Niccolò Paganini was one of the greatest violinists ever to live. The greatest violinist Niccolò Paganini was considered as a musical genius by some musical gods. By others, Niccolò Paganini was known as the Devil’s minion. Because of Paganini’s appearance and virtuosity, some people believed that his violin skills could only come after he had made some contact with the Devil.
The Devil’s Violinist was born on 27 October 1782 in Genoa, Italy. Some believed that Niccolò Paganini’s mother had set her heart on him for becoming a famous violinist. With this, a rumor arose that his mother had made a deal with the Devil, trading her son’s soul for making him the greatest in history.
Niccolò Paganini began training on the mandolin at the tender age of 5 and the violin at the age of 7. He used to train under the instructions of his father. Niccolò Paganini did his first public performance at the age of 11 in Genoa. At the age of 13, his father sent him to the famous violinist Alessandro Rolla to train under his instructions. When Niccolò Paganini arrived, Alessandro Rolla told his father that their son’s skills were such that there was nothing he could teach him.
Paganini was unparalleled as a performer in his era, and he was the first violinist who chose to perform publicly. Paganini was not limited to his performance and skills; he even popularized some techniques that are common even today.
The Devil’s Violinist was diagnosed with tuberculosis in 1834 when he was 54 years old. At this age, he had lost the stamina to play the violin and decided to retire from public performances. His health was getting down each passing day, and he spent his last years teaching violin. The Devil’s Violinist ultimately died on 27 May 1849 in France.