This is an excellent piece for an instrument player because it is challenging to play both from the pitch range the player has to manage and the oppor Show More...
This is an excellent piece for an instrument player because it is challenging to play both from the pitch range the player has to manage and the opportunities it offers to explore tonal range of the solo guitar. Triplets are shown in the solo instrument part but only in the first two bars of the piano accompaniment. This arrangement is intended to be performance piece and although there has been some re-scoring of the solo part to make it just a little more playable for a range of different instruments. Not all the intended ornaments are included in the score to enable the focus to be on playing the melody. The original Paganini version as one would expect has some very challenging moments but is well worth listening to particularly in its original form played on the violin. The limitations of the staff notation system are challenged particularly in the closing cadenza section at bar 45 which needs to be played with a clear sense of pulse being communicated. Paganini is a unique and quite captivating figure in the history of music who was a major influence on many romantic composers influencing both performance practice and also composition. He was the outstanding violinist of his age and in addition was an excellent guitarist although his performances on this instrument were shared with friends rather than the public. Close
