Violin Concerto No. 2 (Paganini)
Encyclopedia
The Violin Concerto No. 2 in B minor, Op. 7, was composed by Niccolò Paganini
in Italy in 1826. In his Second Concerto, Paganini holds back on the demonstration of virtuosity
in favour of greater individuality in the melodic style. The third movement of Paganini's Second Concerto owes its nickname "La Campanella" or "La Clochette" to the little bell which Paganini prescribes to presage each recurrence of the rondo theme. The character of the bell is also imitated in the orchestra and in some of the soloist's passages featuring harmonics. The outcome is a very transparent texture, which gains extra charm of gypsy coloration of the rondo theme. This movement gives proof of a compositional mastery which Paganini is too often alleged not to possess. This movement has also served as the basis of compositions by other composers, such as the Étude S.140 No.3 "La Campanella
" by Liszt
and Strauss I's
Walzer à la Paganini Op.11.
The concerto is in three movements:
Niccolò Paganini
Niccolò Paganini was an Italian violinist, violist, guitarist, and composer. He was one of the most celebrated violin virtuosi of his time, and left his mark as one of the pillars of modern violin technique...
in Italy in 1826. In his Second Concerto, Paganini holds back on the demonstration of virtuosity
Virtuoso
A virtuoso is an individual who possesses outstanding technical ability in the fine arts, at singing or playing a musical instrument. The plural form is either virtuosi or the Anglicisation, virtuosos, and the feminine form sometimes used is virtuosa...
in favour of greater individuality in the melodic style. The third movement of Paganini's Second Concerto owes its nickname "La Campanella" or "La Clochette" to the little bell which Paganini prescribes to presage each recurrence of the rondo theme. The character of the bell is also imitated in the orchestra and in some of the soloist's passages featuring harmonics. The outcome is a very transparent texture, which gains extra charm of gypsy coloration of the rondo theme. This movement gives proof of a compositional mastery which Paganini is too often alleged not to possess. This movement has also served as the basis of compositions by other composers, such as the Étude S.140 No.3 "La Campanella
La Campanella
La campanella is the nickname given to the third of six Grandes études de Paganini , S. 141 , composed by Franz Liszt. This piece is a revision of an earlier version from 1838, the Études d'exécution transcendente d'après Paganini, S. 140. Its melody comes from the final movement of Niccolò...
" by Liszt
Liszt
Liszt is a Hungarian surname. Notable persons with that surname include:* Franz Liszt , Hungarian composer and pianist* Adam Liszt , father of Franz Liszt* Anna Liszt , mother of Franz Liszt...
and Strauss I's
Johann Strauss I
Johann Strauss I , born in Vienna, was an Austrian Romantic composer famous for his waltzes, and for popularizing them alongside Joseph Lanner, thereby setting the foundations for his sons to carry on his musical dynasty...
Walzer à la Paganini Op.11.
The concerto is in three movements:
- Allegro maestoso
- Adagio
- RondoRondoRondo, and its French equivalent rondeau, is a word that has been used in music in a number of ways, most often in reference to a musical form, but also to a character-type that is distinct from the form...
à la clochette
In popular culture
- The piece is played and referenced to by Ethan Gold, acted by Fab FilippoFab Filippo-Personal life:Filippo, who also goes by the name of Fab Filippo, was born in Toronto, Canada. His parents are first generation Italian immigrants . He briefly attended York University's Film & Video Programme in 1993...
in the multi award-winning North American Drama Queer as Folk.