Composer

Niccolò Paganini

Italian violinist and composer (1782–1840)

1782–1840

461 works and musical collections

Born: 1782
Died: 1840
Birthplace: Genoa
Place of death: Nice
Citizenship / historical state: Republic of Genoa
Period (estimated from birth year): Romantic

Biography

Paganini rewrote what a violin could do and left a catalogue that is still, two centuries later, the boundary of the instrument's technique.

The 24 Caprices, Op. 1 are the central work and are professional repertoire — the twenty-fourth is the famous one, and it is not a starting point. The violin concerti are equally demanding. What is approachable is the guitar music: he played guitar seriously and wrote a large body of sonatas and duos for violin and guitar that sit at a genuinely amateur level.

Editions of the Caprices differ in bowing and fingering, which on this music is most of the interpretation. Free scans of the original are available and are unmarked; for study, an edited edition is worth having.

Life and musical career

Occupations: classical composer; violinist; violin virtuoso; violist; guitarist; composer; chapelmaster
Teachers: Ferdinando Paër; Alessandro Rolla; Gasparo Ghiretti; Rodolphe Kreutzer
Instruments played: violin; viola; guitar
Genres: art music
Notable works: 24 Caprices for Solo Violin; Violin Concerto No. 1; Violin Concerto n 2 of Niccolò Paganini; Violin Concerto No. 3; Violin Concerto No. 4; Violin Concerto No. 5
Awards: Order of the Golden Spur
Languages used: Italian
VIAF ID: 93850871
ISNI: 0000000122830695
GND ID: 118591177
Library of Congress ID: n79105881
MusicBrainz ID: d581b2f2-f945-4566-a249-2d0171466993

Recorded in Wikidata. Affiliations may refer to earlier stages of the composer's career.

In this catalogue

Common listed instruments: Guitar, violin, Piano, Cello, Viola
Genres represented: Classical, Rock, Jazz, Pop
Source entries with composition dates: 14

These details describe the indexed sheet music, including arrangements.

Catalogue

Sheet music catalogue page 1 of 10

Instruments describe listed editions, including arrangements. Composition dates and keys appear where recorded; collection pages show their individual contents.

