24 Caprices Op. 1

Goethe wrote that after experiencing a Paganini concert he had, “heard something meteoric, and was unable to understand it”. It was not until late in his career that Paganini became widely known outside his native Italy. He made his first tour in 1828, and returned to Italy for good in 1834. But the impression he made during these years was to have a profound effect, not only on the course of violin technique but on how virtuosity in general could be incorporated into serious composition – his influence can be felt in music from Liszt and Schumann through Brahms to Rachmaninov (to name but a few of those who have used themes from these Caprices directly) and beyond. The 24 Caprices were probably composed around 1805 – and probably not for public performance. They provide a compendium of Paganini’s technique, including extraordinary velocity, a variety of bowing style (balzato, spiccato, martellato etc.), passages in thirds, sixths, octaves and tenths, multiple stopping (up to quadruple), double trilling, left handed pizzicato and the imitation of other instruments (flute, guitar, and horn). No violinist should be without this classic Edition Peters Urtext edition of one of the most important works for the instrument.