death of Beethoven, Paganini attended a concert, and heard a performance +of the great master's Symphony, No. 7, in A. Profoundly moved by that +sublime composition, he remained mute, his gaze fixed and mournful; +suddenly the tears rolled from his eyes; his grief and emotion wrung +from him the words: _E morto!_ Anders, who relates the incident, adds: +"Never was the immortal author of _Fidelio_ more worthily extolled than +by those tears, by that simple word. The day may come when some +disciple, some friend of the Genoese artist, will say in his turn, +seized with bitter sadness, _E morto!_" Strange, that Chorley should +have employed the very words, in the premature obituary notice which +has been already referred to. + +When in Paris, Paganini once visited the Institution for the Blind. He +was so much struck with the beauty and purity of intonation that +characterised the singing of the pupils, that he declared that never +before had he an adequate notion of what harmony was. + +The artist, as well as the art, claimed his respect. There seems to have +been no artistic jealousy about him, and to the young performer he was +invariably kind, whilst to the established professor he was just. It is +said that when Paganini's concerts took place at the King's Theatre, it +was proposed to dispense with the services of the "leader" at the Opera. +When Paganini heard of this, he paid a well-merited compliment to the +abilities of Signor Spagnoletti, and insisted upon his engagement at all +the concerts, he, Paganini, might give at the Theatre. It is true, at +rehearsal, Paganini never gratified the members of the orchestra as to +what the concert performances were likely to be; but he was careful to +have the accompaniments well prepared. Quick-tempered, he was irritated +at any faulty work, but when all went well he expressed his approbation +by exclaiming, "_Bravissimi! Siete tutti virtuosi!_" ("You are all +artists!") Paganini brought the orchestral parts with him to rehearsal, +and took them away afterwards; as to the solo part, no one had a chance +of looking at that, for Paganini played everything from memory. His +kindness to brother-artists has been placed on record. The young +violoncellist Ciandelli, who rendered such service to Paganini when he +was turned into the street by the brutal landlord, was afterwards well +repaid by the instruction Paganini gave him. The great violinist told +Schottky, his biographer, that he took a lively interest in young +Ciandelli, and that he imparted to him his secret. He gave him lessons, +and at the end of three days so transformed his playing, that from being +a mediocre performer, he became the first violoncellist at the Theatre +Royal, Naples, with a possibility of becoming the first in the world. +However, as history is silent respecting the subsequent achievements of +Gaetano Ciandelli, he need not claim further attention. + +The Bohemian violinist, Joseph Slavik, appeared at Vienna in 1826, when +he was twenty years of age. Moscheles heard him play, and said he was +considered in Vienna as the second Paganini. Of course that was hearsay; +_the_ Paganini had not then been heard outside Italy. When Paganini was +in Vienna, in 1828, he become acquainted with young Slavik, and held him +in affectionate regard. At all hours the young student had access to the +idol of his worship, and received many valuable hints and ideas upon +fingering, etc., and friendly encouragement to pursue his daring course +with unwearying application. He spent two years in retirement, zealously +studying the Paganini method, and when he reappeared in Vienna, he was +spoken of as no petty imitator, but a second original. A contemporary +notice, comparing Slavik with Paganini, states:--"The only difference +between the two at present is, that the pupil, carried away by the +ardour of youth, often suffers himself to be seduced into the most +gigantic attempts, the success of which on every occasion no mortal can +with certainty rely upon; while the other, possessing the plaintive and +deeply pathetic tones of a singer, at the same time resembles a +consummate piece of musical mechanism, which accomplishes the most +extraordinary feats quietly and without effort." Slavik died at Pesth, +in 1833, at the early age of twenty-seven; what he might have become his +actual achievements plainly indicated. + +In his later years, Paganini appears to have had great delight in +listening to young artists. In 1836, Antonio Bazzini, then a youth of +eighteen, played to Paganini, who was enraptured with his performance. A +year later, in Paris, Paganini heard a much younger violinist, the boy +Apollinaire de Kontski, and actually went so far as to give him a +testimonial. Articles in the musical dictionaries all state that +Paganini gave some lessons to the child; some say that the friendship +between the two resulted in Paganini bequeathing to De Kontski his +violins and compositions. Grove, in quoting Mendel, says this statement +requires confirmation. When Apollinaire de Kontski died, in 1879, +nothing, so far as I have been able to ascertain, transpired concerning +the alleged bequest. But the testimonial seems to have escaped the +notice of dictionary compilers, so, as a curiosity, I reproduce it from +the _Musical World_, of June 21st, 1838:-- + + "Having heard M. de Kontski, aged eleven years, perform several + pieces of music on the violin, and having found him worthy of being + ranked among the most celebrated artists of the present day, + permit me to say, that if he continues his studies in this fine + art, he will, in course of time, surpass the most distinguished + performers of the age. + + (Signed) PAGANINI." + +But if Paganini was fond of hearing and encouraging other artists, he +was averse to anything like competitive display. When he met Lafont at +Milan in 1816, as already related, he played at the concert given by +that artist. The function came to be regarded as a contest, and an +account of it appears in Laphaleque's pamphlet. Some paper, early in +1830, having quoted this notice, Lafont wrote a letter of protest, which +is interesting enough to reproduce in part. He wrote:-- + +"Sir, I have just read, in your journal of the 2nd of Feb., an extract +from the Notice published on the celebrated violinist, Paganini. As this +notice contains statements utterly erroneous, as regards me, I owe it to +truth, to the advice of my friends, and to the favour with which the +public has been pleased to honour me during twenty-five years, to give +an exact statement of the facts of the case. The following is a +narration of what occurred. In the month of March, 1816, I gave in +conjunction with M. Paganini, a concert in the great theatre, La Scala, +at Milan, and, far from making a cruel trial of the powers of my +adversary, or of being beaten by him, as is pretended by the author of +the Notice, I obtained a success the more flattering, as I was a +stranger in the country and had no other support than my talent. + +"I played, with M. Paganini, the concerted symphony of Kreutzer, in +_fa_ major. For several days previously to the concert we rehearsed this +symphony together, and with the greatest care. On the day of the concert +it was performed by us as it had been rehearsed, with no change +whatever; and we both obtained an equal success in the passages executed +together or separately. On coming to the _phrase de chant_ in _fa_ +minor, in the second solo of the first part, there was a decided +advantage for one of us. This passage is of a deep and melancholy +expression. M. Paganini performed it first. Whether the strong and +pathetic character of the piece was ill-suited to the ornaments and +brilliant notes which he gave in it, or whatever else was the cause, his +_solo_ produced but little effect. Immediately after him, I repeated the +same passage, and treated it differently. It seems that the emotion by +which I was then agitated, caused me to give an expression more +effective, though more simple, and it was so felt by the audience, that +I was overwhelmed with plaudits from all parts of the house. During +fourteen years I have been silent on this trifling advantage obtained +over M. Paganini in this instance, only in the symphony, and probably +rather by the superiority of the school than by that of talent. It is +painful to me to speak of myself; nothing short of the misrepresentation +of the article in question could have provoked me to reply. I was not +beaten by M. Paganini, nor was he by me. On all occasions, I have taken +pleasure in rendering homage to his great talent; but I have never said +that he was the first violinist in the world; I have not done such +injustice to the celebrated men--Kreutzer, Rode, Baillot, and Habeneck, +and I declare now, as I have always done, that the French school is the +first in the world for the violin." + +After this modest assertion Lafont concludes with an expression of +rejoicing in the opportunity of praising a talent of which he felt it an +honour to be the rival, but of which no one could make him the +adversary. + +This epistle provoked a rejoinder from Francesco Cianchettini[37] who +wrote:--"As I was present at that contest, I do assert that the account +given by Mr. Imbert is not erroneous, but correct. The public decision +was in favour of Paganini; Mr. Lafont having acquiesced in silence to +such a decision, does not diminish one iota of his acquired fame: as not +only himself, but every living violinist who dares to enter into rivalry +with Paganini, will be prostrated, although the Signor has not had the +advantage of being a pupil of the _super-excellent Parisian Violin +School_. In Paris, I have heard how the talented violinists, mentioned +in Mr. Lafont's letter, speak of Paganini. The _Coriosi_ gladiators of +the Neronian age spoke with the same freedom of Hercules. Had this +demigod suddenly appeared on the arena with his club, all of them would +instantly have shrunk into pigmies." + +In a footnote Cianchettini added that whatever excellence the Parisian +Violin School might lay claim to, was derived from Italians; from +Viotti, through Pugnani and Tartini, to Corelli, "the father of the +violin." + +But the genius of Paganini was fully understood and appreciated by a far +greater Frenchman than Charles Lafont:--Hector Berlioz. + +The friendship between Paganini and Berlioz has been briefly referred +to, but it is a subject for further consideration, as it reveals the +influence that the one artist wielded over the other. The first meeting +of the two men must be told in the words of Berlioz himself. A few +remarks are needed by way of preface. In the summer of 1833, Berlioz +married the English actress Miss Smithson, who, still weak from her +carriage accident, had, on her wedding day, "nothing in the world but +debts, and the fear of never again being able to appear to advantage on +the stage." To pay off these debts Berlioz organized a benefit +entertainment, beginning with drama and ending with a concert. But his +programme was too long, and he had forgotten something--_the claque_. +His poor wife could not conceal her lameness, and though talented as +ever, she failed to obtain a recall. Another actress, having taken +precautions, had an ovation. Then at midnight the band of the _Theatre +Italien_, not being obliged to play after that hour, left the place, and +the _Symphonie Fantastique_ could not be played. Liszt assisted, and the +affair was not quite a failure, financially, though the promoter came in +for bitter attacks. Poor Berlioz was in despair, but he took his courage +in both hands, and announced a concert at the _Conservatoire_. He took +care to engage artists he could trust, and with his friend Girard as +conductor everything went well, the _Symphonie Fantastique_ taking the +room by storm. Now let Berlioz speak: "My success was complete, and the +former judgment on me was reversed. My musicians looked radiant with +delight as they left the orchestra. Lastly, my happiness was completed +when the public had all gone, and a man stopped me in the passage--a man +with long hair, piercing eyes, a strange and haggard face--a genius, a +Titan among the giants, whom I had never seen before, and at first sight +of whom I was deeply moved; this man pressed my hand, and overwhelmed me +with burning eulogies, which literally set both my heart and brain on +fire. It _was Paganini_ (22nd December, 1833). From that date my +relations with that great artist, who exercised such a happy influence +upon my destiny, and whose noble generosity has given birth to such +absurd and malicious comments." + +It was some time in January, 1834, that Paganini called upon Berlioz and +said he had a wonderful viola, a Stradivari, upon which he should much +like to play in public, but he had no music for it. Would Berlioz write +a solo for him? Berlioz was flattered by the proposal, but replied that +in order to produce a composition sufficiently brilliant to suit such a +virtuoso, he--Berlioz--ought to be able to play the viola, and that he +could not do. So he thought Paganini alone could meet his own wishes. +Paganini, however, pressed his own point, adding that he himself was too +unwell to compose anything. Berlioz then set to work. To quote his own +words: "In order to please the illustrious virtuoso, I then endeavoured +to write a solo for the viola, but so combined with the orchestra as not +to diminish the importance of the latter, feeling sure that Paganini's +incomparable execution would enable him to give the solo instrument all +its due prominence. The proposition was a new one. A happy idea soon +occurred to me, and I became intensely eager to carry it out." + +Paganini was impatient to see the music, and as soon as the first +movement was finished, it was shown to him. He did not like the long +silences. "That is not at all what I want," he said; "I must be playing +the whole time." "You really want a _concerto_ for the tenor," Berlioz +replied, "and you are the only man who can write it." Paganini said no +more, and soon afterwards left for Nice. Berlioz then gave free play to +his fancy, and wrote the series of scenes for the orchestra, the +background formed from the recollections of his wanderings in the +Abruzzi, the viola introduced as a sort of melancholy dreamer, in the +style of Byron's "Childe Harold." Hence the title "Harold in Italy." +Now, this is the point: "Harold" was inspired by Paganini, who +indirectly gave a new art-form to the world. The piece was produced on +November 23rd, 1834, but Paganini was then in Italy, and he did not hear +it until four years later. + +But Paganini was destined to inspire something greater still. He was +again in Paris in 1838, and, as before related, was present at the +"horrible performance" of Berlioz' "Benvenuto Cellini." Sad at heart +Paganini said: "If I were manager of the _Opera_, I would at once engage +that young man[38] to write me three such operas: I would pay him in +advance, and should make a capital bargain by it." The failure of the +opera threw Berlioz on a bed of sickness. But he had to live, and was +soon arranging to give concerts at the _Conservatoire_. The first barely +paid expenses, but the second, at which both the _Symphonie Fantastique_ +and _Harold en Italie_ were performed, was more successful, and at this +Paganini was present. This has also been incidentally mentioned, but +further notice is required on account of the sequel. Again we must allow +Berlioz to speak for himself. "The concert was just over; I was in a +profuse perspiration, and trembling with exhaustion, when Paganini, +followed by his son Achilles, came up to me at the orchestra door, +gesticulating violently. Owing to the throat affection of which he +ultimately died, he had already completely lost his voice, and unless +everything was perfectly quiet, no one but his son could hear or even +guess what he was saying. He made a sign to the child, who got up on a +chair, put his ear close to his father's mouth and listened attentively. +Achilles then got down, and turning to me, said, 'My father desires me +to assure you, sir, that he has never in his life been so powerfully +impressed at a concert; that your music has quite upset him, and that if +he did not restrain himself he should go down on his knees to thank you +for it.' I made a movement of incredulous embarrassment at these strange +words, but Paganini seizing my arm, and rattling out 'Yes, yes!' with +the little voice he had left, dragged me up on the stage, where there +were still a good many of the performers, knelt down, and kissed my +hand. I need not describe my stupefaction; I relate the facts, that is +all." + +In his frenzied state Berlioz went out into the bitter cold, met Armand +Bertin on the boulevard, told him what had occurred, caught a chill, and +again had to keep his bed. Two days later, the little Achilles called, +the bearer of a letter, and of a message to the effect that his father +would himself have paid the visit, but was too ill to do so. The letter +ran as follows:-- + + "MY DEAR FRIEND, + + Beethoven dead, only Berlioz now can revive him; and I, who have + enjoyed your divine compositions, worthy of the genius which you + are, entreat you to accept, in token of my homage, twenty thousand + francs, which will be remitted you by the Baron de Rothschild on + presentation of the enclosed. Believe me always your most + affectionate friend, + + NICOLO PAGANINI. + Paris, December 18th, 1838." + +Picture the scene! Berlioz, pale with excitement; his wife, entering the +room, imagines some new misfortune has befallen them. Told of what has +happened, she calls her son Louis. Berlioz' words again: "And my wife +and child ran back together, and fell on their knees beside my bed, the +mother praying, the child in astonishment joining his little hands +beside her. O Paganini! what a sight! Would that he could have seen it!" + +The news soon spread abroad, and there were mixed feelings with regard +to Berlioz; delight on the one hand, detractions on the other, and +"scandalous insinuations" against Paganini. It was some six days before +Berlioz recovered sufficiently to visit and thank Paganini. The latter +would not hear a word; it was the greatest pleasure he had ever felt in +his life, he said; adding, "Ah! now none of the people who cabal against +you will dare to say another word, for they know that I am a good judge, +and that I am not easy" the last clause bearing two meanings: "I am not +in easy circumstances," or, "I do not part with money easily." I know +that this gift of Paganini to Berlioz is now regarded as a myth. One +version of the story is that Paganini was merely the agent, the real +donor being Armand Bertin, the great friend of Berlioz, who wished to +remain in the background. Another version is to the effect that Jules +Janin, editor of the _Journal des Debats_, compelled Paganini to make +the gift to Berlioz, who was the musical critic on that paper; and that +Paganini, fearing to lose his prestige with the public if Berlioz turned +against him, yielded to the pressure put upon him. I am going to give +chapter and verse for all this, for it is a matter that should be put at +rest. But first, what a condition is revealed of the press in relation +to art. Berlioz in money matters was incorruptable, though he was often +poor enough; therefore I leave him out of the discussion. But think of +the possibility of the transaction! Janin, years before, had written +bitter things of Paganini--things I have declined to quote in this +memoir; but Janin must have been quite as bad as he asserted Paganini to +have been, if he was capable of this monstrous proposition. There are +two details to be considered, and the first is the date. In 1838, the +public career of Paganini was at an end. There was the wretched Casino +business, it is true, but there was no performance by Paganini. In the +second place, supposing for a moment that Berlioz could or would employ +his pen in disparagement of the great violinist, could he have written +anything more violent, more depreciatory, than critics had been writing +for the previous twenty years, criticisms which Paganini had survived, +and grown rich upon? Besides, if the Janin story be true, the Bertin +must be false. Where then is the authority for the former? In 1840, +Liszt wrote a memorial notice of Paganini. In it passing reference is +made to some deeds of benevolence. Lina Ramann, in her "Life of Liszt," +of which the first part was published in 1880, prints this essay, and at +the point above mentioned adds a long foot note[39] giving the Janin +story, which she averred Liszt knew through Janin himself. That was a +safe story to reproduce, though it might have been contradicted by Liszt +if he ever saw the book. Now for the Bertin version. The authority +quoted for that is always Ferdinand Hiller. In 1868, Hiller published +his work "On the Musical Life of our Time," in which he relates some +gossiping with Rossini, in 1856. The conversation turned upon Paganini +on one occasion, and Hiller asked about the kingly gift to Berlioz. +Rossini replied that all Paris knew it, and he must needs believe it, +but at bottom he held the thing impossible. Nothing more definite is +there recorded. In 1871, Hiller published a new series of similar papers +or essays, but of this work I know nothing. Rossini was a raconteur, and +fond of saying good things. There is no reason to doubt the good faith +of Ferdinand Hiller; he set down what Rossini said, which, after all, +was only the expression of a doubt. This reticence was perhaps owing to +the fact that Berlioz was still living. But how was Rossini likely to +know the facts of the case? He went to Italy in 1836, and returned to +Paris about the end of May, 1855; consequently he knew nothing of the +alleged gift at the time, and as Armand Bertin died in 1854, Rossini +could not have heard the story from him. So far, one would be justified +in attaching little credence to Hiller's gossip with Rossini. + +But there was a sequel. Rossini died in November, 1868, and Berlioz +passed away in March, 1869. His Autobiography was published in 1870, +with the Paganini incident as it has already been related. To the last, +Berlioz believed that the money came from Paganini. In 1880, Hiller +published a work entitled "Kuenstlerleben," in which a chapter was +devoted to Berlioz. Again reference is made to the princely gift, +incredible from so mean a man as Paganini. "Rossini gave me the key to +this enigma," writes Hiller, "and I do not hesitate to communicate the +same, as it can no longer be unpleasant to anyone concerned in the +matter." He then goes on to say that Paganini consented to be the agent +of Armand Bertin, who really found the money. "Are you sure that this +was true?" asked Hiller; "I _know_ it," replied Rossini, seriously. +Hiller then states his conviction that Rossini's account must be +correct.[40] Now was this the outcome of a subsequent conversation with +Rossini, or an amplification of the "gossip" at Trouville? Hiller is +candid enough to say that some may doubt, and I should confess to being +among the doubters if his evidence was the sole support of the story. + +But in 1896, appeared the evidence of one whose testimony was +unimpeachable. The late Sir Charles Halle went to Paris in 1836, when a +youth of seventeen. In 1838, he was introduced to Paganini, was invited +to visit him, and often played to him; and, once, nearly heard Paganini +play! An extract from Halle's "Autobiography" will show what he thought +of the great violinist: "From my earliest childhood I had heard of +Paganini and his art as of something supernatural, and there I actually +sat opposite to the man himself, but only looking at the hands that had +created such wonders. On one never-to-be-forgotten occasion, after I had +played and we had enjoyed a long silence, Paganini rose and approached +his violin case. What then passed in me can hardly be imagined; I was +all in a tremble, and my heart thumped as if it would burst my chest; in +fact, no young swain going to the first rendezvous with his beloved +could possible feel more violent emotions. Paganini opened the case, +took the violin out, and began to tune it carefully with his fingers +without using the bow; my agitation became almost intolerable. When he +was satisfied, and I said to myself, with a lump in my throat, 'Now, +now, he'll take the bow!' he carefully put the violin back and shut the +case. And this is how I heard Paganini." Halle also became acquainted +with Berlioz and acquaintance ripened into a close friendship. He saw +the change worked in Berlioz through the Paganini incident; how his +courage was strengthened, and from a morose, he became a cheerful +companion. Then he divulges what had been a life-secret: "Armand Bertin, +the wealthy and distinguished proprietor of the _Journal des Debats_, +had a high regard for Berlioz and knew of all his struggles, which he, +Bertin, was anxious to lighten. He resolved therefore to make him a +present of 20,000 fr., and in order to enhance the moral effect of this +gift he persuaded Paganini to appear as the donor of the money. How well +Bertin had judged was proved immediately; what would have been a simple +_gracieusete_ from a rich and powerful editor towards one of his staff +became a significant tribute from one genius to another, and had a +colossal _retentissement_. The secret was well kept and never divulged +to Berlioz. It was known, I believe, to but two of Bertin's friends +besides myself, one of whom is (Victor) Mottez, the celebrated painter; +I learned it about seven years later when I had become an intimate +friend of the house, and Madame Armand Bertin had been for years one of +my best pupils."