Works and musical collections with sheet music details
Title	Work details	Listed instruments	Sheet music
Paganini: Twenty	See work details	See edition details	View sheet music Work & edition details
Moto perpetuo, op. 11, MS 72	Catalogue / opus op. 11	Piano Guitar Flute 3 more instruments violin Clarinet Recorder Classical	View sheet music Work & edition details
24 Caprices for Solo Violin, op. 1 no. 1 in E major: Andante "l'Arpeggio"	Catalogue / opus op. 1 no. 1 Key in title E major	violin Rock · Classical	View sheet music Work & edition details
24 Caprices for Solo Violin, op. 1 no. 24 in A minor: Tema con variazioni. Quasi presto	Catalogue / opus op. 1 no. 24 Key in title A minor	Piano Flute Oboe 3 more instruments Horn Clarinet Piccolo Jazz · Classical · Pop	View sheet music Work & edition details
Cantabile for Violin and Guitar or Piano in D major, op. 17, MS 109	Catalogue / opus op. 17 Key in title D major	Piano Guitar violin Classical	View sheet music Work & edition details
Caprice No. 22 [Arranged by Eddy Brown]	See work details	Piano	View sheet music Work & edition details
Variation Number Eleven	See work details	See edition details	View sheet music Work & edition details
Variation Number Four	See work details	See edition details	View sheet music Work & edition details
Perigoldino - Sonatina	See work details	See edition details	View sheet music Work & edition details
Op.1: Caprice no. 24 in A mino	Catalogue / opus Op.1	See edition details	View sheet music Work & edition details
Le Streghe op. 8 -fur Violine und Klavier- Performed by Niccol? Paganini	Catalogue / opus op. 8 Year composed 1813	Piano violin	View sheet music Work & edition details
Variation Number Two	See work details	See edition details	View sheet music Work & edition details
Caprice No.21, Op.1	Catalogue / opus Op.1	See edition details Rock · Classical	View sheet music Work & edition details
Paganini: Four Sonatinas, Op. 2, Nos. 2, 4, 6, 10	Catalogue / opus Op. 2	See edition details	View sheet music Work & edition details
Sonata in C Major	Key in title C major	violin	View sheet music Work & edition details
6 Sonatas for Violin and Guitar, Op.2a	Catalogue / opus Op.2a	Guitar violin	View sheet music Work & edition details
Op.1: Caprice no. 03 in E mino	Catalogue / opus Op.1	See edition details	View sheet music Work & edition details
Op.1: Caprice no. 06 in G mino	Catalogue / opus Op.1	See edition details	View sheet music Work & edition details
Op.1: Caprice no. 12 in A	Catalogue / opus Op.1	See edition details	View sheet music Work & edition details
Op.1: Caprice no. 14 in E	Catalogue / opus Op.1	See edition details	View sheet music Work & edition details
Caprice	See work details	Piano	View sheet music Work & edition details
Violin Concerto No. 1 in D major, op. 6 (original version)	Catalogue / opus op. 6 Key in title D major	violin	View sheet music Work & edition details
Violin Concerto	See work details	percussion	View sheet music Work & edition details
43 Ghiribizzi (M.S. 43)	Catalogue / opus S. 43	Guitar	View sheet music Work & edition details
Caprice D'adieu	See work details	violin	View sheet music Work & edition details
6 Sonatas, Op.3	Catalogue / opus Op.3	Guitar violin	View sheet music Work & edition details
Violin Concerto No. 2, Op. 7	Catalogue / opus Op. 7 Year composed 1826	See edition details Classical	View sheet music Work & edition details
Op.1: Caprice no. 24: Viol	Catalogue / opus Op.1	See edition details	View sheet music Work & edition details
Op.1: Caprice no. 07 in A mino	Catalogue / opus Op.1	See edition details	View sheet music Work & edition details
Op.1: Caprice no. 24: Simplified Violi	Catalogue / opus Op.1	See edition details	View sheet music Work & edition details
Caprice No.24	See work details	Piano Banjo	View sheet music Work & edition details
Le Streghe (Hexentanz) op. 8 -fur Violine und Klavier-	Catalogue / opus op. 8	Piano	View sheet music Work & edition details
Andante from Sonata No. 17	See work details	Guitar	View sheet music Work & edition details
Allegretto In A	See work details	Guitar	View sheet music Work & edition details
Allegretto In C	See work details	Guitar	View sheet music Work & edition details
Caprice No.5, Op.1	Catalogue / opus Op.1	See edition details Rock · Classical	View sheet music Work & edition details
Introduction & Varia	See work details	violin	View sheet music Work & edition details
24th Caprice	See work details	Saxophone Classical	View sheet music Work & edition details
Concerto No. 1 in D Major, Op. 6	Catalogue / opus Op. 6 Key in title D major	Piano violin Classical	View sheet music Work & edition details
Variazioni di Bravura - Score	See work details	Piano Guitar violin	View sheet music Work & edition details
Paganini: Six Sonatas for Violin and Guitar, Op. 3	Catalogue / opus Op. 3	Guitar	View sheet music Work & edition details
La Streghe, Op. 8	Catalogue / opus Op. 8 Year composed 1813	See edition details	View sheet music Work & edition details
Op.1: Caprice no. 24: Clarine	Catalogue / opus Op.1	See edition details	View sheet music Work & edition details
Op.1: Caprice no. 24: Flute and 2 Violin	Catalogue / opus Op.1	See edition details	View sheet music Work & edition details
Op.1: Caprice no. 24: Cell	Catalogue / opus Op.1	See edition details	View sheet music Work & edition details
Op.1: Caprice no. 05 in A mino	Catalogue / opus Op.1	See edition details	View sheet music Work & edition details
Op.1: Caprice no. 13 in B	Catalogue / opus Op.1	See edition details	View sheet music Work & edition details
Andantino In C	See work details	Guitar	View sheet music Work & edition details

Biographical record: Wikidata, matched on name and checked against dates held in the catalogue. The period label is an estimate from birth year. The biography above is our own. Authority record: VIAF 93850871. Portrait: Jean-Auguste-Dominique Ingres, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons.