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Noon Edition

Rockstars Of The Romantic Era: Niccolò Paganini

If you had to come up with a list of the "rockstar" musicians that dominated the Romantic era, Niccolò Paganini would definitely have to be included!

Paganini was the undisputed master of the violin during his lifetime. His concerts and recitals drew huge crowds of adoring fans who came to hear him achieve nearly impossible feats on his instrument.

With such notoriety, though, came bizarre rumors too! Some people went so far as to believe that Paganini had sold his soul to the Devil in order to become the legendary violinist he was.

In any case, his performances and his compositions for the violin inspired many future generations of composers.

This particular theme, nicknamed "La Campanella," has been quoted in numerous compositions, including Franz Liszt's famous and fiendishly difficult piano transcription.

The "La Campanella" tune is also the central theme from the 3rd movement Paganini's second Violin Concerto.

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