[41] This must be accepted as a true statement of the +case, but it proves no more than that Paganini became a party to a +benevolent conspiracy; he never boasted of the gift, nor claimed any +credit for it. Even when Berlioz, relieved of his financial troubles, +set to work with a light heart at the composition which was to be worthy +of dedication to the illustrious artist to whom he owed so much (his own +words), even when he wrote to Paganini about a subject, all the answer +he could get was: "I can give you no advice." He chose Shakespeare's +"Romeo and Juliet" as a theme, worked at it for seven months, and +produced a masterpiece. Paganini inspired him, but never heard the work +"undertaken chiefly to please him." + +To Paganini the world owes still more. It has been already stated that +Paganini's playing when in Paris in 1831 exerted an extraordinary +influence over Franz Liszt, and gave the direction to his genius. I use +the word "genius" advisedly, believing that Liszt is one of that sacred +band to whom the term belongs of right. This is not the place to discuss +the position Liszt occupies among composers; nor is this country yet +qualified properly to judge him. Wagner, Schumann and Chopin have passed +the ordeal; from persecution they have arrived at deification, so to +speak, and even their faults are regarded as merits. But prejudice dies +hard, and Liszt has yet to suffer. His earnest disciple Walter Bache +sacrificed time and means in his Liszt propaganda, but with scant +success. My point here is to try and show that Paganini, despite all +shortcomings as a man and as an artist, had a mission--whether he knew +it or not--and fulfilled it through others. + +Beethoven's pianoforte playing, and pianoforte compositions, led makers +of that instrument to extend its compass; Liszt led the way to a new +system for the pianoforte, with effects hitherto undreamt of, and the +impulse came from Paganini. No other instance is on record of an +instrument like the violin absolutely revolutionising the treatment of +the pianoforte. I have already referred to Liszt in Paris, how, +depressed and suffering, he withdrew from art and buried himself in +solitude. The revolution of 1830 aroused him, but it was Paganini who +rekindled the flame of art. Here I must have recourse to Lina Ramann's +"Franz Liszt." + +Liszt went to hear Paganini: "Charmed, stunned, yet seeing clearly at +the same time, he could have cried out for sorrow and exultation. This +playing! it was the vision of his soul, after which he had sought and +grasped and yet could never find or seize. Now here he felt it realised +before him. With kindling power it seized his artistic will. Until then +Liszt had groped and sought without any conscious aim; following the +hidden impulse of his spirit, he had given place to all kinds of +whims.... Now, all at once, he was led by Paganini into fixed paths and +the lost thread of his development was found again. By Paganini's +playing the veil had been torn away which lay between him and his +artistic will.... Paganini's playing had fanned the Promethean spark of +his genius to a brilliant flame. That for which the poets of the time +strove in their literary productions--freedom of form and of subject--he +saw here in the domain of reproducing music. With all this the serious +defects and onesidedness of the great violinist's capabilities and +genius did not escape the youthful pianist. He measured him by the +ideals of artistic culture which shone before his own eyes.... +He recognised plainly the limits of the influence which Paganini +exercised over him, and saw how human was the mission of the artist--a +consciousness was awakened that _artistic culture is inseparable from +human sympathies, that only a great man can become a great artist_. This +conviction drew from his lips the proud but noble words 'Genie +oblige.'[42] With indescribable eagerness, and at the same time with +exulting triumph, Liszt, after having heard Paganini, turned again to +his instrument. He was seldom seen; in public, as a pianist, never. His +mother alone was the silent witness of his perseverance and restless +working. As Wieland, he hammered at his piano. He, who, already as a +boy, had climbed the Parnassus of study, now sat at the instrument often +six hours a day and practised; yes, he exercised the language of his +spirit, and created for it an organ of expression." The author then +goes on to describe the new ideas that came to Liszt when studying +the Twenty-four Capricii of Paganini, and how he discovered new +combinations, and also that the hand of the pianist had yet much to +learn. "With this perception a bridge was built to new technical +triumphs in the art of pianoforte playing.... On the one hand he +increased the beauty and breadth of sound of this instrument in a +marvellous degree, while on the other, he gave at the same time a fatal +blow to the modern pianoforte music of his day. This was the new +discovery which Liszt made through Paganini, and on the foundation of +which he has created an extension of the arena of sound.... Thus +Paganini's capriccios gave Liszt the first impulse towards the modern +system for the pianoforte, and at the same time prompted him to enter on +the territory till then unknown of transferring effects."[43] + +What the influence of Liszt has been, is beyond the present purpose to +inquire. But, blot out Paganini and every note he has written, and he +reappears in the art work of at least one great French composer, and in +that of the greatest pianist the world has yet seen--one to whom the +high compliment has been paid in the epithet--"The Paganini of the +Pianoforte." + +FOOTNOTES: + +[37] Little is now known of this artist. He married Veronica, sister of +the pianist and composer J. L. Dussek, and was the father of Pio +Cianchettini, composer, who died at Cheltenham in 1851. + +[38] Berlioz was then thirty-five, Paganini, fifty-six years of age. + +[39] Aus dem Tonleben unserer Zeit, Vol. II., p. 55. + +[40] Kuenstlerleben, p. 88. + +[41] Life and Letters of Sir Charles Halle, p. 69. + +[42] The last words of Liszt's article "Sur Paganini, A Propos de Sa +Mort," published in the "Revue et Gazette Musicale de Paris," December +23, 1840. + +[43] Franz Liszt, Artist and Man, Vol. I., pp. 258-65. + + + + +CHAPTER X. + + +Is it worth while at this distance of time to refer to the actual +playing of Paganini? Can one recall "the touch of a vanished hand?" This +memoir would not be complete without some account of Paganini's art +beyond that given in the story of his life. Here I do not venture to +write as a violin expert, and I shall only quote from Guhr's "On +Paganini's Art of Playing the Violin"--which is presumably still +accessible to students--in so far as it may be serviceable to the +general reader. Leaving aesthetic, and higher considerations generally, +out of count for the moment and limiting our attention to matters +technical, we find much that was absolutely new. As regards mere +extravagance and eccentricity of execution, Paganini was surpassed by +Locatelli. We have to take into consideration the concert-pitch in use +at the time of Paganini's public career. That, I take it, corresponded +very closely with the Diapason normal now coming into general use. +Paganini employed thin strings, and, for purposes to be named presently, +often tuned his violin a semitone higher than the pitch of the band +which accompanied him--equivalent to the English pitch, or high pitch +still in use in some places. These thin strings served another +purpose--the easy production of harmonics. If there was one thing more +novel than any other in Paganini's playing it was the introduction of +harmonics, melodies, double notes, and double shakes in harmonics. The +natural harmonics were of course known to all violinists, but the +artificial harmonics, if not the invention of Paganini, were first +employed by him as integral features of his compositions as well as of +his performances. Then there was his particular kind of _staccato_, +produced by throwing his bow forcibly on the string, "letting it spring +while he runs through the scales with incredible rapidity, the tones +rolling like pearls" (Guhr). The Rev. Dr. Fox said the bow seemed to act +with the elasticity of a spring fixed at one end, and made to vibrate. +The combination of bowing, with _pizzicato_ by the left hand, if not +new, was employed by Paganini to a degree never attempted before. +Lastly, there was his wonderful performance on the fourth string, which +he tuned up to B flat, and sometimes even a semitone higher. Much of his +use of these devices is put down as clap-trap, yet since his day many +violinists have employed the same means, if they have not achieved the +same result. + +[Illustration: PLATE 18. (_See Appendix._)] + +[Illustration: PLATE 19. (_See Appendix._)] + +[Illustration: PLATE 20. (_See Appendix._)] + +[Illustration: PLATE 21. (_See Appendix._)] + +[Illustration: PLATE 22. (_See Appendix._)] + +Let us consider, for a moment, the performances on the G string. It is +certain that Paganini was not the originator of that manner of playing, +for Leopold Mozart wrote of Esser[44] as playing on the G string alone +with the greatest ease. Compositions for a single string were also +written before Paganini's day, for Friedrich Wilhelm Rust (1739-1796) +composed a violin sonata for the E string. But Paganini made such a +feature of this species of performance because it pleased the public, +and, in giving the audiences that which they preferred rather than that +which his artistic conscience should have prompted, he became the pupil +of his age, and fell from his high estate. On the other hand, he may be +said to have discovered the powers of the fourth string, to which, by +the employment of harmonics, he gave a compass of three octaves. He was +censured for his partiality in this direction, but in these days every +violinist plays a solo on the G string. Is not Bach's "Aria" played +everywhere as a fourth string solo? Yet, as musicians know, it was not +written for that string, nor as a solo, forming, as it does, the theme +of the slow movement of the "Overture in D," for strings, two oboes, +three trumpets, and drums. Moreover, in Mozart's Violin Concerto in E +flat, No. 6, composed in 1766, there is in the slow movement, an +eight-bar period for the G string, and also one of the same length in +the Finale. In Beethoven's Violin Concerto the principal theme of the +Rondo is assigned to the G string, and also when it recurs after the +second subject. This work was composed in 1806, a short time after +Paganini wrote his "Napoleon Sonata," but was heard in public years +before Paganini's was so performed. These two compositions are mentioned +merely to show that the charm of the fourth string was not unknown in +early days; to refer to later works would be superfluous. + +Now, as to Paganini's tuning his instrument a semitone higher than the +ordinary pitch. It will be conceded that the different keys have +distinctive qualities, to which some musicians are more sensitive than +others. Some term it key-colour: I prefer the expression key-character. +On the violin some keys are more sonorous than others. The effect may be +partly mental, and I believe--though I may be wrong--that a violinist +plays with a different feeling in the key of E, to that which would be +excited by the key of E flat, and this apart from the aesthetic import of +the composition itself.[45] In many concertos the chorus violins--if I +may so call them--sometimes play the same notes with the soloist, and so +absorb the tone of the latter that the listener can only hear the mass +of violin tone. It is on record that Paganini was never overpowered by +the _tutti_ in any of the pieces he played, though some writers say his +tone was not remarkable for volume. The explanation may be found in what +follows. Paganini had an almost morbidly keen musical organisation, an +acute sense of hearing, in which he resembled Mozart and Berlioz. +Paganini wrote the solo part of his first concerto in D (tuning his +violin a semitone higher), and the orchestral parts in E flat. Why? Not +because D was an easier key to play in, nor because some passages if +viewed as in E flat were marvels of execution; but because he felt the +difference in the "power" of the two keys. Mozart's Concertante for +violin and viola, with orchestra, is in E flat, but the viola part is in +D, and the instrument was to be tuned a semitone higher. This was done +"both to give it a clear sound and to make the execution easier."[46] +Mozart's piece was probably written in 1780, so here is one of the +expedients ascribed to Paganini as a trick made use of by a great master +before the famous violinist was born. Berlioz never heard Paganini play, +but he was the first among his contemporaries to understand and +appreciate Paganini's intention in this respect. In his _Soirees de +l'Orchestre_ he wrote: "He (Paganini) has known how to render distinct +and dominating the tones of a solo violin by tuning its four strings a +semitone above those of the orchestra; which enabled him to play in the +brilliant keys of D and A, while the orchestra accompanied him in the +less sonorous keys of E flat and B flat." Berlioz knew, if any one did, +what was the distinctive character of a key. It is highly improbable +that either he or Paganini ever heard, or even knew anything of Mozart's +"Concertante" just mentioned. So much by way of clearing Paganini from +the charge of charlatanry. Artistic faults and failings he had, and +these no attempt has been made to conceal; but every succeeding +generation of violinists has been deeply indebted to the great Genoese +for opening up new possibilities, by the way in which he advanced the +character and power of the violin. Leaving now the technical side of his +art, let us hear what his great contemporaries have to say of his +playing from the aesthetic standpoint. We need not refer again to Lafont +and Lipinski, but will begin with Spohr. It has been mentioned that +Spohr met Paganini at Venice, in 1816. Spohr wished to hear the great +Italian play something, but the latter declined. He afterwards +explained to Spohr that his style of playing was calculated for the +great public only; and that if he were to play to Spohr he must play in +a different manner, for which he was not then inclined. So it was not +until 1830 that Spohr heard Paganini at Cassel. This is what he wrote: +"In June, 1830, Paganini came to Cassel and gave two concerts in the +theatre, which I heard with great interest. His left hand, and his +constantly pure intonation were to me astonishing. But in his +compositions and his execution, I found a strange mixture of the highly +genial and childishly tasteless, by which one felt alternately charmed +and disappointed, so that the impression left as a whole was, after +frequent hearing, by no means satisfactory to me." Paganini was playing +to his "great public," and in that respect lost Spohr's esteem; but can +a great violinist, of strong personality, be perfectly just to a +contemporary of a different temperament? Schumann, as a composer, could +look upon Paganini from a different point of view. This is what he says: +"When I heard him for the first time, I expected him to begin with a +tone such as had never been heard before. But with how small, how thin a +tone he commenced! Then he began to weave his spells; invisibly he threw +out his magnetic chains among the public; they oscillated above and +around. And then the rings became more and more intricate; even +the audience seemed to contract, while he interlaced his tones +until they seemed melted into one--one with the master himself, all +counterbalancing each other with sympathetic influence." This is not +criticism; it is scarcely description: it is as fanciful as Heinrich +Heine's description, but it is a proof of the great violinist's power to +touch the imagination. Ignaz Moscheles, a virtuoso pianist, complains +of his utter inability to find language capable of conveying a +description of Paganini's wonderful performance. "Had that long-drawn, +soul-searching tone lost for a single second its balance, it would have +lapsed into a discordant cat's-mew; but it never did so, and Paganini's +tone was always his own, and unique of its kind. The thin strings of his +instrument--on which alone it was possible to conjure forth those +myriads of notes and thrills and cadenzas would have been fatal in the +hands of any other violin player, but with him they were indispensable +adjuncts." Again: "Nothing could exceed my surprise and admiration; his +constant and venturesome flights, his newly discovered source of +flageolet tones, his gift of fusing and beautifying subjects of the most +heterogeneous kind; all these phases of genius so completely bewildered +my musical perceptions, that for several days afterwards my head seemed +on fire and my brain reeled. I never wearied of the intense expression, +soft and melting like that of an Italian singer, which he could draw +from his violin." Yet, later, Moscheles had to say: "I find both his +style and manner of playing monotonous." Liszt, many years later said: +"No one who has not heard him can form the least idea of his playing." +Paganini indeed could soar to the Empyrean, but he had not the Peri's +pure gift which would open the gate of Paradise! + +[Illustration: PLATE 23. (_See Appendix._)] + +Francois Joseph Fetis, who befriended Paganini when first he visited +Paris, certainly held no brief for the celebrated artist, but rather +presided over him as judge. He stated that the art of Paganini was an +art apart, which was born with him, and of which he carried the secret +to the grave. He further stated that Paganini often assured him that his +talent was the result of a secret discovered by himself, a secret he +intended to reveal, before his death, in a method for the violin, which +should have but few pages, but which should throw all violinists into +confusion. Fetis questions the existence of the secret, and thinks the +great artist was labouring under a delusion. Yet he has to acknowledge +that there was something extraordinary and mysterious in the power that +Paganini possessed in the execution of unheard of difficulties in an +infallible manner. His intonation was always perfect.[47] + +William Gardiner, the Leicester amateur, who became acquainted with +Paganini, wrote: "There was no trick in his playing; it was all fair, +scientific execution, opening to us a new order of sounds, the highest +of which ascended two octaves above C in alt." + +An Italian physician, Francesco Bennati,[48] made a physiological study +of Paganini, accounting for his wonderful executive powers as due not so +much to his musical genius as to his peculiar physical formation. In +particular, the flexibility of his wrist, and the great lateral +extension of his finger joints, enabled him to execute passages +impossible to others. But there must have been something beyond +technique. I have heard many persons, professional and amateur, speak of +his playing as something beyond conception, not only in regard to +execution, but in the power of swaying an audience, playing upon their +emotions; the whole man was an instrument. No other artist was so widely +quoted by his contemporaries. Mendelssohn, Chopin, and others make +reference to Paganini whenever anything wonderful is spoken of. Chopin +was a great admirer of Slavik, and considered him only second to +Paganini. Every volume of reminiscences down to the present day includes +the name of Paganini, if only to relate that somebody once heard him +play. But not only musicians, poets also sang his praises. Is there +anything more beautiful than the tribute paid him by Leigh Hunt? A few +lines may be quoted: + + So played of late to every passing thought + With finest change (might I but half as well + So write!) the pale magician of the bow, + Who brought from Italy the tales made true, + Of Grecian lyres, and on his sphery hand, + Loading the air with dumb expectancy, + Suspended, ere it fell, a nation's breath. + + He smote--and clinging to the serious chords + With godlike ravishment, drew forth a breath, + So deep, so strong, so fervid thick with love, + Blissful, yet laden as with twenty prayers, + That Juno yearn'd with no diviner soul + To the first burthen of the lips of Jove. + The exceeding mystery of the loveliness + Sadden'd delight; and with his mournful look, + Dreary and gaunt, hanging his pallid face + 'Twixt his dark and flowing locks, he almost seem'd, + To feeble or to melancholy eyes, + One that had parted with his soul for pride, + And in the sable secret liv'd forlorn. + + But true and earnest, all too happily + That skill dwelt in him, serious with its joy; + For noble now he smote the exulting strings, + And bade them march before his stately will; + And now he lov'd them like a cheek, and laid + Endearment on them, and took pity sweet; + And now he was all mirth, or all for sense + And reason, carving out his thoughts like prose + After his poetry; or else he laid + His own soul prostrate at the feet of love, + And with a full and trembling fervour deep, + In kneeling and close-creeping urgency, + Implored some mistress with hot tears; which past, + And after patience had brought right of peace, + He drew as if from thoughts finer than hope + Comfort around him in ear-soothing strains + And elegant composure; or he turn'd + To heaven instead of earth, and raise a prayer + So earnest-vehement, yet so lowly sad, + Mighty with want and all poor human tears, + That never saint, wrestling with earthly love, + And in mid-age unable to get free, + Tore down from heaven such pity. + +It was urged against Paganini as a fault, that he rarely played any +other music than his own. Paganini was one of the latter-day examples of +the virtuoso and the composer represented by one and the same person. +From the days of Handel to the time of Beethoven, the composer was his +own interpreter, and never gave concerts with compositions by others. +But Paganini did at times play concertos by Rode and Kreutzer, though +it was said that in these he was less successful than in his own. The +Rev. Dr. Cox heard Paganini play the first movement of Beethoven's +Concerto--in fact it was performed for his special edification. This is +what he said of it: "Never shall I forget the smile on that sad, pale, +wan, and haggard face, upon every lineament of which intense pain was +written in the deepest lines, when I caught his eye, or the playing, +into which a spirit and sympathy were thrown that carried one wholly +away. As soon as he had concluded, and before I could rush up to him to +express my thanks, he glided away. I never saw him afterwards." It was +also stated that Paganini failed as a quartet player. His strong +individuality might have been an obstacle in the way of securing the +perfect unanimity of feeling and expression that characterise fine +quartet playing; but to imply that he could not perform the music was +absurd. As an executant, pure and simple, Paganini never had, and +possibly never may have, a compeer. + +But the question remains: did Paganini's playing result in any permanent +benefit to the art? Had he a permanent influence, and if so, was it for +good? To take a material aspect, it was owing to Paganini that the fame +of Joseph Guarnerius was published beyond Italy. "The names of Amati and +Stradivarius became familiar to the musical world gradually, but +Guarnerius, in the hands of a Paganini, came forth at a bound. This +illustrious violin was often credited with the charm which belonged to +the performer; the magical effects and sublime strains that he drew +forth from it, must, it was thought, rest in the violin. Every would-be +violinist, whose means permitted him to indulge in the luxury, +endeavoured to secure an instrument by the great Guarnerius. The demand +thus raised brought forth those gems of the violin maker's art now in +the possession of wealthy amateurs and a few professors. When the +various works of the gifted Guarnerius were brought to light, much +surprise was felt that such treasures should have been known only to a +handful of obscure players, chiefly in the churches of Italy."[49] + +[Illustration: _Plate XXIV.--See Appendix._ + +A SEMI-CARICATURE OF PAGANINI, 1831.] + +It has been shown that Paganini's performances caused a revolution in +the style of composition and execution in pianoforte music, as +exemplified in the works of Liszt. But did violin playing benefit? As +Paganini belonged to no school, so he founded no school. He had his +imitators, but he had few pupils, and no absolute successor. Camillo +Sivori is generally put forth as his only pupil. I have heard that great +artist, but--I say it with diffidence--I could never consider him the +equal of what I imagined Paganini to have been. According to William +Gardiner, Paganini was accompanied by Antonio Oury when he first went to +London. It was Oury who introduced Gardiner to Paganini, and the former +stated that Oury was Paganini's favourite pupil.[50] Then the Chevalier +Robbio, who appeared at Jullien's concerts at Drury Lane Theatre in +1854, claimed to have been a pupil of Paganini. Acknowledged pupils were +Teresa Ottavio, who was playing in Vienna, in 1835, and Mlle. Neumann, +who gave concerts in Venice and elsewhere, in 1838. But all these were +of small account. The question remains. Did Paganini influence the art +of violin playing, and in what direction? Let a very recent writer +contribute an answer. "We would not miss this greatest of fiddlers in +the annals of violin playing--no, not for a Spohr or any other great +modern violin master; but his influence can hardly be called beneficial. +It forced violin playing into a Procrustean bed unsuited to its true +nature and mission. Paganini had temporarily transformed the angel into +a devil, and the angel did not escape unscathed--Lucifer burned his +wings. Violin-playing will never be quite what it was before Paganini. +He helped to hurry the growing old process--brought out the lines, the +spots, and the wrinkles on the once fair face. He, before all others, +established the iron rule of technique, with its train of other evils, +in the place of the gentler reign of charming naivete of the elder +master."[51] There is truth here, and cause for sadness; but can the +hand of time be turned back, and music regain the artless joy of the +seventeenth century, when technique was unknown? Paganini, after all, +was only one of the forces that effected the revolution that produced +the music of the last half of the nineteenth century. It is not too much +to say that the technique of the modern orchestra, in regard to the +string section, is due to Paganini. Compare the scores of the classical +composers with those of the most modern writers, and see what an +enormous difference there is in the work for the strings--from the +violins to the double-basses. The orchestral player of to-day is a +virtuoso. For good or evil, music has entered upon a phase that has +raised executive skill to a pinnacle never attained before: and this it +owes to Paganini: may it be the prelude to higher achievements in the +spiritual domain of art! + +FOOTNOTES: + +[44] Karl Michael Esser, born about 1736, date of death unknown. + +[45] In the Tonic Sol-fa method great stress is laid upon the mental +effect of each note of the scale, altogether apart from pitch. + +[46] Life of Mozart, Otto Jhan, English Edition, I., 319. + +[47] In 1883, several musical papers stated that a certain amateur +collector of violins, during a tour in Italy, visited the little +Sardinian village, Ameglia, and purchased a collection of instruments +used by Paganini, which were at that time in the possession of the widow +of L. M. Germi, the intimate friend of Paganini. The said amateur also +became possessed of "the secret," but what he did with it has never +transpired. + +[48] Born at Mantua, 1798; died at Paris, 1834. + +[49] "The Violin," by George Hart. Popular Edition, 1880, p. 202. + +[50] It is strange that the Biographical Dictionaries are silent +concerning Oury, who must have been a man of some note. He is merely +named as the husband of Anna Caroline de Belleville, the once famous +pianist (1806-1880), who made her debut in London at a Paganini concert +in 1831. + +[51] The Story of the Violin by Paul Stoeving, p. 208. + + + + +CHAPTER XI. + + +There remains the consideration of Paganini as a composer. It is a +truism to say that a composition has primarily to be judged from the +standpoint of the age in which it was written. A Genius, we are told, is +not only before his own age, but before all ages. All the same, the +great Geniuses come into the world precisely at the right moment. To +some music one may fitly apply the epithet "Immortal"; for it seems to +be written, "not for an age, but for all time." That title is not +claimed for the music of Paganini, but, in view of what has been written +for the violin, it is necessary to take into consideration the date of +Paganini's compositions. Take the two greatest surviving forms--the +symphony and the concerto--and compare works in those forms, belonging +to different periods. Mendelssohn and Schumann were innovators, so it +was said, in regard to symphonic form. Both wrote symphonies of which +the movements were connected, and Schumann by the recurrence of themes +anticipated the "organic whole" of the symphonic poem. But in 1776, Carl +Philipp Emanuel Bach composed symphonies in the modern one-movement +style. This is not the time to discuss them, but just taking the first, +in D, I may point to the coda of the opening movement, which effects a +modulation to E flat, the key of the slow movement. In this the subject +enters, for the second time, in B flat; and a deceptive cadence is +followed by a passage ending on the dominant of D, and so returning to +the primary key for the last movement. The score is for flutes, oboes, +one bassoon, horns, first and second violins, viola, violoncello, +violone, and cembalo. Now, here is a work quite modern in its disregard +of key relationship, and in the linking together of the different +movements. Yet it would not be right to judge it by comparison with the +symphonies of the last half century. + +With regard to the concerto, take that form for the violin only. To go +no further back than the works of the great Leipzig Cantor, Johann +Sebastian Bach, we find his two concertos, in A minor, and E major, are +scored only for strings, though the "continuo" implies the harpsichord. +The concerto in D minor for two violins is scored in the same manner; +and in all there is evidence that the soloist took part in the _tutti_ +sections. Then there is the Symphony movement, from an unknown church +cantata, for violin concertante, with accompaniment of two oboes, three +trumpets, drums, two violins, viola and continuo. In all these the basic +principle is the contrasting of the _tutti_ and _solo_ sections, which +sustain a kind of dialogue. Much the same form is observed in Mozart's +violin concertos, which, with one exception, are scored for oboes, horns +and strings. The exception is the sixth, in E flat, which is scored for +one flute, two oboes, bassoons, and horns. In this the form approaches +that of the sonata, though the _tutti_ and _solo_ contrasts still +remain, and evidently the soloist played in the _tutti_ sections. To +Viotti, born in 1753, three years before Mozart, must be assigned the +honour of giving the violin concerto its fullest classical form. His +orchestral background was rich in colour, he having adopted the complete +Haydn Combination; and his solo parts were of prime importance. +Beethoven's concerto (1806), and Mendelssohn's (finished in 1844), +employ the same orchestra. Beethoven links the slow movement to the +Finale, and Mendelssohn connects the whole. The latest concerto form is +in part a reversion to the earliest type. The solo part is but a more +elaborate line in the orchestral column, and the soloist is scarcely +distinguishable from his orchestral colleagues. + +In view of the question I wish to raise, I hope the reader will pardon +this digression. Paganini sometimes played pieces by Kreutzer and Rode, +but I have not been able to find evidence of his acquaintance with the +concertos of Viotti. The reason may not be far to seek. Paganini +remained in Italy until 1828; Viotti, born in Italy, left his country, +and only once returned to it--in 1783, and that for a very short time. +His long residence in Paris led to his being identified with the French +School of violinists. His works were played by other performers during +his life-time, but it is questionable whether they were known to +Paganini. What I want to ask is simply this:--upon what work, or whose +work, was Paganini's first concerto modelled? It was written in 1811, +according to the _Musical World_ (Vol. for 1851, p. 822), or in 1820 +according to the "Oxford History of Music" (Vol. VI., p. 225). The form +of the work will be dealt with later; here the question is one of +instrumentation. Berlioz wrote: "It was said of Weber, 'He is a meteor!' +With equal justice it may be said of Paganini, 'He is a comet!'" I would +paraphrase Berlioz and say Paganini's First Concerto came upon the world +as a comet--a comet with a most portentous tail! Paganini was the +Richard Strauss of his day. Fancy, in the scoring of a concerto, +trombones, double-bassoon, cymbals, and bass-drum! and that in the year +1811, possibly. Why, it only requires a few more horns and trumpets, +some tubas, a rattle and other percussion instruments, to come up to the +latest twentieth century scoring. But a truce to badinage. A big score, +of itself, is not necessarily a thing to be praised; however, Paganini's +full scoring never obscured the solo part, and that is more than can be +said of some violin concertos of later date. I do not pretend to a +knowledge of the whole of the literature for the violin, but I have +heard much of it; yet I can recall no violin concerto going beyond the +orchestral resources adopted by Beethoven in his work, of earlier date +than Paganini's first concerto. I have further to confess that I have +never seen an original score of any of Paganini's works, but I have +written out a score from what I believe to be authentic band parts. I +have heard the First Concerto, "reduced to one act," with the exordium +cut out; and however much such a rendering may be in accordance with +modern taste, I can only regard it as unjust to the composer. In the +present day Paganini's music is looked upon with pity not far removed +from scorn; how did his contemporaries esteem it? + +Rossini is reported to have said: "Truly, it is fortunate that Paganini +did not devote himself exclusively to lyric composition; he would have +become a very dangerous rival."[52] Moscheles wrote: "His concertos are +beautiful, and have even their grand moments; but they remind me of a +brilliant firework on a summer's eve, one flash succeeding the +other--effective, admirable--but always the same. His 'Sonate +Militaire,' and other pieces, have a southern glow about them, but this +hero of the violin cannot dispense with the roll of the drum; and +completely as he may annihilate his less showy colleagues, I long for a +little of Spohr's earnestness, Baillot's power, and even Mayseder's +piquancy." + +Very little was said of Paganini's compositions--I mean by way of +description, orchestration, or even criticism--when the composer was in +England. The writers seemed always engrossed and absorbed by the +performance and personality of the man. + +Schumann repeats what was said of Paganini; that he, himself, rated his +merit as a composer more highly than his talent as a _virtuoso_. We know +that Rubinstein desired to have his name handed down to posterity as a +composer rather than as a pianist. The fates have been unkind to both. +To return to Schumann. He remarks that "if general opinion has not, +until now, agreed with him (Paganini), it must at least be allowed +that his compositions contain many pure and precious qualities, +worthy of being firmly fixed in the richer setting required by the +pianoforte." This of course referred to the caprices, Op. 1, but the +observation is a curious illustration of the way in which individual +minds regard things from their own standpoint. + +Paganini's music appealed to Liszt as a means of creating a new school +of pianoforte technique, as well as composition; very little can be +gleaned from Liszt as to his aesthetic views regarding it. Fetis says +great worth is revealed in the compositions of Paganini, as much by the +novelty of the ideas as by the elegance of the form, the richness of the +harmony, and the effects of the instrumentation. These qualities shine +above all in the concertos; but, he adds, these works require the magic +of his talent to produce the effect he intended. Berlioz was, perhaps, +the most appreciative of Paganini's contemporaries. In his _Soirees de +l'Orchestre_ he says: "A volume might be written in telling all +that Paganini has created in his works of novel effect, ingenious +contrivances, noble and grandiose forms, and orchestral combinations +unknown before his time. His melodies are broad Italian melodies, but +full of a passionate ardour seldom found in the best pages of dramatic +composers of his country. His harmonics are always clear, simple, and of +extraordinary sonorousness. His orchestration is brilliant and +energetic, without being noisy. He often introduces the bass drum into +his _tutti_ with unusual intelligence." + +During Paganini's lifetime no one else seems to have played his music, +although one of his imitators is said to have reproduced some pieces +from memory. After Paganini's death, the propagandist of his works was +his nephew and pupil, Ernesto Camillo Sivori. He made his debut at the +Leipzig Gewandhaus Concerts, October 3, 1841, and a week later +introduced there Paganini's Variations on the Prayer from _Mose in +Egitto_. In all, some dozen pieces by Paganini were given at those +famous concerts from 1841 to 1876. Sivori also introduced Paganini to +the then very conservative concerts of the Philharmonic Society, London, +in 1844. But they did strange things in those days. The first movement +of the Concerto in B minor was included in the first part of the concert +on April 29, 1844; the Adagio and Rondo coming in the middle of the +second part! Poor Sivori had to submit to similar treatment of his own +concerto at the Society's concerts in 1845. It would be interesting +to know how Paganini's music fared at the concerts of the Paris +Conservatoire, but I have not been able to procure any reliable data +relating to the subject. + +Rumour was long busy with the project entertained by Paganini's son, the +Baron Achilles, of publishing a complete edition of the compositions of +the great violinist; and in 1887 a paragraph in the _Athenaeum_ announced +on apparently good authority that the Baron was preparing for immediate +publication the whole of the works of his father which still remained in +manuscript. Several of those were named, but nothing more has been heard +of the undertaking. I have scrutinised the musical press from that date +to the present time, and have failed to gather any further information +on the subject. + +From every available source I have compiled the following list of +Paganini's compositions:-- + + Op. 1. Twenty-four Capriccios, for violin alone. + + Op. 2. Six Sonatas, for violin and guitar. + + Op. 3. Six Sonatas, for violin and guitar. + + Op. 4. Three Grand Quartets, for violin, viola, violoncello and + guitar. + + Op. 5. Three Grand Quartets, for the same. + + Op. 6. Concerto, No. 1, in E flat (D), for violin and orchestra. + + Op. 7. Concerto, No. 2, in B minor, for the same. + + Op. 8. "Le Streghe." Introduction and Variations. + + Op. 9. "God Save the King." Variations. + + Op. 10. "Carnaval de Venise." Variations. + + Op. 11. "Allegro de Concert." "Moto Perpetuo." + + Op. 12. "Non piu mesta." Introduction and Variations. + + Op. 13. "Di tanti palpiti." Introduction and Variations. + + _All for violin and orchestra._ + + Op. 14. Sixty Studies in Variation form, on the Air "Barucaba," for + violin alone. + + +_Works without Opus number._ + + Sonata in A, for violin, with accompaniment of violin and + violoncello. + + Bravura Variations on a theme from Rossini's "Moses in Egypt," for + violin and string quartet, or pianoforte. + + Bravura Variations on an Original Theme, for violin and guitar, or + pianoforte. + + Introduction and Variations on the Theme, "Nel cor piu non mi + sento," for violin alone. + + Duo in C major, for one violin. Solo. + + Recitative and Variations, on Three Airs, for the fourth string. + + "Le Charme de Padua," Divertissement, for violin and pianoforte. + + +_Works that are unpublished, or that have been lost._ + + Concertos in D minor, E minor, E major. + + Concerto in two movements. Violin and orchestra. + + Four Concertos, the scoring unfinished. + + Concerto, for bassoon, with string trio accompaniment. + + Nine Quartets, for violin, viola, violoncello and guitar. + + Fantasia. Violin and orchestra. + + Dramatic Sonata, "The Storm," for the same. + + Military Sonata on Mozart's "Non piu andrai." + + Napoleon Sonata for the fourth string. + + Sonata on a Theme by Haydn. Ditto. + + Sonata di un Canto Appassionata, e variazioni sopra un Tema + Marziale. Ditto. + + Sonata with variations on a Theme from Jos. Weigl's "L'Amor + Marinaro." + + Sonata Amorosa Galante, e Tema con variazioni. + + Sonata for viola and orchestra. + + Sonata Sentimentale. + + Sonata, "Varsovie." + + Sonata for violin alone. + + Preludio e Rondo brilliant, violin and orchestra. + + Chant of the Monks of the Monastery of St. Bernard. + + "La Primavera," Sonata for violin alone. + + Preludio e Fandango, con Variazioni. + + "La ci darem la Mano," Variations. + + Cantabile, violin and pianoforte. + + Polonaise avec variations. + + Cantabile e Valse. + + Cantabile, for two strings. + + Three duos, violin and violoncello. + + Duets and small pieces for guitar. + + Variations sur un theme comique. + + "The Vagaries of a Farm Yard." + + + Romance pour le Chant. Fantasie Vocale. + + +WORKS WITH OPUS NUMBER. + +Op. 1. The full title reads:--_Ventiquattro Caprici per Violino solo, +dedicati agli artisti; Opera prima._ It is not necessary to refer to +these pieces in detail; they are in the repertory of the leading +violinists, and have been played by Joachim and many others. They +embrace almost every kind of violin technique, and have merits apart +from that standpoint. Schumann in his _Etudes d'apres les Caprices de +Paganini_, Op. 3, has transcribed for the pianoforte six numbers. They +are, No. 5, Agitato, in A minor, without the alteration of a single +note; No. 9, Allegretto in E, quite as closely; the Andante of No. 11, +in C; No. 13, Allegro, in B flat, beautifully harmonized; No. 19, Lento, +Allegro assai, in E flat, more freely treated; and No. 16, Presto, in G +minor, the melody assigned to the left hand, and written two octaves +lower. These studies were the result of Schumann's hearing Paganini at +Frankfort in 1830. The impression the great violinist made on the +susceptible youth was so deep, that Wasielewski stated that it was more +than probable Schumann's decision to devote himself to music dated from +that experience. So here is another debt the musical world owes to +Paganini. Schumann's Op. 3 bears the date of 1832. The next year he +returned to the Italian master, and his Six Studies, Op. 10, are further +transcriptions of the Capriccios. The first is a very free arrangement +of No. 12, Allegro molto, in A flat; next is a paraphrase of No. 6, +Adagio, in G minor, in which different figuration was absolutely +necessary for the keyboard instrument. In No. 10, Vivace, in G minor, he +divides the melody for the two hands, and accompanies with bold +harmonies. The transcription of No. 4, Maestoso, in C, is almost +literal, but there are "cuts," as also in No. 12. No. 2, Moderato, in B +minor, with its "leaps and bounds," is altered to bring the intervals +more within reach of the hand. The bare octaves which form the opening +of No. 3, have been filled in with rich harmonies, and to the Presto +movement a counterpoint in semiquavers has been added, making it a very +attractive piece of the Tocatta order. It will be remembered that one +short movement of Schumann's "Carnival" is entitled Paganini, but it is +a reflexion of his style rather than an adaptation of his music. Liszt +has borrowed much, in regard to form and melodic outline, from the +Capriccios, in his _Etudes d'execution transcendante_. Of his _Grandes +Etudes de Paganini_ notice will be taken later. Brahms has written two +sets of variations on the theme of the Capriccio, No. 24, Quasi presto, +in A minor. These are extraordinarily difficult and brilliant. They were +published in 1866, and Carl Tausig was fond of playing them. Paganini's +Op. 1, was published by Ricordi about the year 1820. + +Op. 2, and Op. 3. The house of Ricordi publish the Twelve Sonatas for +violin and guitar, and Breitkopf and Haertel publish an edition for +violin and pianoforte, edited by Ferdinand David. There is no clue as to +the arranger of the pianoforte part, but it may be the work of +Moscheles, who, it will be remembered, was induced "to make a pianoforte +accompaniment for twelve small violin pieces," but who refused to have +his name affixed to the title-page. Anyway, the pianoforte accompaniment +is the work of a good musician. The title page of Op. 2 runs thus: _Sei +Sonate per Violino e chitarra, Composte e Dedicate Al Signor Dellepiane, +Da Nicolo Paganini_. The pieces are sonatas in the primitive sense of +the term. Each contains two movements only. No. 1, Minuetto, Adagio in +A, three-four, the violin part in the nature of a florid _cadenza_ but +very clear in rhythm, the guitar accompaniment in semiquaver groups of +broken chords. Second movement, Polonese, Quasi allegro, A major, +three-four, tuneful, all derived from a short motive, not difficult. No. +2, Larghetto expressivo, C major, six-eight, lyrical, melody highly +embellished after the first phrase, varied bowing. Allegro spiritoso, +same key and measure, in the style of a _Canto popolare_. No. 3, Adagio +maestoso, D minor, two-four, principal motive of a dramatic kind, with +brilliant passages intervening. Andantino gallantement, a crisp, +staccato melody, with middle section in D major. No. 4, Andante +calcando, A major, four-two, theme, in sixths, thirds and octaves. The +movement is entitled _La Sinagoga_, but I can trace no Jewish melody +corresponding to its subject. The second movement, Andantino con brio, +in two-four measure is as bright and sparkling as the corresponding +movement in No. 3. No. 5, Andante moderato, D major, two-four, two +strains of eight bars, with a lyrical theme. The second movement in +six-eight rhythm, is another specimen of the Italian _Cantilena_. No. 6, +Largo, A minor, six-eight, a combination of recitative and Cadenza +passages. Tempo di Valse, in three-eight measure, a tripping, fluent +theme, for light bowing. The music altogether is light and pleasing, +abounding in showy passages, and with the real Italian gift of melody. +The accompaniments are in no way difficult. + +The Six Sonatas, Op. 3, have rather a curious dedication: _Alla Ragazza +Eleonora_. "Ragazza" is a familiar term for a girl, and may be +translated as "lass," or even "wench." The Eleonora it may be impossible +now to identify, though the lady possibly was connected with the period +of Paganini's disappearance when Napoleon invaded Italy. Sonata, No. 1, +is in two movements, as are all the others. The first, Larghetto, A +major, six-eight measure, has a theme resembling a popular melody, the +close of each strain being highly embellished. Ricordi's edition gives +an alternative reading of the penultimate bar, in the style of a +cadenza. The second movement, Presto variato, in two-four rhythm, has a +dance-like theme, with one variation. The two bars preceding the final +cadence have semiquaver groups to be played pizzicato, each note with +right and left hand alternately. No. 2, Adagio, con dolcezza, G major, +three-eight, theme, pure Italian cantilena, in thirds or sixths +throughout. Andantino scherzoso, two-four, crisp, tripping melody, +chiefly for staccato bowing, ending with arpeggios extending to four +octaves. No. 3, Andante sostenuto, D major, two-four, theme for six bars +to be played on the second string. Rondo, Molto allegro, six-eight, +bright and spirited; the opening might have been inspired by the Irish +air "Garyone"--the lilt is so much the same. The movement ends with a +rapid descending chromatic scale of three octaves. No. 4, Andante largo, +A minor, two-two, the opening bars of the theme for the third string, +declamatory, sad. Allegretto mottegiando, two-four, light, tripping +melody, to be delivered in a spirit of banter. No. 5, Adagio amorosa, A +major, two-four, theme, Italian melody embellished, in thirds +throughout, with some semi-staccato bowing. Allegretto energicamente, +two-four, a merry, quick-step movement of two eight-bar periods. The +second part, in the tonic minor, has the theme divided equally for +guitar and violin, in each strain. A coda of four bars, major, is added +by way of close. In the arrangement for pianoforte, the violin has the +theme throughout. No. 6, Andante innocentemente, E minor, four-four, a +pathetic melody, simple, but touching. Allegro vivo e spiritoso, +six-eight. One could imagine an Italian peasant singing this melody; it +has all the characteristics of a folk-song. It is written throughout in +double-notes, mostly thirds. The second part, in the minor, is in a +different manner to the first part, which is repeated after it. The +guitar accompaniments, with the exception named, are all in chords or +arpeggios. The pianoforte part has more variety. It may be observed that +the movements in two-four measure have much of the spirit of Haydn's +Allegros. + +Op. 4, Three Quartets for violin, viola, violoncello and guitar. These +were once in the Circulating Music Libraries of the firms of Novello and +Augener, but are no longer to be met with. I have failed to obtain +copies elsewhere. + +Op. 5, _Tre Quartetti a Violino, Viola, Chitarra e Violoncello. Composti +e Dedicati Alle Amatrici Da Nicolo Paganini. Milano. Presso Gio. +Ricordi._ By the courtesy of the firm of Novello, I have been enabled to +examine this set, the title page of which I quote. The copy I examined +is evidently of the original edition. Each quartet is in four +movements. No. 1, Presto, D major, sixteen-eight, a peculiar signature, +but apparently adopted by reason of the "figures" in quavers. This +movement is very much in Rossini Overture form. Andante sotto voce e +staccato, D minor, three-four, Canone a tre. The violin begins, the +viola answers one bar later, an octave lower, and the violoncello +follows in like manner. The guitar is silent. The Canon is kept up +strictly to the end. The Trio--not in Canon--is in B flat major, and the +guitar supports the strings with full chords. Tema con variazioni, +Cantabile quasi Larghetto, D major, two-four, two strains of eight bars, +the theme in each begun by the viola, and repeated by the violoncello. +Three variations follow, the theme being allotted to each instrument in +turn, the guitar included. Finale, Prestissimo, D major, three-eight, a +brilliant, showy movement. + +No. 2, Allegro, C major, four-four measure, in binary form, the subjects +given to the violin and violoncello. Minuetto, Allegretto, A minor, +three-four, with Trio in two sections, F major and D minor. The violin +has the theme, the others accompany with chords. Cantabile, Larghetto, A +major, six-eight, the melody, floridly embellished, for violin, the +other instruments accompanying. Polacca, Quasi presto, C major, +six-four. The violin has the chief melody, subordinate parts being given +to the viola and violoncello. The guitar has full chords throughout. + +No. 3, Allegro, D minor, four-four rhythm, Coda in D major, principal +themes for the violin, the viola and violoncello taking up portions here +and there with chords and arpeggios for the guitar. Allegro moderato, D +minor, three-four, Canone a tre, theme for violin, answered by viola and +violoncello at one bar interval, an octave below, as in No. 1. Guitar +tacet. Tema Cantabile, Quasi adagio, B flat major, two-four. The +movement consists of two periods, the theme for viola and violin +alternately, in each. Variation I., florid, violoncello and violin in +response; II., in G minor, more elaborate, theme for violoncello and +violin, rapid arpeggios for guitar; III., in B flat major, theme for +viola and violin, alternately, and finally for guitar. Polacchetta, +Allegro con brio, D minor, three-four, a brilliant movement, with themes +for the violin; the viola and violoncello share in the figurated +passages, and the guitar has an accompaniment in chords and arpeggios. + +Paganini is said to have repudiated this work, although according to +Fetis, the quartets were published at Genoa under his very eyes. I +should rather say that the Milan edition was the first, and perhaps the +only one. Paganini's assertion was that some one had taken a few of his +themes, and badly arranged them. Fetis further states that various +pieces published before, and up to, 1851, must be considered as +"commercial frauds." Some of them are named, and will be referred to in +due course. The music of Op. 5 cannot be regarded as in any way great, +but there are graceful melodies, and the movements in Canon form are +ingeniously worked out. + +Op. 6, _Premier Concerto (Mi Bemol), pour le violin avec accomp. de +l'orchestre._ This was the first of the posthumous works, published +by the firm of Schott and Co., Paris, in 1851. It is scored for +two flutes, oboes, clarinets, bassoon, double bassoon, two horns, +trumpets, three trombones, kettle drums, bass drum, cymbals, and the +usual quintet of strings. The solo violin is tuned a semitone higher, +and the part is in D, while the orchestra plays in E flat. Breitkopf +and Haertel publish the orchestral parts in the key of D. There is an +arrangement of the first movement, by August Wilhelmj, but with that I +have nothing to do here. First movement, Allegro maestoso, E flat, +four-four. The orchestral exordium extends to ninety-four bars, +six more than in the introduction of Beethoven's Concerto. The +movement--so it may be termed--is symphonic in form, with second +subject in the dominant, and it is richly scored. The exception I take +to it is the persistent employment of the cymbals with the bass drum. +There is a delightful little touch in the canonic imitation for +first violins and violoncellos. The solo has a principal theme scarcely +indicated in the introduction, and also several important episodes. +The slow movement, Adagio, C minor, four-four, was inspired, as already +mentioned, by the Italian tragedian, Demarini. Paganini witnessed +his performance in a prison scene, where, after recapitulating his +misfortunes, he supplicated Providence to relieve him of the burden of +his life. Paganini retired to rest still under the influence of the +emotions excited by the actor. He could not sleep: he rose and sought +through his violin a means of expression by which he could pour out the +feelings that consumed his soul. Thus, genius tortures and produces. It +must have been this movement in which William Gardiner heard "tones +more than human, which seemed to be wrung from the deepest anguish of a +broken heart." Observe, especially, the recitative passages that close +the movement. Finale, Rondo, Allegro spiritoso, E flat, two-four. This +is the longest concerto movement known to me, running on to four hundred +and eighty-three bars, but the "measure" is short. The concerto is not +so long as that of Beethoven, the first and second movements containing +fewer bars. It may be noted that in the first and last movements +Paganini introduces harmonics, and passages in tenths, most probably for +the first time in a concerto. In the slow movement there is no double +stopping. The Cadenzas were improvised, and Paganini, like Beethoven, in +his improvisations surpassed anything he ever committed to paper. + +Op. 7, Concerto No. 2, in B minor. Allegro maestoso, B minor, +twelve-eight. Adagio, D major, two-two. Rondo, Andantino allegretto +moderato, B minor, six-eight. This is not so long as the first concerto +by some two hundred bars, and is not so fine a work, but it is a piece +worthy of being occasionally heard. In the principal theme of the Rondo +occur the passages where the silver bell three times echoes the violin +note--the top F sharp of the pianoforte keyboard. Failing the bell, the +violinist produces the sound by an artificial harmonic. It is this Rondo +that Liszt has included in his _Grosse Etueden von Paganini_. His +treatment of Paganini must be briefly described. There are six +"studies," the first a transcription of Paganini's Caprice, No. 6, +Adagio, G minor. To this Liszt adds a prefix, the arpeggio prelude of +No. 5. The Caprice itself is very literally copied, the whole being an +octave lower, and at first assigned to the left hand alone. After the +sixteenth bar the treatment becomes more free, while the figuration is +much the same. The study ends with the arpeggio passage as at the +beginning. The second takes for subject No. 17, Andante, E flat. +Scarcely a note is omitted, but the passages are placed higher or lower, +and the runs given to either hand. This is a marvel of ingenuity, +forming a most brilliant pianoforte solo. It is followed, as by a second +sonata movement, by the "Campanella" Rondo, the two being intended to be +performed in succession. For this purpose the Rondo from the Concerto is +transposed to G sharp minor, the closing E flat of the previous movement +changing enharmonically to D sharp. + +The first exposition of the subject follows Paganini very closely, but +in the development and further progress of the movement Liszt follows +his own bent, repeating the principal theme again and again with ever +varying treatment. This is a piece for the _virtuoso_, and one of the +most showy in the pianist's repertory. The fourth study is an extremely +clever transcription of the Caprice No. 1, Andante, E major. Not a note +of Paganini's piece is left out, and the arpeggios are ingeniously set +out for interwoven fingering, causing the performance to be something to +look at as well as to hear. It is nearly all cross-handed work. The +fifth study is an arrangement of the Caprice No. 9, Allegretto, E major. +On paper it appears easier than the setting by Schumann, but it is more +difficult to play. Here, again, the phrases are divided for both hands. +The _glissando_ passages in sixths are impossible on modern instruments. +The sixth and last study, on the Caprice, No. 24, Tema, con variazioni, +A minor, is the most ingenious of all. The theme is simply harmonised at +first, then used as a counterpoint to the arpeggios in the first +variation. The next is more simply treated, and in the third variation +Paganini's theme forms the bass upon which the figuration of the initial +motive is superposed. To the end Liszt shows what possibilities in +keyboard execution were latent in Paganini's violin figures; and if the +latter had written only these Capriccios he would survive as the cause +of the most original inventions in pianoforte technique that have yet +seen the light. + +Op. 8, _Le Streghe._ Variations on the "Witches' Dance," theme from the +Ballet, "Le Nozze di Benevento," by Vigano, music by Suessmayer. It has +already been stated that Paganini witnessed a performance of this +ballet, at La Scala, Milan, in 1813. He took the theme from a fantastic +scene where the witches appear. In his London programmes Paganini thus +described the piece; "Variations on the Country Dance Della Streghe alla +Noce di Benevento (or the comic dances of the Witches under the walnut +tree of Benevento), composed and performed by Signor Paganini." The +piece is in the key of E flat, and the violin is to be tuned a semitone +higher, the soloist playing in D. There is an orchestral prelude of +eighteen bars, Maestoso, followed by a solo, Larghetto, a beautiful +Italian melody, embellished, in two short strains. The theme is simply +set forth, and the variations serve for the display of bravura playing +with pizzicato and harmonics in the second movement, fourth string +melody, and double harmonics in the third, and with the Finale +resembling a Galopade. Orchestral parts are published, as well as the +arrangement with pianoforte. + +Op. 9, Variations on "God save the King." Theme, Andante, G major, with +Six Variations. One principal feature is the intermingling of left hand +staccato with bowed notes. At the close there are sustained open notes +on the G and D strings, bowed, with double pizzicato, in sixths, above. + +Op. 10, Variations on "The Carnival of Venice." For this the violin +is tuned a semitone higher, the solo being played in A, and the +accompaniment in B flat. The theme is a popular Venetian air, "O Mamma!" +Paganini heard it when in Venice in 1816, but whether he then composed +the variations is not certain. It was not long, however, before Paganini +made the air a favourite everywhere he went, and it is to him the melody +owes its world-wide popularity. The composer of the air remains unknown. +Joseph Ghys published, at Paris and Berlin, what purported to be +Paganini's variations; Ernst and Sivori played versions more or less +exactly in accordance with the original; but the text was finally +settled by the publication of the piece in 1851. There are twenty +variations. The 9th and 14th are for the fourth string; the 11th has +alternate bowed and pizzicato notes; the 15th and 18th are pizzicato +throughout; the 19th is in tenths and thirds; and the piece ends with a +short brilliant coda. + +Op. 11, _Moto Perpetuo._ Allegro vivace, C major. Fetis terms this piece +a movement from a Sonata for violin and orchestra. It is in the +repertory for all violinists, and its running passages of staccato +semiquavers need no description. + +Op. 12, Introduction and Variations on the air "Non piu mesta accanto al +fuoco." The theme is from Rossini's opera "La Cenerentola" (Cinderella), +produced at Rome during the Carnival season of 1817, and forms the +concluding number of the work. Paganini again directs the violin +to be tuned a semitone higher, writing the solo part in D, and the +accompaniment in E flat. The Introduction, Adagio Cantabile, is another +example of Paganini's pure Italian style of melody. The theme seems to +have appealed to him--doubtless he witnessed the _premiere_ of the +opera--for the variations have a spontaneity and brilliance of their +own. There are four variations, and a Finale full of dashing _bravura_. + +Op. 13, Introduction and Variations on the air "Di tanti palpiti," from +Rossini's first serious opera, "Tancredi," produced at Venice in 1813. +Rossini is said to have taken the theme from a Greek Litany he heard +sung in a church on one of the Islets of the Laguna, near Venice. A +Signora Righetti, a singer, writing in 1823 (?), stated that there was +no truth in the assertion. Be that as it may, "Di tanti palpiti" made +the opera, and Paganini's variations extended its popularity. The +introduction is an elaborate movement, the violin tuned a semitone +higher, and the part written in A, with accompaniment in B flat. There +are three variations, the second being almost throughout in harmonics, +single and double, and excessively difficult. This piece is very rarely +played. + +Op. 14, Sixty Studies in Variation form, on the air known at Genoa as +"Barucaba," for violin alone. This is one of the composer's latest +works, and was written at Genoa in February 1835, and dedicated to +Paganini's friend the Advocate, L. G. Germi. The theme is short, in +simple ternary form, the opening sentence of four bars being repeated +after the middle period of eight bars. The theme is in A major, +Maestoso. The variations are studies upon various species of +difficulties, and a special feature is the order of keys. Of the +fifteen possible major keys, Paganini employs thirteen, and he is +quite modern in the way in which he causes the one to succeed the +other. Thus the second variation is in D, the third in B flat, the +fourth in F sharp, and the fifth in D--in each case the drop of a +major third or its enharmonic equivalent. Then he starts a new series, +from D to B, thence to G, E, C, A flat, F, D flat, back to A. In 1835 +such a sequence was very uncommon; even Beethoven, in his Variations, +only has one such, in the Variations in F, Op. 34. The Variation form +is again in full vogue; at this distance we can afford to be just in +our estimate of Paganini's achievements. He was not a Beethoven, but +his Variations are not to be despised. + + +WORKS WITHOUT OPUS NUMBER. + +Sonata in A major. As published in the collection of posthumous +compositions, this Sonata is for violin, with pianoforte accompaniment. +The piece consists of an Introduction, Theme, Three Variations and Coda, +the term "Sonata" being employed quite in its primitive sense:--a piece +to be played. The Introduction is only eight bars in length, ending with +a short cadenza leading to the theme, Andantino, A major, two-four +measure. The first part consists of two four-bar phrases, repeated; the +second has a phrase extended, by a Codetta, to six bars, and ends with a +repetition of the first phrase, with close in A. The first variation has +a more florid version, in triplets, of the melody; the second begins +with a simple form of the theme for the fourth string, and introduces +harmonics; the third is a bravura movement, chiefly for staccato bowing +in demisemiquaver passages. The coda, termed Finale, is made up of +cadences, on a tonic pedal for eight bars. The accompaniment is easy. +Messrs. Schott also publish the Sonata for violin, with accompaniment of +violin and violoncello, very easy parts for these last. + +_Variazioni di bravura sopra Temi del Mose di G. Rossini, per Violino +sulla quanta corda, di Nicolo Paganini._ This was originally for violin +and orchestra. Berlioz has a reference to this piece, in which he states +that Paganini employed the bass-drum with better effect than did Rossini +himself in the accompaniment to the prayer, "Del tuo stellato soglio." +Paganini placed the stroke of the drum on the syncopated beat to which +the verbal accent was assigned, whereas Rossini gave the drum stroke on +the first beat of the bar. Some one, complimenting Paganini upon his +composition, added; "It must be confessed that Rossini furnished you a +very beautiful theme." "That's very true," replied Paganini, "but he +didn't invent my bang of the big drum." It is said that in this piece +Paganini produced a tone that dominated the whole orchestra even in +fortissimo passages. + +The firm of Ricordi publish an arrangement, for string quintet, and for +pianoforte accompaniment. The G string of the solo violin is raised to B +flat, and the Adagio is played in C minor and major, while the +accompaniment is in E flat minor and major. The strain in the minor key +is played three times. The second time, the first eight bars are to be +played an octave higher then the first time; the third in harmonics. The +Introductory Adagio is the celebrated Prayer. Then follows a Tema, Tempo +alla Marcia, E flat, four-four, the violin part in C. This is a +different theme, and appears to be a paraphrase of part of the March and +Chorus (in the Oratorio), "Hail, happy day!" There are three variations, +and a short coda. Harmonics are sparingly introduced. Rossini's opera, +"Mose in Egitto," was produced at Naples in 1818, and was remodelled by +the composer some years later, for performance at the Grand Opera, Paris +(1827). It is not known when Paganini wrote his variations, but his +themes were most probably taken from the first version of the opera. + +_Variazioni di Bravura per Violino sopra un tema originale con +accompagnamento di Piano o Chitarra._ The theme is that of the +Twenty-fourth Caprice, from Op. 1, and the variations are the same, only +the notation of the eighth is different. The accompaniment, for either +guitar or pianoforte, is extremely simple. There is a short interlude +(called _Tutti_ in Ricordi's edition) of six bars to be played between +the variations. + +_Introduzione e Variazioni sul Tema nel cor piu mi sento per Violino +solo di Nicolo Paganini._ So runs the title in the edition published by +Ricordi and Co. The theme is the duet in Paisiello's opera, _La +Molinara_, which Beethoven also took as a subject for variations (in +1795). Ricordi's publication agrees in every particular with the version +to be found in Guhr's treatise on Paganini's "Art of Playing the +Violin," published in 1831--preface dated Frankfurt, November, 1829. +Guhr[53] heard Paganini many times, closely watched his playing, and +frequently conversed with him on the subject. This piece was written +from memory, and is certainly a great accomplishment; but it can +scarcely be regarded as an authentic version. The introduction is +brilliant, the theme, Andante, G major, six-eight measure, is profusely +ornamented, and each of the seven variations--No. 6 is in G minor, the +others in G major--has some special form of virtuosity. In the third +there are double shakes in harmonics, which Guhr explains. The last is +in widespread ascending and descending arpeggios throughout. The theme +and third variation are written on two staves, one for bowed melody, the +other for left hand pizzicato. + +That Paganini did not always play the piece in the form in which Guhr +wrote it down, is proved by the existence of another manuscript, which +is, perhaps, very little known. It was written by the late Mrs. Tom +Taylor, who gave it to Mr. Alfred Burnett many years ago, and that +gentleman has kindly permitted me to examine it. For this the violin is +tuned a whole tone higher. The Introduction is altogether different, and +the theme much less floridly embellished. The first variation +corresponds to Guhr's No. 2, but the harmonics are not quite the same. +In this the melody floats above tremolando chords. The second, in +outline, resembles Guhr's No. 4, but whereas the latter has alternate +natural notes and harmonics, Mrs. Taylor gives alternations of detached +bowed notes and pizzicati. The third is like Guhr's No. 3, in that it +has short figures in double notes, alternately for fundamental and +harmonic sounds. Guhr's variation consists of twenty-five bars; Mrs. +Taylor's of thirty-one, there being a short cadenza. The fourth +resembles Guhr's No. 7 in the wide-spread arpeggios, but the harmonics +are differently distributed, and the coda is not the same as in +Guhr.[54] + +[Illustration: PLATE 25. (_See Appendix._)] + +[Illustration: PLATE 26. (_See Appendix._)] + +In the Imperial Library, Berlin, there is a manuscript by Paganini, +inscribed "Capriccio a Violino Solo di Nicolo Paganini In cor piu non mi +sento," in which the embellished theme differs from both those already +described. The first page is reproduced in facsimile in Paul Stoeving's +"Story of the Violin," p. 213. Then there is an autograph copy in the +British Museum with this inscription: "In cuor piu non mi sento, Thema +con variazioni per Violino, con Accompagnementi di Violino e Violoncello +Composta da Niccolo Paganini." The piece consists of an Introduction, +Theme and four Variations, and, so far, agrees with Mrs. Taylor's copy. +Finally, Paganini played the piece with the orchestra, as will be seen +from this extract from a programme: "Prelude and Variations on the Tema, +'Nel cor piu non missento,' with orchestral accompaniment, by Signor +Paganini." This was played at the concert of June 27th, 1831, at the +King's Theatre, and the programme from which this extract is taken is in +possession of Mr. Richard Harrison, of Brighton, who most obligingly +copied it for me. + +Duo pour le violon seul. This begins with an Adagio, C major, +three-four measure, with a melody for the bow, and left hand pizzicato +accompaniment. A short Allegro molto follows, in square time, the +pizzicato accompaniment being chiefly in double notes, with occasional +chromatic harmonics. This little piece must have been on sale in London +a year before Paganini arrived, for the following anecdote was in print +in May, 1830. "A few days since, a footman went into Mori's music shop +to buy a fiddle string. While he was making his choice a gentleman +entered the shop, and began to examine various compositions for the +violin. Among the rest he found Paganini's celebrated _Merveille--duo +pour un seul Violon_ and, perceiving the difficulties in which it +abounded, asked the shopman if he thought that Mori himself could +play it. The young man, a little perplexed and unwilling to imply that +his master's powers had any limits, at length replied, that he had no +doubt he could perform it, provided he practised it for a week. Upon +which the footman, who stood intent upon the conversation, broke in on +the discourse and swore that Mori could do no such thing, for that he +himself had been practising the piece for three weeks and could not play +it yet." + +Trois Airs Varies pour le Violon, pour etre executes sur la Quatrieme +Corda seulement, avec accompagnement de Piano par Gustavo Carulli. Fetis +says these are merely souvenirs arranged by the author of the +accompaniments.[55] Antonio Minasi includes them in the lists of works +performed by Paganini in England. The fourth string is to be raised to +A, for all three. The first is in C, with two easy variations; the +second, in G, resembles a folk song, and has three variations; the +third, in C, also has three variations. The first two are marked +Andante; the third, Andantino. The accompaniments are of the easiest +song kind. + +Le Charme de Padua, Divertimento pour Violon et Piano concertant, +compose par Nicolo Paganini. This piece was published in London before +the date of Paganini's first concert, and possibly before the arrival of +that artist in England. It was issued by a firm of repute, Wessel and +Stodar, who were the first publishers in England of the works of Chopin. +The music was reviewed in _The Harmonicon_, June 1831, the notice +concluding thus: "It perhaps is a bagatelle on which he (Paganini) has +bestowed little time and less thought. It certainly is a flimsy affair, +and might have been produced by the dullest and most mechanical +_repieno_ in the band of a suburb (_sic_) theatre." The piece consists +of a Larghetto and Presto, in C major, the slow introduction being in +six-eight rhythm, the Presto in six-four. There is one principal theme +in the first part, given out by the violin and repeated by the +pianoforte, a simple melody, with embellishments. The Presto is in Rondo +form, with leading theme for pianoforte, continued by violin, and +relieved by an episode contrasted in character. The music is not great, +but unprejudiced musicians will scarcely endorse the captious remarks of +the reviewer. The firm of Edwin Ashdown (successor to Wessel) publish +the composition, also a version by S. Godbe for viola and pianoforte. In +this the themes are written an octave lower, and modifications occur in +double-stops, and so forth, to suit the viola. There is likewise an +arrangement for flute and pianoforte, by J. Sedlazek. It is not stated +by whom the pianoforte part was written, but it is very well done, and +is not a mere accompaniment. + + +WORKS UNPUBLISHED, OR LOST. + +Concerto in D minor. Fetis terms this a magnificent concerto; it was +performed by Paganini at the first concert he gave in Paris, March 25th, +1831, and that seems to be all that is known about the piece. Concerto +in E minor. This was in three movements; Allegro maestoso; Adagio +flebile, con sentimento; Rondo, Andantino Gajo, "with a triangle +accompaniment." It was played by Paganini at the King's Theatre, June +13th, 1831. Concerto in E major. The three movements of this piece were; +Allegro Marziale; Cantabile Spianato; and Polacca brillante. Paganini +played this concerto at his concert, July 4th, 1831. Concerto in two +movements. This was a medley. The one movement, Cantabile a doppie +corde, was by Paganini; the other, Ronda scherzoso, by Rodolphe +Kreutzer. Played, August 17th, 1831. + +Four Concertos, of which the instrumentation was not written. Of these +nothing seems now to be known. Fetis says that the last of the four was +composed at Nice a short time before the death of Paganini. + +Concerto for bassoon, with string trio accompaniment. This was +discovered at Stockholm in 1890, and the manuscript was said to be in +the composer's hand-writing. The announcement of the discovery will be +found in _The Musical Times_, of November, 1890, page 681. I have found +no further reference to the subject. + +Nine Quartets for Violin, Viola, Violoncello and Guitar. These are in +the list drawn up by Constabile as being among the manuscripts preserved +by the son of the composer. It is impossible now to say where these +manuscripts are; the first three seem completely lost. A copy, probably +unique, of the Quartets, Nos. 10 to 15, is among the treasures in the +possession of Mr. Alfred Burnett, and by his kindness I am enabled to +give a description of the music. Five of the Quartets, Nos. 10 to 14, +were composed and dedicated "Al suo Amico Il Sig. Avvocato Luigi +Guglielmo Germi." No. 14 was composed "expressly" for that friend. The +Quartets dedicated to Germi might be designated "house music," for +though they are difficult, they do not seem to have been written for the +"great public." They contain the most lovely music Paganini ever penned. +If only the guitar were once more in fashion, these pieces might be +heard, and I feel certain they would charm lovers of pure melody.[56] +But this is to anticipate. + +Quartet, No. 10, in A major, in four movements (as indeed are five out +of the six). Allegro, A major, four-four rhythm, in free sonata form, +with first and second subject--both lyrical--middle modulatory section, +and recapitulation. The violin has the melody, the other instruments +accompanying. Minuetto Scherzo, Allegretto, A major, three-four measure, +with first short strain on a figure in triplets. Trio in D major, +Cantabile theme for violin, doubled by the viola in the octave below. +Adagio Cantabile, D major, two-four rhythm. A melody that might be +signed Haydn or Mozart, but embellished with a grace peculiar to Italian +art. Here the violin is the solo instrument, the others supporting with +rich harmonies, the 'cello emphasising the rhythm with frequent +pizzicato notes. Rondo Andantino con brio, A major, two-four measure, a +bright, sparkling principal theme, staccato, with contrasting episodes, +one in D, with fourth string phrases, also with brilliant passages in +thirds for the violin, which again has all the thematic work. This is a +well developed movement. + +Quartet, No. 11, in B major. For this the guitar is tuned a tone higher, +the _capo tasto_ raising the E strings to F sharp, and the guitar part +is written in the open key of A. The first movement, Allegro moderato, B +major, four-four rhythm is free in form, with repeat of the first part. +The thematic material is assigned chiefly to the violin, but in the +second part there is an episode, a sort of folk-tune, given to the +violoncello. Minuetto, Allegretto, B major, three-four, with Trio in G +major. The melodies are fresh, and move step-wise, very much like those +in the Minuet of Beethoven's first Symphony. They are in scale +formation, up and down, and there is only one skip of a third in the +first sixteen bars. Again the violin takes all the themes. Larghetto con +passione, F sharp minor, six-eight measure, a Lament, a fine expressive +theme, opening nobly, but with the elevated style not maintained +throughout. The viola and violoncello parts are in keeping with the +pathetic feeling of the movement, but the rhythmic figure of the guitar +part detracts from its dignity. Polacca, Andantino mosso, B major, +three-four measure, a well-written movement, with three clearly defined +subjects, two of which are taken up by the viola and violoncello. The +violin part in this quartet is brilliant, but not particularly +difficult; there is no double-stopping, excepting in chords of +accompaniment. + +Quartet, No. 12, in A minor. This number is in three movements only. +The first, Allegro giusto, A minor, four-four rhythm, is quite +orchestral in character, and opens with a theme of symphonic breadth. +There is science displayed in the development of this movement. In the +first part the second subject is in C major, and in the recapitulation +in A major. The slow movement, Adagio tenuto, con precisione, C major, +three-four measure, has at first a very broad and declamatory theme for +the violin. The writing becomes very elaborate, and the rhythmic +figuration complex, passages with four and five-stroke notes occurring. +The Finale, Minuetto, Allegretto mosso, is a fully developed movement +quite in sonata form, with first part repeated. The exposition has a +first subject of two extended members, the second in the major mode. The +second subject, in E, is well contrasted. There is a long working out +section, with episodial matter, and the recapitulation is very happily +led up to. The music has a lilt that is irresistible, and the writing is +interesting for each instrument. + +Quartet, No. 13, in F. The first movement, Allegro con brio, F major, +four-four time, opens with a theme of a declamatory type, and the +expression is dramatic. The second subject in C, is in the style of the +Italian _aria_, concluding with the lively _Cabaletta_ strain. A short +_Coda_ ends the first part. In the working out section there is an +important episodial theme for the violoncello, and in the recapitulation +the second subject, now in F, is allotted to the viola, the violin +taking up the _Cabaletta_. Both parts are marked for repetition. +Minuetto, Allegretto, F major, three-four measure. The violin has the +theme of the first strain of eight bars repeated; the violoncello +responds with the subject of the next strain of twenty-five bars, one +phrase lengthened to five bars. The Trio in B flat has a tripping theme +for the viola, legato and staccato bowing in the same "figure." Later +the phrases are broken into dialogue for violin and viola. In the Minuet +the guitar has a "second" to the violin melody. Larghetto tenuto, con +anima, D flat major, six-eight rhythm, a broad, cantabile theme for the +violin, with spare embellishment. The movement must be slow, for there +are arpeggios of eight notes to the quaver beat in the guitar part. +Finale, Prestissimo, F major, two-two measure. The theme for the violin +resembles very much some of those merry "tributary" motives found +in Mozart's symphonies towards the close of the first part of a +movement--the "Jupiter," first movement for instance. The second subject +affords contrast. The whole is most spirited and light-hearted. Paganini +must have been in a happy mood when he wrote this quartet. + +Quartet, No. 14, in A major. The first movement, Allegro maestoso, A +major, four-four measure, is very brilliant, opening with a theme in +which arpeggio and scale figures abound. This closes in B, and the +second subject begins in E. Here occurs some very free chromatic +writing, suggestive of Richard Strauss, as, for instance, D sharp for +violoncello against E flat for guitar and viola; and C natural opposed +to B sharp. But it is a mere matter of spelling. The first part ends in +E, and is marked for repetition. Then, with a single prefatory chord of +E minor, the working out section begins in C, with a new motive, which +passes through a number of keys, the primary returning with the second +subject. Minuetto, Scherzo affettuoso, A major, three-four. The subject +is based on a three-note figure, giving, by cross accents, to the +four-bar phrase the effect of a six-bar phrase in duple measure--Tempo +rubato. The Trio, in D, has a theme in triple measure, but the middle +sentence has the displaced accents of the Minuet. Largo, con sentimento, +G flat major, four-four measure. For this the pitch of the guitar is +raised a tone, and the part written in E major. The movement is in song +form, the melody opening in stately fashion, but the writing soon +becomes florid. At the second entry the theme begins in A major, the +return to G flat being ingeniously effected. There are some rapid +pizzicato passages for the violoncello. Finale, Allegro vivace, A major, +four-four rhythm. This is a moto perpetuo, sempre staccato, for the +violin. The theme is quite unlike that of the movement known as Op. 11. +After the exposition of the subject, the violin has figure-playing of an +easy kind, while the violoncello has a Cantabile theme. This recurs, and +snatches of it are heard in the brief coda. The other instruments merely +accompany. This quartet has distinct character. + +Quartet, No. 15. The title simply runs: "Composto da Nicola Paganini," +without any dedication. Note the copyist's spelling of the Christian +name. In the first movement, Maestoso, A minor, four-four measure, the +first subject is given out by the viola. It begins with a mournful, +somewhat stern motive, bold, and with an embellished subordinate theme. +The second subject, also assigned to the viola, is an impassioned +lyrical theme in C major. In the working out section, the violin takes +the first subject, and joins the violoncello in an episodial theme, the +viola contributing a florid counterpoint. There are modifications in the +recapitulation, but the viola again has the second subject now in the +tonic major. The guitar is busy throughout the movement, with full +chords and extended arpeggios. Minuetto a Canone, Andantino, A major, +three-four measure. The Canon is confined to the violin and viola, the +latter starting with a theme in short, detached figures, the violin +following, an octave higher, one beat later. Guitar and violoncello give +supporting harmonies. In the Trio, in D major, the melody is given to +the guitar, with a pizzicato accompaniment for the other instruments. At +the seventeenth bar, there are again four bars of canon, this time in +the unison, staccato bowing. The Minuet, abbreviated, is then repeated. +The canon is not continuous, a cadence occurring at the end of each +eight bars. Next comes an Interlude, Recitative, Andante sostenuto, con +sentimento, D major. This is for the viola, and extends to twenty-one +bars, the expression being dramatic. The other instruments have a rather +elaborate accompaniment. The slow movement immediately ensues, Adagio +Cantabile, D major, two-four rhythm. The viola has the melody, in the +form of the Italian aria, embellished with prima donna fioriture. The +movement is short, only running to forty-six bars. Rondo, Allegretto, A +minor, two-four. The leading theme, marked by syncopations, is given to +the viola, the violin joining in the repetition. The tonality is +constantly changing from the minor to the major and back again. There is +a new theme in the middle section, and some elaboration before the first +subject returns. The close is abrupt. The viola has the chief part in +this quartet, which is quite different to the others. + +I have only a few notes concerning some of the works yet to be +considered. Dramatic Sonata, "The Storm," for violin and orchestra. +This was evidently a piece of programme music, for it was thus +described:--Part I., the approach of the storm; II., the commencement of +the tempest; III., the prayer; IV., the fury of the sea; V., the +hurricane; VI., the tumult at its height; VII., the stilling of the +tempest; VIII., an outburst of the most lively joy. It was played at +Paganini's third and last concert at Prague, December 20th, 1828, and +one account refers to it as a "dramatic sonata for a full orchestra, +with analogous embellishments and solos and variations, by Paganini on +the fourth string."[57] + +"Sonata Militaire," in G, for the fourth string, theme, the air "Non piu +andrai," from Mozart's opera "Le Nozze di Figaro." This piece was +composed expressly for the second of the two concerts Paganini gave in +Genoa in 1824, when the young singer, Antonia Bianchi, made her debut. +The Sonata was played by Paganini at his first concert in London. All +traces of it appear to have been lost. + +"Napoleon Sonata," for the fourth string. Paganini gave an account of +the origin of this piece to his friend, Julius Schottky, and to what has +already been related in connection therewith may now be added the +further statement he made. Paganini sang to his friend the first +movement of this Sonata "in an animated though feeble tone," and said +that Rossini transferred the theme into one of his earlier operas. It +would be interesting to know the opera in question, but the early works +of Rossini would be searched in vain without the clue afforded by the +Sonata, which appears to have vanished completely. + +"Sonata Maestosa Sentimentale," with variations on a theme by Haydn, for +the fourth string. It is probable that the theme for these variations +was the well-known Emperor's Hymn, and that this Sonata was performed by +Paganini before the Austrian Court in 1828. + +Sonata with variations on a theme from the opera "L'Amor Marinaro." +Nothing is now known of this Sonata, nor of the particular theme chosen +from the opera. "L'Amor Marinaro" (the Corsair in Love) was one of the +early productions of Joseph Weigl, being written in 1798. An opera +buffa, it was distinguished by natural charm, freshness of colouring and +beauty of melody, and to the latter quality Paganini's choice of it must +doubtless be attributed. + +"Chant of the Monks of the Monastery of St. Bernard." This was the title +given to a piece in the programme of a concert at Covent Garden Theatre. +It was performed on a darkened stage and the solemn character of its +music was emphasized by a beautiful scene representing a monastery with +stained glass windows. The introduction, a movement of some length of +the basses in unison, was followed by a chant "of lovely harmonies, +performed in harmonics (I believe, on the fourth strings) in combination +with the wood instruments." Minasi, who gives this account of the piece, +states that he believes it to be merely the second movement of the +Concerto in B minor, Op. 7. + +Cantabile for two strings. This piece was performed at the King's +Theatre, on June 13th, 1831. Possibly it was the same as the musical +fantasia already referred to as played at Lucca under the title of "A +Love Scene." Of the remaining pieces, except the one mentioned below, +nothing seems now to be known save the names. + +The one exception is the piece entitled "The Vagaries of a Farmyard," +which contained a wonderful series of imitations of farmyard sounds. In +this connection the following anecdote, illustrating Paganini's +extraordinary power of portraying curious sounds on his violin, may +be worth repeating. One fine night, when staying at a little inn +just outside Frankfort, he was sitting at his window lost in the +contemplation of the glorious heavens. The striking of a clock broke +through his reverie and called back to his mind an occurrence of which +he had but recently been an ear-witness. He seized his violin, and there +arose on the stillness of the night the moans and cries of a mother and +her new-born babe. The landlord of the inn, awakened by the unusual +sounds and wondering how such visitors had found their way into his +house without his knowledge, called his son and hastened to the room +whence the plaintive cries proceeded; and he found Paganini, too deep in +thought to perceive his entrance, making his violin bring forth these +human sounds. It is stated of Paganini that he was wont to produce his +animal cries under the stress of special excitement or during an access +of fever, and that with his farmyard piece he electrified the audience +at one of the last of his concerts in London. + +FOOTNOTES: + +[52] Lapheleque, p. 45. + +[53] Carl F. W. Guhr, born at Militsch, Silesia, October 30th, 1787, +violinist, pianist and composer, became Director of the Museum Concerts +and Conductor of the Opera at Frankfort-on-the-Main, in which city he +died July 22nd, 1848. + +[54] Mrs. Tom Taylor (_nee_ Laura Wilson Barker) was a fine musician, a +composer, and almost phenomenal performer on the pianoforte and the +violin. She played with both Spohr and Paganini, and took down this set +of variations after hearing Paganini play them twice. She died at +Coleshill, Bucks, May 22nd, 1905, at the advanced age of eighty-six. + +[55] Gustavo Carulli was the son of the celebrated guitarrist, +Ferdinando Carulli, and was born at Leghorn in 1801. + +[56] They were performed at the private quartet concerts given by Mr. +Burnett in the Art Club, Blackheath, from about the year 1893 onward. + +[57] _The Quarterly Musical Magazine and Review_, Vol. X., p. 205. + + + + +CHAPTER XII. + + +This may have been the concert at which, according to a lithograph,[58] +Paganini received "the homage of five thousand persons after having +pocketed L2,000 for two hours' performance." While the great world +showed their appreciation of his playing in this way, and Royal patrons +delighted to invest him with noble orders, the more humble admirers of +Paganini caused medals to be struck in his honour. One of these, a +tribute from the city of Vienna, has already been referred to; another +very fine medal, struck in Paris during Paganini's first visit there in +1831 is reproduced here. The inscription round Paganini's head fills one +with a strangely ironical feeling, when one remembers that the fame of +Paganini did but survive to lead to the homage of exhumation. + +[Illustration: _Plate 27.--See Appendix._ + +MEDAL STRUCK IN PAGANINI'S HONOUR IN 1831.] + +True, the world has remembered him sufficiently to place memorial +tablets on the houses where he was born and died. Fifty years after his +death a tablet was affixed to the house wherein he breathed his last, +and at the centenary celebration of his birth the following inscription +was placed on the house wherein he first saw the light: "A great honour +fell to the lot of this modest house, in which, on the 27th October, +1782, Nicolo Paganini, unsurpassed in the divine art of tone, was born, +to the glory of Genoa and to the delight of the world." At present one +may enquire in vain of most Genoese people as to the position of +Paganini's birthplace, and chance alone will direct one, who trusts to +them for the information, to the slum quarter and the narrow street +where the building stands. Difficult though it may be, however, to find +this spot, it is an easy task to find the Palazzo Municipale where +reposes the famous Guarnerius violin of Paganini. + +This superb instrument, bequeathed to the city of Genoa by Paganini +himself, has been most carefully preserved by the civic authorities. +It has only twice been heard in public--once at the 1882 +celebrations--since Paganini's death, and on both occasions it was +played by his favourite pupil Sivori. It was carefully examined and +photographed by Mr. Edward Heron-Allen in 1885, and a very interesting +account was given by him[59] of the manner in which the violin was worn +away by Paganini's peculiar method of playing. After describing its +general condition he says, "The patch by the side of the tailpiece and +the large wear on the back tell of the force with which he held the +instrument in those high and pizzicato passages, which account for the +long groove down the side of the fingerboard and the broad patch at the +side of the neck, on the table of the instrument. The wearing away of +the edges in the curves of the instrument bear a striking testimony to +the force with which he sawed the gut in his bravura passages on the +first and fourth strings." In the same glass case as the violin is +placed the medal presented to Paganini by the Decurional Council of +Genoa in 1834. On the reverse it bears this inscription:-- + + Nic. Paganino, Fidicini, cui nemo par fuit civique bene mecrenti + A.D. MDCCCXXXIIII. + +Such outward honours as the world gives to its dead have indeed been +offered to the memory of Paganini; but it is doubtful whether the higher +honour of a frank recognition by the musical world of the work that +he did for it, has ever been his. Unlike the great composer the +instrumentalist leaves behind him no visible proof of the part he has +played in the development of his art. And the world has easily forgotten +that from the day of Paganini not only was the violin transformed into a +new instrument, not only were its capabilities, previously undreamt of, +newly revealed, but also in other branches of musical art, in orchestral +music especially, a fresh field was opened up before the composer. It is +scarcely too much to say that the scores of Tchaikovsky and Richard +Strauss could not have been written, had Paganini never lived. We do not +desire to see another Paganini, so complete a slave to his instrument, +albeit its master; we do not desire to see another such life, with +bodily health and moral vigour sacrificed to so absorbing a devotion to +one single end. We would fain believe that Nicolo Paganini did not live +in vain, that like a real artist he had and fulfilled his mission, that +the evil he did died with him and that the good lives on to benefit the +world. + + THE END. + +FOOTNOTES: + +[58] Reproduced on page 144. + +[59] _The Musical Times_, May 1st, 1886. + + + + +APPENDIX. + +NOTES ON THE ILLUSTRATIONS IN THIS VOLUME. + + +_Plate 1_--Frontispiece. + +Portrait of NICOLO PAGANINI, by Maurin, a French Artist. Free from +caricature, it is probably the most authentic picture of the great +virtuoso. It appeared in the seventh volume of the "Revue Musicale." + +_Plate 2_--Facing page 4. + +THE BIRTHPLACE OF THE CELEBRATED PAGANINI in the Passo di Gatto Moro, +Genoa, Italy. The house is in a squalid neighbourhood--a dirty, narrow +alley now occupied by the poorest of the city. Probably no worse than at +the time of Paganini's birth. There is a tablet which reads as +follows:-- + + Alta ventura sortita ad umile luogo + in questa casa + il giorno XXVII di Ottobre dell' anno + MDCCLXXXII + Nacque + a decoro di Genova a delizia del mondo + Nicolo Paganini + nella divina arte dei suoni insuperato maestro. + +The date 1782 given here confirms the latest research that Paganini was +born in that year and not in 1784 so usually quoted. + +_Plate 3_--Facing page 14. + +PAGANINI'S VIOLIN, BOW, CASE, ETC., in the Municipal Museum at Genoa. +This is the celebrated Joseph Guarnerius on which the great virtuoso +invariably performed. The instrument is under a glass shade, and with +other relics of Paganini, preserved in a strong safe. It is stated that +L5,000 has, in vain, been offered for the violin. + +_Plate 4_--Facing page 20. + +THIS IS ANOTHER CARICATURE--Paganini performing on a tight rope--under +which is printed "Exercices sur une seule corde,"--in reference to his +one string solos. This was published by Mori and Lavenu, London, circa +1831. + +_Plate 5_--Facing page 40. + +This is, we believe, from a contemporary German picture. + +_Plate 6_--Facing page 50. + +This humorous picture is on the title-page of a comic song, "The +wonderful Paganini, or London fiddling mad." The poetry by W. T. +Moncrieff, Esq., and the melody by one of the first composers of the +day! London, published by Leoni Lee, circa 1831. The "poetry" is not of +a classical standard. + + "What a hubbub! what a fuss! all London sure are frantic Sirs, + The Prince of Fiddlers has arriv'd, great Paganini has come. + So wonderful, exorbitant, so frightful, so romantic, Sirs, the + world of Music at his mighty presence are struck dumb. + So firm his touch, so fine his stop, everyone must own his sway, + Great King King of Catgut! Agitato! presto! Who but he Sirs, + Mori, Spagnoletti, now must second fiddle play, Sirs-- + Glory be to Tweedle dum! Success to Tweedle dee! Sirs-- + Such golden sounds, he from one string can draw, no sum can pay + him, Sirs, + Germany, France, Italy, combined his fame to puff + The prices must be doubled, all the world crowd to survey him, Sirs, + Four thousand pounds a night to pay him is not half enough, + Sixpences, none, after this, must dare call fiddlers' money Sirs. + Thousands, tens of thousands, must the wondrous man reward," + etc., etc., + and so on for five verses! + +_Plate 7_--Facing page 54. + +SIGR. PAGANINI. During one of his performances at the King's Theatre, +June, 1831. From a contemporary lithograph of the celebrated sketch by +D. Maclise, R.A., now in the Foster Collection, South Kensington Museum. +In the background are J. B. Cramer, Lindley, Dragonetti, Mori, etc. This +is, perhaps, the most interesting print of the great violinist. It was +published on July 12th, 1831, by W. Spooner, 259, Regent Street, London. + +_Plate 8_--Facing page 60. + +Reproduction of the celebrated Statuette (caricature), by Dainton. + +_Plate 9_--Facing page 66. + +PAGANINI WITH THE VIOLIN, Rossini at the pianoforte and the celebrated +prima-donna Pasta. (Jos. McGuire, delt., printed by Englemann & Co.), +circa 1832. + +_Plate 10_--Facing page 76. + +A COPY OF THE ORIGINAL OIL PAINTING OF PAGANINI in the Municipal Museum +at Genoa. The face full of intellect, shows the ravages of the disease +which was so soon to terminate his existence. + +_Plate 11_--Facing page 80. + +THE HOUSE AT NICE IN WHICH PAGANINI DIED on the 27th May, 1840. It was +formerly the residence of the Count de Sessol. The lower part has been +converted into shops. + +_Plate 12_--Facing page 80. + +THE TABLET, with inscription, fixed on the front of the house, Rue de la +Prefecture, Nice, France. + +_Plate 13_--Facing page 84. + +THE TOMB OF PAGANINI AT PARMA. Neither religious nor political martyr +ever had so many objections made to his obsequies. To the cemetery, near +Parma, in November, 1876, the embalmed remains of Paganini were +transposed from the family villa at Gaione, by order of his son, the +Baron Achille (who died in December, 1895). The funeral was held at +night by torchlight. A nephew, the Baron Attila Paganini, followed, and +crowds of curious sightseers joined the procession. In 1893 there was +erected the beautiful mausoleum which is now depicted from the only +known photograph, taken expressly for THE STRAD. It bears this +inscription:-- + + Qui riposano le ceneri + di Nicolo Paganini + Che traendo dal violino armonie divine + Scosse genio insuperabile tutta Europa + e cinse all'Italia, + Nuova sfolgorante corona. + + Mente elettissima + Compose stupendamente in musica + Ammirato dai piu illustri maestri. + + Cuore oltremodo generoso + dono largamente + ai parenti, agli artisti ai poveri. + +Beneath this cupola of white marble, with its granite columns, may the +ashes of Paganini rest in peace. His true remains--his reputation, his +influence, his music, are with us for ever. + +_Plate 14_--Facing page 90. + +PAGANINI IN PRISON. One of the many scandals which is contradicted in +the text. (See page 90.) There is another prison story that during +Paganini's incarceration, he was reduced to the G, in consequence of the +other strings having broken--hence his wonderful development of the +fourth. This is again apocryphal. Paganini has greater claim to a +scientific knowledge of the acoustical property of strings. + +_Plates 15, 16, and 17_, see pages 101, 102, and 103, + +are reproductions of Paganini's MSS. in the British Museum. No. 15, a +letter (dated April 16th, 1832, and in French) thanking the person +addressed, for kindness shown to his "cher fils Achille," Nos. 16 (dated +February 19th, 1835) and 17 (dated May 5th, 1838); short notes (in +Italian) are interesting autographs. Paganini was proverbially a "silent +man"--his epistles are very rare. + +_Plates 18, 19, 20, 21, and 22_--Pages 129-133. + +These reproductions of rare programmes tell their own tales--they are +interesting, because there are seen the items and the arrangement of +concerts, also the prices, for admission, etc.--in those years. + +_Plate 23_--Facing page 136. + +FACSIMILE OF A LETTER BY PAGANINI, dated 1829. It was formerly in the +possession of the late Mr. Carrodus, the great English violinist. + +_Plate 24_--Facing page 144. + +A SEMI-CARICATURE OF PAGANINI with the inscription. + + The Modern Apollo (not Belvedere) + Receiving the homage of 5,000 persons, after having pocketed + L2,000 for two hours' performance. + +Sketched at his last Concert at the King's Theatre. Published by G. +Madeley, Wellington Street, Strand, 1831. + +_Plates 25 and 26_, see pages 176 and 177. + +Reproductions of music MS. in British Museum. A Theme, with variations +for violin, with accompaniment, is a curious example of the great +master's compositions. + +_Plate 27_--Facing page 190. + +COPY OF A RARE COPPER MEDAL struck in Paganini's honor in 1831. + + + + +BIBLIOGRAPHY. + + +The extraordinary career of Paganini has received more attention than +the life of any other instrumentalist. Of these biographies, it is +impossible to give a complete list. + +The following may, however, be commended. + + "Paganini in seinem Reisewagen und Zimmer, in seinen redseligen + Stunden, in gesellsschaftlichen Kirkeln, und seinen Concerten." + Brunswick, Vieweg, 1830. Mr. George Harris, the writer of this + pamphlet, was an Englishman, who in order to study Paganini, became + the Violinist's secretary and interpreter. + + "Leben, Charakter und Kunst N. Paganini's--Eine Skizze,"--by M. F. + Shuetz, a Professor at Halle. Leipzig, 1830. + + "Paganini's Leben und Treiben als Kuenstler und als Mensch." Prague, + 1830. Written by Professor Schottky. + + "Paganini's Leben und Charakter," by M. L. Vinela. Hamburg, 1830. + + "Notice sur le celebre violoniste Nicolo Paganini," by M. J. Imbert + de Laphaleque. Paris. + + "Paganini et de Beriot, ou Avis aux artistes qui se destinent a + l'enseignement du Violon," by F. Fayolle. Paris, 1831. + + "Paganini, his life, his person, and a few words upon his secret," + by J. L. Anders. Paris, 1831. + + "Vita di Nicolo Paganini di Genova, scritta ed illustrata da + Giancarlo Conestabile, socio di varie Academie." Perugia, 1831. + + "Nicolo Paganini," by F. J. Fetis. Published by Schott and Co. + + "L'Album." "Paganini." Rome, 1840. + + "Good Words." Three articles by Rev. H. R. Haweis, M.A. + + "Musical Gem." "Paganini." Portrait by R. J. Hamerton. London, + 1832. + + "The Violin," with some account of that leading instrument and its + most eminent professors, by George Dubourg, 1836 and 1878. This + interesting book contains a long account of Paganini (illustrated.) + + "Life of Moscheles." Two vols. 1873. In Vol. I., chapters 13 and + 14, "Paganini." + + "Louis Spohr's Autobiography," _vide_ "Paganini," Vol. I., page + 279, and Vol. II., page 168. Spohr says: "His (Paganini's) left + hand and his constantly pure intonation were to me astonishing." + + "Dictionary of Music and Musicians," by Sir George Grove, D.C.L., + _vide_ article Paganini. + + "Encyclopaedie der gesammten musicalischen Wissenschaften," by Dr. + Gustav Schilling. Article Paganini. + + Dr. Riemann's "Dictionary of Music," article Paganini. + + "The Strad," various articles and paragraphs in the series of this + journal. + + "The Violin," by George Hart. Engravings of Paganini's Violin. + + "Old Violins and their Makers," by James M. Fleming. + + "Ole Bull," by Sara C. Bull. Various notices of Paganini. + + "Musical Opinion," July, August, and September, 1888. A renowned + fiddler (Paganini.) Three articles by Richard Harrison. + + "Musical News," 1903. + + "A Wooden Shoe" (Story of Paganini) by M. P. Audebrand. + + "Paganiniana," (circa 1865.) + + "Troubadour," August, 1899. Paganini, by Richard Harrison. + + "The Athenaeum," 1831. Critiques on Paganini. + + "The Tatler," 1831. + + "An account of Paganini's debut in London," June 3rd, 1831, by Mr. + Gardner of Leicester, appears in Dubourg's "Violin." + + "Paganini's Concerts in Paris." A clever description was published + in "Le Globe." + + "Foreign Quarterly Review" (circa 1832). + + "Catalogue of Paganini's compositions," by M. Conestabile. + + Paganini's works are published by Ricordi and Co., of Milan, and + Schott and Co., of Mayence and London. + + "Revue et Gazette Musicale de Paris," December 23rd, 1840. Article + Paganini. + + "Story of the Violin," by Paul Stoeving. + + "The Quarterly Musical Magazine and Review," Vol. X. + + "Ueber Paganini's Kunst, die Violine zu spielen," by Carl F. W. + Guhr, original edition 1831. Modern. Schott and Co. + + "Biographical Sketches of Celebrated Violinists." London: Bentley, + publisher. + + "Celebrated Violinists, Past and Present." Translated from the + German of A. Ehrlich, and edited with notes and additions by Robin + H. Legge (eighteen pages devoted to Paganini). Portraits. STRAD + Office, London. + + "Notice of Antony Stradivari," by F. J. Fetis. Translated by John + Bishop. London, 1864. + + "The Harmonicon." An excellent musical journal. Published in London + (contemporary with Paganini). + + "The Life of Rossini," by Sutherland Edwards. + + "History of Music," by Emil Naumann. 2 vols. Cassell and Co., + London, 1886. + + "Life and Letters of Sir Charles Halle." Paganini is mentioned by a + musical amateur (Count de Stendhal), 1814 and 1817. + + "Diary of an Invalid," by Mathews, 1818. + + "History of the Violin," by William Sandys and S. A. Forster, 1864. + + "Old Violins," by Rev. H. R. Haweis, M.A. 1898. + + "Researches into the History of the Violin Family," by Carl Engel. + 1883. + + "Musical World." 1836. + + "Musical and Personal Recollections," by Henry Phillips, 1864. + + "Music and Manners in France and Germany," by Henry F. Chorley. + 1841. + + "The Student's History of Music," by F. L. Ritter. 1880. + + +Collectors will be interested in the Medals and Busts of Paganini. + +The English and Continental contemporary Press notices, etc., would +alone make a Paganini volume. + +Of Paganini, there are many portraits, though too generally caricatures. +M. Fetis, in his Life of Paganini, gives a short but incomplete +catalogue. Those included in this volume have been carefully selected +from contemporary prints, etc. + + + + +ADVERTISEMENTS + + +"THE STRAD" LIBRARY No. I. + + +_Crown 8vo., Cloth, 2/6, Post Free, 2/9._ + +_"THE STRAD" LIBRARY EDITION is the only Authorised Edition of_ + + Technics of Violin Playing + ON + JOACHIM'S METHOD + + BY + CARL COURVOISIER, + + With Folding Plates, containing Fifteen Illustrations. + + +LETTER FROM DR. JOACHIM. + +[COPY.] + +MY DEAR MR. COURVOISIER: I have read the book on Violin Playing you have +sent me, and have to congratulate you sincerely on the manner in which +you have performed a most difficult task, _i.e._, to describe the best +way of arriving at a correct manner of playing the violin. + +It cannot but be welcome to thoughtful teachers, who reflect on the +method of our art, and I hope that your work will prove useful to many +students. + +Believe me, my dear Mr. Courvoisier, to be most faithfully yours, + + JOSEPH JOACHIM. + +Berlin, November 3rd, 1894. + + +The New and Revised Edition of "Technics of Violin Playing," issued by +THE STRAD, is the only authorised edition of my work. The several +English Editions which have all appeared without my knowledge are +_incomplete_ and _faulty_. + + CARL COURVOISIER. + + + + +"THE STRAD" LIBRARY, No. II. + + +_Crown 8vo., Cloth, 2/6, Post Free, 2/9._ + + HOW TO STUDY THE VIOLIN + By J. T. CARRODUS. + + +CONTENTS. + +Strings and Tuning. The Bow and Bowing. Faults and their Correction. +Scales and their Importance. Course of Study. Advice on Elementary +Matters. Concerning Harmonics, Octaves, etc. Orchestral Playing. Some +Experiences as a Soloist. With full page portraits of Carrodus, Molique, +Paganini, Spohr, Sivori, De Beriot, Blagrove and Sainton, and a +photo-reproduction of Dr. Spohr's testimonial to Carrodus. + + +"An interesting series of articles 'How to Study the Violin,' which +Carrodus contributed to THE STRAD, and completed only a week or two +before his death, have now been collected in cheap book form. The +technical hints to violin students, which are practical, plainly worded, +and from such a pen most valuable."--_Daily News._ + +"But a few weeks before his sudden death the most distinguished of +native violinists completed in THE STRAD a series of chats to students +of the instrument associated with his name. These chats are now +re-issued, with a sympathetic preface and instructive annotations. All +who care to listen to what were virtually the last words of such a +conscientious teacher will recognise the pains taken by Carrodus to +render every detail as clear to the novice as to the advanced pupil. +Pleasant gossip concerning provincial festivals at which Carrodus was +for many years 'leader' of the orchestra, ends a little volume worthy a +place in musical libraries both for its practical value and as a memento +of the life-work of an artist universally esteemed."--_Daily Chronicle._ + +"It is surely, hardly necessary to direct the attention of students to +the unique value of the hints and advice given by so experienced and +accomplished a virtuoso as the late Mr. Carrodus, so that it only +remains to state that the 'Recollections' make delightful reading, and +that the book, as a whole, is as entertaining as it is instructive. The +value of the _brochure_ is enhanced by an excellent portrait of Mr. +Carrodus, as well as of a number of other violin worthies, and the +printing, paper, and get up generally are good as could possibly +be."--_Musical Answers._ + + + + +"THE STRAD" LIBRARY, No. III. + +_Crown 8vo, Cloth, 2/6, Post Free, 2/9._ + + THE BOW + Its History, Manufacture and Use + + BY + HENRY SAINT-GEORGE. + +With Full Page Illustrations (exact size) by Photo Process. + + +MONS. EMILE SAURET writes--"I have read it with great interest, and +think that it supplies a real want in giving musicians such an excellent +description of all matters referring to this important instrument." + +SIGNOR GUIDO PAPINI writes--"Thanks so much for your splendid and +interesting book. You are quite successful and all the artists and +amateurs are indebted to you for so exact and correct a '_Texte_' on the +subject." + +ADOLF BRODSKY writes--"I am delighted with the book and find it very +instructive, even for those who think to know everything about the bow. +It is very original and at times very amusing. No violinist should miss +the opportunity to buy it." + +THE TIMES--"A useful treatise on the Bow, in which the history, +manufacture and use of the bow are discussed with considerable technical +knowledge." + +DAILY TELEGRAPH--"To the student there is much of interest in the work, +which has the advantage of being copiously illustrated." + +DAILY NEWS--"This book seems practically to exhaust its subject." + + + + +_"THE STRAD" LIBRARY, No. IV._ + +_Crown 8vo., Cloth, 5/-, Post Free, 5/4._ + + CELEBRATED VIOLINISTS: + PAST AND PRESENT, + + _Translated from the German of_ + A. EHRLICH, + + _And Edited with Notes and Additions by_ + ROBIN H. LEGGE. + +_WITH EIGHTY-NINE PORTRAITS._ + + +PRESS NOTICES. + +"Those who love their fiddles better than their fellows, and who +treasure up every detail that can be found and recorded about their +favourite and cherished players, will not fail to provide themselves +with a copy of this book."--_Musical Opinion._ + +"This book of 280 pages is a most interesting and valuable addition to +the violinist's library. It contains 89 biographical sketches of +well-known artists, ancient and modern, of all nations. This is not +intended to be a perfect dictionary of violinists; the aim of the Editor +of the present volume being merely to give a few more up-to-date details +concerning some of the greatest of stringed instrument players, and we +must concede that no name of the first importance has been omitted. +Germany is represented by 21 names, Italy by 13, France by 10, England +by 4, Bohemia by 8, Belgium by 7, and the fair sex by seven well-known +ladies, such as Teresina Tua, Therese and Marie Milanollo, Lady Halle, +Marie Soldat, Gabrielle Wietrowetz, and Arma Senkrah. Altogether this is +most agreeable reading to the numerous army of violinists, both +professionals and amateurs, and after careful examination we can find +nothing but praise for this translation into English of a book well +known on the Continent."--_The Piano, Organ and Music Trades Journal._ + + + + +"THE STRAD" LIBRARY, No. V. + +_Crown 8vo., Cloth, 2/6, Post Free, 2/9._ + + TECHNICS OF + VIOLONCELLO PLAYING + + BY + E. VAN DER STRAETEN. + +COPIOUSLY ILLUSTRATED. + + +_Copy of Letter received by the Author from the great 'cellist, SIGNOR +ALFRED PIATTI._ + + Cadenabbia, Lake of Como, March 9th, 1898. + +DEAR SIR,--I received the book you kindly sent me on "The Technics of +Violoncello Playing," which I found excellent, particularly for +beginners, which naturally was your scope. With many thanks for kindly +remembering an old ex-violoncello player. + + Believe me, yours sincerely, + ALFRED PIATTI. + +_Copy of Letter received by the Author from the eminent 'cellist, HERR +DAVID POPPER._ + + Budapest, February 22nd, 1898. + +DEAR SIR,--In sending me your book on "The Technics of Violoncello +Playing" you have given me a real and true pleasure. I know of no work, +tutors and studies not excepted, which presents so much valuable +material, so much that is absolutely to the point, avoiding--I might +say, on principle--all that is superfluous and dispensable. Every +earnest thinking violoncello student will in future make your book his +own and thereby receive hints which will further and complete the +instructions of his master. + +I congratulate you and ourselves most heartily on the new violoncello +book. With kind regards, Yours most sincerely, + + DAVID POPPER. + + + + +"THE STRAD" LIBRARY, No. VI. + +_Crown 8vo., Cloth, 2/6, Post Free, 2/9._ + + VIOLIN PLAYING + + BY + JOHN DUNN. + + +CONTENTS + +INTRODUCTORY--Qualities indispensable to the ideal Violinist--Hints on +the Choice of a Teacher--Some Tricks of pretending professors exposed. + +ON THE CHOICE OF A VIOLIN AND BOW--Advice regarding general adjustment +and repairs. + +ON THE CHOICE OF STRINGS--Stringing the Instrument and keeping the Pegs +in Order. + +ON THE GENERAL POSTURE--The manner of holding the Violin and Bow as +accepted by the leading artists of the day. + +ON FINGERING GENERALLY--The various positions--Scales recommended--The +Modern Orchestral "Principal" or (so-called) Leader. + +ON GLIDING--Special Characteristics of some of the most Eminent Players. + +DOUBLE STOPPING--The main difficulty in Double Stopping--How to gain +Independence of Finger. + +BOWINGS--Smooth Bowings--Solid Staccato--Spiccato--Spring Bow--Mixed +Bowings. + +TONE PRODUCTION--Character of Tone--Rules and Conditions necessary to +produce a good tone--Style and Expression. + + + + +"THE STRAD" LIBRARY, No. VII. + +_Crown 8vo., Cloth, 2/6, Post Free, 2/9._ + + Chats to 'Cello Students + + BY + ARTHUR BROADLEY. + + +"Musicians, devotees of the 'cello in particular, will welcome the +latest volume of THE 'STRAD Library,' 'Chats to 'Cello Students,' by +Arthur Broadley.... Mr. Broadley not only knows what he is talking +about, but has practised what he says. From the choice of an instrument +to finished delivery and orchestral playing, 'Chats to 'Cello Students' +leaves nothing undiscussed. The treatment is simple and practical. The +exhaustive chapter on 'bowing' should be an invaluable aid to students. +In the last chapter of his book, 'On Delivery and Style' Mr. Broadley +has given a lucid expression to a subject which has sadly needed +voicing."--_The Tribune, Nuneaton._ + +"Is a brightly written little volume filled with practical information +for those who seek to bring out the wealth of expression of which the +violoncello is capable. The instruction is presented in homely, +common-sense fashion, and there are upwards of fifty examples in music +type to illustrate the author's meaning."--_Lloyd's Weekly._ + +"Every kind of bowing and fingering, the portamento, harmonic effects, +arpeggios and their evolution from various chords, are all ably treated, +and the work concludes with a few remarks on orchestral playing which +are of especial interest."--_Musical News._ + +"As a writer on the technique of his instrument Mr. Broadley is known +all over the world, perhaps his most successful work being a little book +published by THE STRAD, 'Chats to 'Cello Students.'"--_The Violinist._ + + + + +"THE STRAD" LIBRARY, No. VIII. + +_Crown 8vo., Cloth, 2/6, Post Free, 2/9._ + + ANTONIO STRADIVARI + + BY + HORACE PETHERICK. + +_Of the Music Jury, International Inventions Exhibition, South +Kensington, 1885; International Exhibition, Edinburgh, 1890; Expert in +Law Courts, 1891; President of the Cremona Society._ + +ILLUSTRATED BY THE AUTHOR. + + +"This is the history of the life-work of the great Italian stringed +musical instrument maker.... There is a most interesting analysis of +Stradivari's method of mechanical construction which again is +illustrated by original drawings from the many Strads which it has been +Mr. Petherick's privilege to examine. All lovers of the king of +instruments will read this delightful little volume."--_Reynolds._ + +"Among makers of violins Stradivari perhaps occupies the premier +position, and this account of his work, designs, and variations in +finish of details will afford pleasure to many readers."--_Morning +Post._ + +"This is a monograph which all students of the violin will be happy to +possess. The author is a connoisseur and expert, and his account of the +great Cremonese master and his life-work, is singularly well and clearly +told, whilst the technical descriptions and diagrams cannot fail to +interest everyone who has fallen under the spell of the violin.... Mr. +Petherick traces the career of Stradivari from his earliest insight into +the mysteries of the craft to his highest achievements. Numerous +illustrations lend attraction to the volume, not the least being a view +of Stradivari's atelier, from a painting by Rinaldi, the sketch of which +was made on the premises."--_Music._ + +"Mr. Petherick is well known in the musical world as a violin expert +with a special knowledge of the instruments made by the Cremonese +master, whose biography he has here given us. He tells us how the master +worked, what his pupils did, and where their work differs from that of +their preceptor. In fact, the volume is as much a dissertation on the +violins of Stradivari as a biography of the master, and is full of +deeply interesting matter."--_Lloyds._ + + + + +"THE STRAD" LIBRARY, No. IX. + +_Crown 8vo., Cloth, 5/-, Post Free, 5/4._ + + VIOLIN MAKING + + BY + WALTER H. MAYSON, + +With Thirty-one Full-page PHOTO ETCHINGS, + +Illustrating the process of Violin-making in every stage--from the rough +slab of wood to the finished Instrument. + +The text is written by an =Actual Violin Maker=, in a very clear and +lucid style. + + +"'Popular lecture' style, with photographic illustrations."--_The Times._ + +"A feature of the book is the clearness of the illustrations."--_Morning +Post._ + +"Describes a very fascinating art from start to finish."--_Morning +Leader._ + +"This new booklet, on how to make a violin, is an admirable exposition +of methods. Mr. Mayson avoids learned terminology. He uses the simplest +English, and goes straight to the point. He begins by showing the young +learner how to choose the best wood for the violin that is to be. +Throughout a whole chatty, perfectly simple chapter, he discourses on +the back. A separate chapter is devoted to the modelling of the back, +and a third to its 'working out.' The art of sound-holes, ribs, neck, +fingerboard, the scroll, the belly. Among the illustrations is one +showing the tools which the author himself uses in the making of his +instruments. To learners of the well-known Manchester maker's delicate +art we commend this little volume."--_Daily News._ + + + + +"THE STRAD" LIBRARY, No. X. + +_Crown 8vo., Cloth, 2/6, Post Free, 2/9._ + +(DEDICATED, BY PERMISSION, TO DR. JOSEPH JOACHIM) + + THE VIOLIN MUSIC OF + BEETHOVEN, + + Critically discussed, and Illustrated with over + FIFTY MUSICAL EXAMPLES, + + BY + J. MATTHEWS. + +The book contains analytical and historical notes upon the Chamber +Music of Beethoven, in which the violin takes part as a solo instrument, +with some account of the various editions of the principal works; +Beethoven's method of working, as shown by his Sketch Books, etc. It is +dedicated to Dr. JOACHIM, who has furnished some notes respecting the +stringed instruments possessed by Beethoven. + + +_Extract from Author's Preface_:-- + +"Young students often suppose that they ought to admire every work which +proceeds from a great genius; an attempt therefore has been made to +convey some idea of the relative art-value and importance of the various +compositions discussed in these pages. For between the best work of any +man and his least inspired, there is a wide difference. Certainly +nothing annoyed the great master more than to hear his least mature +works praised, especially at a time when many of his greatest creations +were too little studied to be understood save by a few." + + +"Mr. John Matthews--dealing with Beethoven's music in pleasant fashion, +and at not too great length--gives an historical account, and in many +instances short analyses, with illustrations in music type of +Beethoven's works for this instrument, and particularly the sonatas (to +which considerable space is devoted), the trios, the quartets, and other +compositions in which the master employed the violin. The book will be +found by amateurs both interesting and instructive."--_Daily News._ + +LONDON: + +"STRAD" OFFICE, 3, GREEN TERRACE, ROSEBERY AVENUE, E.C. + + + + +"THE STRAD" LIBRARY, No. I. + +12MO., CLOTH, 1.00. + +_"THE STRAD" LIBRARY EDITION is the only Authorised Edition of_ + + Technics of Violin Playing + ON + JOACHIM'S METHOD + + BY + CARL COURVOISIER, + + With Folding Plates, containing Fifteen Illustrations. + + +LETTER FROM DR. JOACHIM. + +[COPY.] + +MY DEAR MR. COURVOISIER: I have read the book on Violin Playing you have +sent me, and have to congratulate you sincerely on the manner in which +you have performed a most difficult task, _i.e._, to describe the best +way of arriving at a correct manner of playing the violin. + +It cannot but be welcome to thoughtful teachers, who reflect on the +method of our art, and I hope that your work will prove useful to many +students. + +Believe me, my dear Mr. Courvoisier, to be most faithfully yours, + + JOSEPH JOACHIM. + +Berlin, November 3rd, 1894. + + +The New and Revised Edition of "Technics of Violin Playing," issued by +THE STRAD, is the only authorised edition of my work. The several +English Editions which have all appeared without my knowledge are +_incomplete_ and _faulty_. + + CARL COURVOISIER. + + + + +"THE STRAD" LIBRARY, No. II. + +12MO., CLOTH, 1.00. + + + HOW TO STUDY THE VIOLIN + By J. T. CARRODUS. + + +CONTENTS. + +Strings and Tuning. The Bow and Bowing. Faults and their Correction. +Scales and their Importance. Course of Study. Advice on Elementary +Matters. Concerning Harmonics, Octaves, etc. Orchestral Playing. Some +Experiences as a Soloist. With full page portraits of Carrodus, Molique, +Paganini, Spohr, Sivori, De Beriot, Blagrove and Sainton, and a +photo-reproduction of Dr. Spohr's testimonial to Carrodus. + + +"An interesting series of articles 'How to Study the Violin,' which +Carrodus contributed to THE STRAD, and completed only a week or two +before his death, have now been collected in cheap book form. The +technical hints to violin students, which are practical, plainly worded, +and from such a pen most valuable."--_Daily News._ + +"But a few weeks before his sudden death the most distinguished of +native violinists completed in THE STRAD a series of chats to students +of the instrument associated with his name. These chats are now +re-issued, with a sympathetic preface and instructive annotations. All +who care to listen to what were virtually the last words of such a +conscientious teacher will recognise the pains taken by Carrodus to +render every detail as clear to the novice as to the advanced pupil. +Pleasant gossip concerning provincial festivals at which Carrodus was +for many years 'leader' of the orchestra, ends a little volume worthy a +place in musical libraries both for its practical value and as a memento +of the life-work of an artist universally esteemed."--_Daily Chronicle._ + +"It is surely, hardly necessary to direct the attention of students to +the unique value of the hints and advice given by so experienced and +accomplished a virtuoso as the late Mr. Carrodus, so that it only +remains to state that the 'Recollections' make delightful reading, and +that the book, as a whole, is as entertaining as it is instructive. The +value of the _brochure_ is enhanced by an excellent portrait of Mr. +Carrodus, as well as of a number of other violin worthies, and the +printing, paper, and get up generally are good as could possibly +be."--_Musical Answers._ + + + + +"THE STRAD" LIBRARY, No. III. + +12MO., CLOTH, 1.00. + + THE BOW + Its History, Manufacture and Use + + BY + HENRY SAINT-GEORGE. + +With Full Page Illustrations (exact size) by Photo Process. + + +MONS. EMILE SAURET writes--"I have read it with great interest, and +think that it supplies a real want in giving musicians such an excellent +description of all matters referring to this important instrument." + +SIGNOR GUIDO PAPINI writes--"Thanks so much for your splendid and +interesting book. You are quite successful and all the artists and +amateurs are indebted to you for so exact and correct a '_Texte_' on the +subject." + +ADOLF BRODSKY writes--"I am delighted with the book and find it very +instructive, even for those who think to know everything about the bow. +It is very original and at times very amusing. No violinist should miss +the opportunity to buy it." + +THE TIMES--"A useful treatise on the Bow, in which the history, +manufacture and use of the bow are discussed with considerable technical +knowledge." + +DAILY TELEGRAPH--"To the student there is much of interest in the work, +which has the advantage of being copiously illustrated." + +DAILY NEWS--"This book seems practically to exhaust its subject." + + + + +"THE STRAD" LIBRARY, No. IV. + +12MO., CLOTH, 2.00. + + CELEBRATED VIOLINISTS: + PAST AND PRESENT, + + _Translated from the German of_ + A. EHRLICH, + + _And Edited with Notes and Additions by_ + ROBIN H. LEGGE. + +_WITH EIGHTY-NINE PORTRAITS._ + + +PRESS NOTICES. + +"Those who love their fiddles better than their fellows, and who +treasure up every detail that can be found and recorded about their +favourite and cherished players, will not fail to provide themselves +with a copy of this book."--_Musical Opinion._ + +"This book of 280 pages is a most interesting and valuable addition to +the violinist's library. It contains 89 biographical sketches of +well-known artists, ancient and modern, of all nations. This is not +intended to be a perfect dictionary of violinists; the aim of the Editor +of the present volume being merely to give a few more up-to-date details +concerning some of the greatest of stringed instrument players, and we +must concede that no name of the first importance has been omitted. +Germany is represented by 21 names, Italy by 13, France by 10, England +by 4, Bohemia by 8, Belgium by 7, and the fair sex by seven well-known +ladies, such as Teresina Tua, Therese and Marie Milanollo, Lady Halle, +Marie Soldat, Gabrielle Wietrowetz, and Arma Senkrah. Altogether this is +most agreeable reading to the numerous army of violinists, both +professionals and amateurs, and after careful examination we can find +nothing but praise for this translation into English of a book well +known on the Continent."--_The Piano, Organ and Music Trades Journal._ + + + + +"THE STRAD" LIBRARY, No. V. + +12MO., CLOTH, 1.00. + + TECHNICS OF + VIOLONCELLO PLAYING + + BY + E. VAN DER STRAETEN. + +COPIOUSLY ILLUSTRATED. + + +_Copy of Letter received by the Author from the great 'cellist, SIGNOR +ALFRED PIATTI._ + + Cadenabbia, Lake of Como, March 9th, 1898. + +DEAR SIR,--I received the book you kindly sent me on "The Technics of +Violoncello Playing," which I found excellent, particularly for +beginners, which naturally was your scope. With many thanks for kindly +remembering an old ex-violoncello player. + + Believe me, yours sincerely, + ALFRED PIATTI. + +_Copy of Letter received by the Author from the eminent 'cellist, HERR +DAVID POPPER._ + + Budapest, February 22nd, 1898. + +DEAR SIR,--In sending me your book on "The Technics of Violoncello +Playing" you have given me a real and true pleasure. I know of no work, +tutors and studies not excepted, which presents so much valuable +material, so much that is absolutely to the point, avoiding--I might +say, on principle--all that is superfluous and dispensable. Every +earnest thinking violoncello student will in future make your book his +own and thereby receive hints which will further and complete the +instructions of his master. + +I congratulate you and ourselves most heartily on the new violoncello +book. With kind regards, Yours most sincerely, + + DAVID POPPER. + + + + +"THE STRAD" LIBRARY, No. VI. + +12MO., CLOTH, 1.00 + + VIOLIN PLAYING + + BY + JOHN DUNN. + + +CONTENTS + +INTRODUCTORY--Qualities indispensable to the ideal Violinist--Hints on +the Choice of a Teacher--Some Tricks of pretending professors exposed. + +ON THE CHOICE OF A VIOLIN AND BOW--Advice regarding general adjustment +and repairs. + +ON THE CHOICE OF STRINGS--Stringing the Instrument and keeping the Pegs +in Order. + +ON THE GENERAL POSTURE--The manner of holding the Violin and Bow as +accepted by the leading artists of the day. + +ON FINGERING GENERALLY--The various positions--Scales recommended--The +Modern Orchestral "Principal" or (so-called) Leader. + +ON GLIDING--Special Characteristics of some of the most Eminent Players. + +DOUBLE STOPPING--The main difficulty in Double Stopping--How to gain +Independence of Finger. + +BOWINGS--Smooth Bowings--Solid Staccato--Spiccato--Spring Bow--Mixed +Bowings. + +TONE PRODUCTION--Character of Tone--Rules and Conditions necessary to +produce a good tone--Style and Expression. + + + + +"THE STRAD" LIBRARY, NO. VII. + +12MO., CLOTH, 1.00. + + Chats to 'Cello Students + + BY + ARTHUR BROADLEY. + + +"Musicians, devotees of the 'cello in particular, will welcome the +latest volume of THE 'STRAD Library,' 'Chats to 'Cello Students,' by +Arthur Broadley.... Mr. Broadley not only knows what he is talking +about, but has practised what he says. From the choice of an instrument +to finished delivery and orchestral playing, 'Chats to 'Cello Students' +leaves nothing undiscussed. The treatment is simple and practical. The +exhaustive chapter on 'bowing' should be an invaluable aid to students. +In the last chapter of his book, 'On Delivery and Style' Mr. Broadley +has given a lucid expression to a subject which has sadly needed +voicing."--_The Tribune, Nuneaton._ + +"Is a brightly written little volume filled with practical information +for those who seek to bring out the wealth of expression of which the +violoncello is capable. The instruction is presented in homely, +common-sense fashion, and there are upwards of fifty examples in music +type to illustrate the author's meaning."--_Lloyd's Weekly._ + +"Every kind of bowing and fingering, the portamento, harmonic effects, +arpeggios and their evolution from various chords, are all ably treated, +and the work concludes with a few remarks on orchestral playing which +are of especial interest."--_Musical News._ + +"As a writer on the technique of his instrument Mr. Broadley is known +all over the world, perhaps his most successful work being a little book +published by THE STRAD, 'Chats to 'Cello Students.'"--_The Violinist._ + + + + +"THE STRAD" LIBRARY, No. VIII. + +12MO., CLOTH, 1.00. + + ANTONIO STRADIVARI + + BY + HORACE PETHERICK. + +_Of the Music Jury, International Inventions Exhibition, South +Kensington, 1885; International Exhibition, Edinburgh, 1890; Expert in +Law Courts, 1891; President of the Cremona Society._ + +ILLUSTRATED BY THE AUTHOR. + + +"This is the history of the life-work of the great Italian stringed +musical instrument maker.... There is a most interesting analysis of +Stradivari's method of mechanical construction which again is +illustrated by original drawings from the many Strads which it has been +Mr. Petherick's privilege to examine. All lovers of the king of +instruments will read this delightful little volume."--_Reynolds._ + +"Among makers of violins Stradivari perhaps occupies the premier +position, and this account of his work, designs, and variations in +finish of details will afford pleasure to many readers."--_Morning +Post._ + +"This is a monograph which all students of the violin will be happy to +possess. The author is a connoisseur and expert, and his account of the +great Cremonese master and his life-work, is singularly well and clearly +told, whilst the technical descriptions and diagrams cannot fail to +interest everyone who has fallen under the spell of the violin.... Mr. +Petherick traces the career of Stradivari from his earliest insight into +the mysteries of the craft to his highest achievements. Numerous +illustrations lend attraction to the volume, not the least being a view +of Stradivari's atelier, from a painting by Rinaldi, the sketch of which +was made on the premises."--_Music._ + +"Mr. Petherick is well known in the musical world as a violin expert +with a special knowledge of the instruments made by the Cremonese +master, whose biography he has here given us. He tells us how the master +worked, what his pupils did, and where their work differs from that of +their preceptor. In fact, the volume is as much a dissertation on the +violins of Stradivari as a biography of the master, and is full of +deeply interesting matter."--_Lloyds._ + + + + +"THE STRAD" LIBRARY, No. IX. + +12MO., CLOTH, 2.00. + + VIOLIN MAKING + + BY + WALTER H. MAYSON, + +With Thirty-one Full-page PHOTO ETCHINGS, + +Illustrating the process of Violin-making in every stage--from the rough +slab of wood to the finished Instrument. + +The text is written by an =Actual Violin Maker=, in a very clear and +lucid style. + + +"'Popular lecture' style, with photographic illustrations."--_The Times._ + +"A feature of the book is the clearness of the illustrations."--_Morning +Post._ + +"Describes a very fascinating art from start to finish."--_Morning +Leader._ + +"This new booklet, on how to make a violin, is an admirable exposition +of methods. Mr. Mayson avoids learned terminology. He uses the simplest +English, and goes straight to the point. He begins by showing the young +learner how to choose the best wood for the violin that is to be. +Throughout a whole chatty, perfectly simple chapter, he discourses on +the back. A separate chapter is devoted to the modelling of the back, +and a third to its 'working out.' The art of sound-holes, ribs, neck, +fingerboard, the scroll, the belly. Among the illustrations is one +showing the tools which the author himself uses in the making of his +instruments. To learners of the well-known Manchester maker's delicate +art we commend this little volume."--_Daily News._ + + + + +"THE STRAD" LIBRARY, No. X. + +12MO., CLOTH, 1.00. + +(DEDICATED, BY PERMISSION, TO DR. JOSEPH JOACHIM) + + THE VIOLIN MUSIC OF + BEETHOVEN, + + Critically discussed, and Illustrated with over + FIFTY MUSICAL EXAMPLES, + + BY + J. MATTHEWS. + +The book contains analytical and historical notes upon the Chamber +Music of Beethoven, in which the violin takes part as a solo instrument, +with some account of the various editions of the principal works; +Beethoven's method of working, as shown by his Sketch Books, etc. It is +dedicated to Dr. JOACHIM, who has furnished some notes respecting the +stringed instruments possessed by Beethoven. + + +_Extract from Author's Preface_:-- + +"Young students often suppose that they ought to admire every work which +proceeds from a great genius; an attempt therefore has been made to +convey some idea of the relative art-value and importance of the various +compositions discussed in these pages. For between the best work of any +man and his least inspired, there is a wide difference. Certainly +nothing annoyed the great master more than to hear his least mature +works praised, especially at a time when many of his greatest creations +were too little studied to be understood save by a few." + + +"Mr. John Matthews--dealing with Beethoven's music in pleasant fashion, +and at not too great length--gives an historical account, and in many +instances short analyses, with illustrations in music type of +Beethoven's works for this instrument, and particularly the sonatas (to +which considerable space is devoted), the trios, the quartets, and other +compositions in which the master employed the violin. The book will be +found by amateurs both interesting and instructive."--_Daily News._ + + + + +"THE STRAD" LIBRARY, NO. XI. + +12MO., CLOTH, 1.00. + + Advice to Pupils & Teachers + of the Violin, + + BY + BASIL ALTHAUS. + +_Strongly recommended by_ =AUGUST WILHELMJ= & =GUIDO PAPINI=. + + + _London, March 18th, 1903._ + + DEAR MR. ALTHAUS, + +I read your book, "Advice to Pupils and Teachers of the Violin," with +great interest, and find it very useful. Hoping your book will meet with +the success it deserves. + + I am, yours sincerely, + AUGUST WILHELMJ. + + + _London, Feb. 19th, 1903._ + + DEAR MR. ALTHAUS, + +I have read with interest your admirable book, "Advice to Pupils and +Teachers of the Violin." I have no hesitation in recommending it as an +indispensable work to all aspiring violinists and teachers. Your remarks +on the acquirement of the various bowings, with the many musical +examples, are excellent. I know of no work on this important subject so +explicit and exhaustive. Wishing your book the great success it +deserves, + + Believe me, yours sincerely, + GUIDO PAPINI. + + +"I have read the 157 pages that go to form the book in question, and can +say, without any misgiving, that Mr. Althaus has successfully achieved +what he set out to do."--_Musical Standard._ + + + + +"THE STRAD" LIBRARY, No. XII. + +12MO., CLOTH, 1.00. + + THE + Repairing and Restoration + of Violins, + + BY + HORACE PETHERICK. + +_Of the Music Jury, International Inventions Exhibition, South +Kensington, 1885; International Exhibition, Edinburgh, 1890; Expert in +Law Courts, 1891; President of the Cremona Society._ + +WITH FIFTY ILLUSTRATIONS BY THE AUTHOR. + + +CONTENTS. + +The proper sort of glue--Its preparation and use--Loose +fingerboards--Injuries to the scroll--Insertion of fresh wood--Fracture +of peg-box and shell--Worn peg-holes--Refilling or boring +same--Grafting--Lengthening the neck--Treatment of worm-holes--Fixing on +graft on neck--Ways of removing the upper table and the neck--Cleansing +the interior--Closing of cracks in upper table--Getting parts +together that apparently do not fit--Treatment of warped lower +table--Repairing old end blocks by new ones--Matching wood for large +cracks--Replacing lost portions--Repairs to purfling--Removal of a fixed +sound-post--Fitting a fresh part of worm-eaten rib--Lining a thin +back--Fixing the bar--Varnishing, etc., etc. + + +"The author is a man of wide experience, and with him it is a labour of +love, so that few more suitable hands could be found for the task. To +him fiddles are quite human in their characteristics, needing a +'physician within beck and call,' and developing symptoms capable of +temporary alleviation or permanent cure, as the case may be, and no +remedial measures are left undescribed."--_Musical News._ + +"Mr. Petherick is a man of wide experience in violins, so his hints +about the treatment and care of the instrument are invaluable. His +imaginary interviews are both clever and amusing, and, moreover, contain +useful information of what to do, and avoid, in the treatment of +violins."--_Hereford Times._ + + + + +"THE STRAD" LIBRARY, No. XIII. + +12MO., CLOTH, 1.00. + + THE VIOLIN: + Solo Playing, Soloists and Solos, + + BY + WILLIAM HENLEY. + + +"Mr. William Henley is an excellent performer, and his book, 'The +Violin: Solo Playing, Soloists and Solos,' is the result of considerable +practice in the art he discusses.... The opening advice to violin +students, the insistence on tune first and then on tone, the latter +depending greatly for its excellence upon the correctness of the former, +is not only worth saying, but is said well, and with conviction. Mr. +Henley discriminates well between violinists: Joachim, the classic; +Carrodus, the plain; Sarasate, the neat and elegant; and Wilhelmj, the +fiery and bold.... The list of violin concertos, given in the last +chapter but one of the book, seems a very complete one, and should be +useful for purposes of reference."--_The London and Provincial Music +Trades Review._ + +"For the student whose intention it is to make the violin a means +of livelihood--the professional soloist or orchestral player in +embryo--this little work, written in a spirit of obvious sincerity, is +well-nigh invaluable.... The chapters on 'Teaching and Studies,' 'The +Artist,' 'Phrasing,' 'Conception,' and 'True Feeling,' are very +well written, and the whole work is worth careful and diligent +perusal."--_The Musical World._ + +"The author of this book has thought much and deeply on the fascinating +subject of which he treats, and is entitled to a hearing.... The +author's remarks on 'Tone' are excellently conceived, and of no small +interest, the subject being less hackneyed than that of ordinary +technique. In his chapter on 'Style' he reminds the readers of the many +factors which go to the making of a fine violinist, among which +Style--which is the outcome of the imagination and the sensibility of +the player--is one of the most important. The fine executant is common +enough now-a-days, but the fine stylist as rare as ever."--_Musical +News._ + + + + +"THE STRAD" LIBRARY, No. XIV. + +12MO., CLOTH, 1.00. + + SELECTED VIOLIN SOLOS, + + AND + HOW TO PLAY THEM, + + BY + BASIL ALTHAUS + (_Author of "Advice to Pupils and Teachers of the Violin."_) + +With 283 Musical Examples. + + +CONTENTS. + +INTRODUCTION. + +SECTION I. + + GRADE A.--Elementary Pieces. + + GRADE B.--Easy, not exceeding First Position. + + GRADE C.--Easy, using First and Third Position. + +SECTION II. + + GRADE D.--Moderately Difficult, not exceeding the Third Position. + + GRADE E.--Moderately Difficult, as far as the Fifth Position. + + GRADE F.--Difficult, especially as regards Sentiment and + Expression. + +SECTION III. + + GRADE G.--Difficult, using all Positions. + + GRADE H.--Very Difficult, including Standard Concertos and + Concert Pieces. + + GRADE I.--For Virtuosi. + + + + +"THE STRAD" LIBRARY, No. XV. + +12MO., CLOTH, 1.00. + + THE + VIOLIN AND ITS STORY: + + OR THE + HISTORY AND CONSTRUCTION + OF THE VIOLIN. + + _Translated and Adapted from the German of_ + HYACINTH ABELE + + BY + GEOFFREY ALWYN. + +_WITH TWENTY-EIGHT ILLUSTRATIONS._ + + +"The school of Cremona is dealt with at great length, but in the most +interesting way. Short biographical sketches are given of the great +exponents of this school, which was founded by Andreas Amati. To it +belonged Antonio Stradivari, who is said to be the greatest of all +violin makers, and Joseph Guarnerius. The pupils of the Amati and the +others mentioned are duly tabulated before the schools of Milan and +Venice are discussed. Following these we have the German school, etc., +etc. Part III. of the book under notice deals with the constituent parts +of the violin, and there is nothing that the seeker after knowledge +cannot find here, even to the number of hairs which should go to the +making of a bow. Strings, bridges, sound-posts, bass-bars, nuts, +pegs--indeed, everything about a violin is treated in an authoritative +way. Not for a very long time have we been so interested in a book, and +for that reason we wish our violin players to share that pleasure by +getting a copy."--_The Cumnock Chronicle._ + + + + +"THE STRAD" LIBRARY, No. XVI. + +12MO., CLOTH, 2.00. + + JOSEPH GUARNERIUS, + HIS WORK & HIS MASTER, + + BY + HORACE PETHERICK + +(_Of the Music Jury, International Inventions Exhibition, South +Kensington, 1885; International Exhibition, Edinburgh, 1890; Expert in +Law Courts, 1891; President of the Cremona Society_). + +With numerous Illustrations by the Author, 41 full-page Reproductions of +Photographs, + +AND + +220 pages of Letterpress. + + +"Mr. Petherick is well known in the musical world as a violin expert +with a special knowledge of the instruments made by the Cremonese +master."--_Lloyds._ + + +This is the only exhaustive work published on JOSEPH GUARNERIUS, and the +Author claims to have discovered his Teacher in Andreas Gisalberti, +whose name is here mentioned for the first time as a maker of renown. + +NEW YORK: + +CHARLES SCRIBNER'S SONS, 153-157, FIFTH AVENUE. + + + * * * * * + + +Transcriber's Notes: + +"Nicolo" and "Nicolo" were both used in the text. Many other variant and +alternative spellings have been preserved, except where obviously +misspelled in the original. Obvious punctuation errors have also been +corrected. + +The illustrations have been moved so that they do not break up paragraphs +and so that they are next the text they illustrate. Thus the location of +an illustration may not match the references to it in the text. + +The printed text was followed by two series of advertisements. The first +series was reproduced in the second, except with American rather than +British pricing. The first series bore a header "Advertisements." on each +page; this has been replaced by a heading preceding the advertisements. +Only the second series had page numbers. + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Nicolo Paganini: His Life and Work, by +Stephen Samuel Stratton + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK NICOLO PAGANINI: HIS LIFE AND WORK *** + +***** This file should be named 39571.txt or 39571.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + http://www.gutenberg.org/3/9/5/7/39571/ + +Produced by Bryan Ness, Henry Flower and the Online +Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net (This +book was produced from scanned images of public domain +material from the Google Print project.) + + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. Special rules, +set forth in the General Terms of Use part of this license, apply to +copying and distributing Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works to +protect the PROJECT GUTENBERG-tm concept and trademark. Project +Gutenberg is a registered trademark, and may not be used if you +charge for the eBooks, unless you receive specific permission. If you +do not charge anything for copies of this eBook, complying with the +rules is very easy. You may use this eBook for nearly any purpose +such as creation of derivative works, reports, performances and +research. They may be modified and printed and given away--you may do +practically ANYTHING with public domain eBooks. Redistribution is +subject to the trademark license, especially commercial +redistribution. + + + +*** START: FULL LICENSE *** + +THE FULL PROJECT GUTENBERG LICENSE +PLEASE READ THIS BEFORE YOU DISTRIBUTE OR USE THIS WORK + +To protect the Project Gutenberg-tm mission of promoting the free +distribution of electronic works, by using or distributing this work +(or any other work associated in any way with the phrase "Project +Gutenberg"), you agree to comply with all the terms of the Full Project +Gutenberg-tm License available with this file or online at + www.gutenberg.org/license. + + +Section 1. General Terms of Use and Redistributing Project Gutenberg-tm +electronic works + +1.A. By reading or using any part of this Project Gutenberg-tm +electronic work, you indicate that you have read, understand, agree to +and accept all the terms of this license and intellectual property +(trademark/copyright) agreement. If you do not agree to abide by all +the terms of this agreement, you must cease using and return or destroy +all copies of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works in your possession. +If you paid a fee for obtaining a copy of or access to a Project +Gutenberg-tm electronic work and you do not agree to be bound by the +terms of this agreement, you may obtain a refund from the person or +entity to whom you paid the fee as set forth in paragraph 1.E.8. + +1.B. "Project Gutenberg" is a registered trademark. It may only be +used on or associated in any way with an electronic work by people who +agree to be bound by the terms of this agreement. There are a few +things that you can do with most Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works +even without complying with the full terms of this agreement. See +paragraph 1.C below. There are a lot of things you can do with Project +Gutenberg-tm electronic works if you follow the terms of this agreement +and help preserve free future access to Project Gutenberg-tm electronic +works. See paragraph 1.E below. + +1.C. The Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation ("the Foundation" +or PGLAF), owns a compilation copyright in the collection of Project +Gutenberg-tm electronic works. Nearly all the individual works in the +collection are in the public domain in the United States. If an +individual work is in the public domain in the United States and you are +located in the United States, we do not claim a right to prevent you from +copying, distributing, performing, displaying or creating derivative +works based on the work as long as all references to Project Gutenberg +are removed. Of course, we hope that you will support the Project +Gutenberg-tm mission of promoting free access to electronic works by +freely sharing Project Gutenberg-tm works in compliance with the terms of +this agreement for keeping the Project Gutenberg-tm name associated with +the work. You can easily comply with the terms of this agreement by +keeping this work in the same format with its attached full Project +Gutenberg-tm License when you share it without charge with others. + +1.D. The copyright laws of the place where you are located also govern +what you can do with this work. Copyright laws in most countries are in +a constant state of change. If you are outside the United States, check +the laws of your country in addition to the terms of this agreement +before downloading, copying, displaying, performing, distributing or +creating derivative works based on this work or any other Project +Gutenberg-tm work. The Foundation makes no representations concerning +the copyright status of any work in any country outside the United +States. + +1.E. Unless you have removed all references to Project Gutenberg: + +1.E.1. The following sentence, with active links to, or other immediate +access to, the full Project Gutenberg-tm License must appear prominently +whenever any copy of a Project Gutenberg-tm work (any work on which the +phrase "Project Gutenberg" appears, or with which the phrase "Project +Gutenberg" is associated) is accessed, displayed, performed, viewed, +copied or distributed: + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + +1.E.2. If an individual Project Gutenberg-tm electronic work is derived +from the public domain (does not contain a notice indicating that it is +posted with permission of the copyright holder), the work can be copied +and distributed to anyone in the United States without paying any fees +or charges. If you are redistributing or providing access to a work +with the phrase "Project Gutenberg" associated with or appearing on the +work, you must comply either with the requirements of paragraphs 1.E.1 +through 1.E.7 or obtain permission for the use of the work and the +Project Gutenberg-tm trademark as set forth in paragraphs 1.E.8 or +1.E.9. + +1.E.3. If an individual Project Gutenberg-tm electronic work is posted +with the permission of the copyright holder, your use and distribution +must comply with both paragraphs 1.E.1 through 1.E.7 and any additional +terms imposed by the copyright holder. Additional terms will be linked +to the Project Gutenberg-tm License for all works posted with the +permission of the copyright holder found at the beginning of this work. + +1.E.4. Do not unlink or detach or remove the full Project Gutenberg-tm +License terms from this work, or any files containing a part of this +work or any other work associated with Project Gutenberg-tm. + +1.E.5. Do not copy, display, perform, distribute or redistribute this +electronic work, or any part of this electronic work, without +prominently displaying the sentence set forth in paragraph 1.E.1 with +active links or immediate access to the full terms of the Project +Gutenberg-tm License. + +1.E.6. You may convert to and distribute this work in any binary, +compressed, marked up, nonproprietary or proprietary form, including any +word processing or hypertext form. However, if you provide access to or +distribute copies of a Project Gutenberg-tm work in a format other than +"Plain Vanilla ASCII" or other format used in the official version +posted on the official Project Gutenberg-tm web site (www.gutenberg.org), +you must, at no additional cost, fee or expense to the user, provide a +copy, a means of exporting a copy, or a means of obtaining a copy upon +request, of the work in its original "Plain Vanilla ASCII" or other +form. Any alternate format must include the full Project Gutenberg-tm +License as specified in paragraph 1.E.1. + +1.E.7. Do not charge a fee for access to, viewing, displaying, +performing, copying or distributing any Project Gutenberg-tm works +unless you comply with paragraph 1.E.8 or 1.E.9. + +1.E.8. You may charge a reasonable fee for copies of or providing +access to or distributing Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works provided +that + +- You pay a royalty fee of 20% of the gross profits you derive from + the use of Project Gutenberg-tm works calculated using the method + you already use to calculate your applicable taxes. The fee is + owed to the owner of the Project Gutenberg-tm trademark, but he + has agreed to donate royalties under this paragraph to the + Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation. Royalty payments + must be paid within 60 days following each date on which you + prepare (or are legally required to prepare) your periodic tax + returns. Royalty payments should be clearly marked as such and + sent to the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation at the + address specified in Section 4, "Information about donations to + the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation." + +- You provide a full refund of any money paid by a user who notifies + you in writing (or by e-mail) within 30 days of receipt that s/he + does not agree to the terms of the full Project Gutenberg-tm + License. You must require such a user to return or + destroy all copies of the works possessed in a physical medium + and discontinue all use of and all access to other copies of + Project Gutenberg-tm works. + +- You provide, in accordance with paragraph 1.F.3, a full refund of any + money paid for a work or a replacement copy, if a defect in the + electronic work is discovered and reported to you within 90 days + of receipt of the work. + +- You comply with all other terms of this agreement for free + distribution of Project Gutenberg-tm works. + +1.E.9. If you wish to charge a fee or distribute a Project Gutenberg-tm +electronic work or group of works on different terms than are set +forth in this agreement, you must obtain permission in writing from +both the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation and Michael +Hart, the owner of the Project Gutenberg-tm trademark. Contact the +Foundation as set forth in Section 3 below. + +1.F. + +1.F.1. Project Gutenberg volunteers and employees expend considerable +effort to identify, do copyright research on, transcribe and proofread +public domain works in creating the Project Gutenberg-tm +collection. Despite these efforts, Project Gutenberg-tm electronic +works, and the medium on which they may be stored, may contain +"Defects," such as, but not limited to, incomplete, inaccurate or +corrupt data, transcription errors, a copyright or other intellectual +property infringement, a defective or damaged disk or other medium, a +computer virus, or computer codes that damage or cannot be read by +your equipment. + +1.F.2. LIMITED WARRANTY, DISCLAIMER OF DAMAGES - Except for the "Right +of Replacement or Refund" described in paragraph 1.F.3, the Project +Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation, the owner of the Project +Gutenberg-tm trademark, and any other party distributing a Project +Gutenberg-tm electronic work under this agreement, disclaim all +liability to you for damages, costs and expenses, including legal +fees. YOU AGREE THAT YOU HAVE NO REMEDIES FOR NEGLIGENCE, STRICT +LIABILITY, BREACH OF WARRANTY OR BREACH OF CONTRACT EXCEPT THOSE +PROVIDED IN PARAGRAPH 1.F.3. YOU AGREE THAT THE FOUNDATION, THE +TRADEMARK OWNER, AND ANY DISTRIBUTOR UNDER THIS AGREEMENT WILL NOT BE +LIABLE TO YOU FOR ACTUAL, DIRECT, INDIRECT, CONSEQUENTIAL, PUNITIVE OR +INCIDENTAL DAMAGES EVEN IF YOU GIVE NOTICE OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH +DAMAGE. + +1.F.3. LIMITED RIGHT OF REPLACEMENT OR REFUND - If you discover a +defect in this electronic work within 90 days of receiving it, you can +receive a refund of the money (if any) you paid for it by sending a +written explanation to the person you received the work from. If you +received the work on a physical medium, you must return the medium with +your written explanation. The person or entity that provided you with +the defective work may elect to provide a replacement copy in lieu of a +refund. If you received the work electronically, the person or entity +providing it to you may choose to give you a second opportunity to +receive the work electronically in lieu of a refund. If the second copy +is also defective, you may demand a refund in writing without further +opportunities to fix the problem. + +1.F.4. Except for the limited right of replacement or refund set forth +in paragraph 1.F.3, this work is provided to you 'AS-IS', WITH NO OTHER +WARRANTIES OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO +WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY OR FITNESS FOR ANY PURPOSE. + +1.F.5. Some states do not allow disclaimers of certain implied +warranties or the exclusion or limitation of certain types of damages. +If any disclaimer or limitation set forth in this agreement violates the +law of the state applicable to this agreement, the agreement shall be +interpreted to make the maximum disclaimer or limitation permitted by +the applicable state law. The invalidity or unenforceability of any +provision of this agreement shall not void the remaining provisions. + +1.F.6. INDEMNITY - You agree to indemnify and hold the Foundation, the +trademark owner, any agent or employee of the Foundation, anyone +providing copies of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works in accordance +with this agreement, and any volunteers associated with the production, +promotion and distribution of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works, +harmless from all liability, costs and expenses, including legal fees, +that arise directly or indirectly from any of the following which you do +or cause to occur: (a) distribution of this or any Project Gutenberg-tm +work, (b) alteration, modification, or additions or deletions to any +Project Gutenberg-tm work, and (c) any Defect you cause. + + +Section 2. Information about the Mission of Project Gutenberg-tm + +Project Gutenberg-tm is synonymous with the free distribution of +electronic works in formats readable by the widest variety of computers +including obsolete, old, middle-aged and new computers. It exists +because of the efforts of hundreds of volunteers and donations from +people in all walks of life. + +Volunteers and financial support to provide volunteers with the +assistance they need are critical to reaching Project Gutenberg-tm's +goals and ensuring that the Project Gutenberg-tm collection will +remain freely available for generations to come. In 2001, the Project +Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation was created to provide a secure +and permanent future for Project Gutenberg-tm and future generations. +To learn more about the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation +and how your efforts and donations can help, see Sections 3 and 4 +and the Foundation information page at www.gutenberg.org + + +Section 3. Information about the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive +Foundation + +The Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation is a non profit +501(c)(3) educational corporation organized under the laws of the +state of Mississippi and granted tax exempt status by the Internal +Revenue Service. The Foundation's EIN or federal tax identification +number is 64-6221541. Contributions to the Project Gutenberg +Literary Archive Foundation are tax deductible to the full extent +permitted by U.S. federal laws and your state's laws. + +The Foundation's principal office is located at 4557 Melan Dr. S. +Fairbanks, AK, 99712., but its volunteers and employees are scattered +throughout numerous locations. Its business office is located at 809 +North 1500 West, Salt Lake City, UT 84116, (801) 596-1887. Email +contact links and up to date contact information can be found at the +Foundation's web site and official page at www.gutenberg.org/contact + +For additional contact information: + Dr. Gregory B. Newby + Chief Executive and Director + gbnewby@pglaf.org + +Section 4. Information about Donations to the Project Gutenberg +Literary Archive Foundation + +Project Gutenberg-tm depends upon and cannot survive without wide +spread public support and donations to carry out its mission of +increasing the number of public domain and licensed works that can be +freely distributed in machine readable form accessible by the widest +array of equipment including outdated equipment. Many small donations +($1 to $5,000) are particularly important to maintaining tax exempt +status with the IRS. + +The Foundation is committed to complying with the laws regulating +charities and charitable donations in all 50 states of the United +States. Compliance requirements are not uniform and it takes a +considerable effort, much paperwork and many fees to meet and keep up +with these requirements. We do not solicit donations in locations +where we have not received written confirmation of compliance. To +SEND DONATIONS or determine the status of compliance for any +particular state visit www.gutenberg.org/donate + +While we cannot and do not solicit contributions from states where we +have not met the solicitation requirements, we know of no prohibition +against accepting unsolicited donations from donors in such states who +approach us with offers to donate. + +International donations are gratefully accepted, but we cannot make +any statements concerning tax treatment of donations received from +outside the United States. U.S. laws alone swamp our small staff. + +Please check the Project Gutenberg Web pages for current donation +methods and addresses. Donations are accepted in a number of other +ways including checks, online payments and credit card donations. +To donate, please visit: www.gutenberg.org/donate + + +Section 5. General Information About Project Gutenberg-tm electronic +works. + +Professor Michael S. Hart was the originator of the Project Gutenberg-tm +concept of a library of electronic works that could be freely shared +with anyone. For forty years, he produced and distributed Project +Gutenberg-tm eBooks with only a loose network of volunteer support. + +Project Gutenberg-tm eBooks are often created from several printed +editions, all of which are confirmed as Public Domain in the U.S. +unless a copyright notice is included. Thus, we do not necessarily +keep eBooks in compliance with any particular paper edition. + +Most people start at our Web site which has the main PG search facility: + + www.gutenberg.org + +This Web site includes information about Project Gutenberg-tm, +including how to make donations to the Project Gutenberg Literary +Archive Foundation, how to help produce our new eBooks, and how to +subscribe to our email newsletter to hear about new eBooks. + |