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This benefit concert marks only the second time in history that the legendary violin, made by Joseph Guarneri del Gesu (pronounced "Gesu") (1705? - 1744) in 1743, which belonged to Nicole Paganini (October 27, 1782 - May 27, 1840) will be played in a full recital on the American continent. Eugene Fodor will perform. The first time it was heard in the U. S. was in 1982, in New York, as part of Paganini's bicentennial celebration, when his 24 Caprices for unaccompanied violin were played on it.
Paganini's genius extended the technical, emotional and artistic expression of performance art to such a degree that it could be argued it flung open the portals of the Romantic era. His influence extended to nearly every form of art and literature. All of Europe was galvanized by this "Modern Orpheus" -- as he was known -- in his works of masterful classical compositional precision, beautiful original themes and operatic flavor. These were performed with Paganini's electrifying faultless playing of whole passages of new innovations, which included ravishing multiple stopping at dazzling speed, astonishing bow technique, dozens of consecutive rapid plucked notes (left hand pizzicato), fiendishly difficult double harmonics, and expressive, dramatic variation of tonal colors in all registers. His concerts always included a full composition performed entirely on one string -- the fourth, with its mesmerizing silver-wound richness thus fully accomplishing his intent to present violin playing as an extension of the human voice, but with technical resources far beyond vocal imagining. His fame will never be equaled and his gift to creative imagination can hardly be fully appreciated.
His compositions provided technical solutions which were utilized in nearly every great successive violin concerto. His presence changed the lives and destinies of countless artists, including Chopin, Berlioz and Schumann, and served as a starburst of wonder and uplift ment to the masses in times of prosperity as well as during oppression and plague. He played many concerts for charity, several times braving exposure to Bubonic plague. His influence is felt to this day by every serious musician who strives to reach his or her true potential. Schubert, who sold his silver and china in order to buy tickets for his friends to hear Paganini, said "I heard an angel sing when Paganini played his Adagio" and "An artistic comet of this magnitude will never again cross the heavens." Paganini's impression on the 20 -year-old Franz Liszt was so great that after hearing him, Liszt exclaimed, "What a man!
What a violin! What an artist!" He then confined himself to his apartment for over two years to do nothing but practice and compose. Paganini was given the greatest Guarneri del Gesu violin of all at the age of 15, after gambling away his previous instrument. He never again visited a gaming table. His love for the instrument was unreserved. He referred to its beautiful, booming sound as "the cannon violin" and "the voice of the law." It remained Paganini's only concert instrument for the rest of his life.
Once, after it was slightly damaged in a fall -- the result of entrusting it to two friends for only a few hours -- he seated himself next to the famous luthier, Jean Baptiste Vuillaume as it was repaired, much as an agitated father would attend a sick child. At a recent Guarneri del Gesu exhibition, 25 of the greatest del Gesu's were compared. The "Cannon" reigned supreme for power and quality by a virtually unanimous vote of experts. Its condition can be described as perfect, remaining as Paganini left it, with his fingerboard and its original neck!
Its rich tone and amazing power are truly legendary. Its value far eclipses any other violin in existence and to the discriminating eye it conveys the strongest character, and most spine-tingling mystique of any musical instrument on Earth. That the greatest instrument made by the most celebrated maker would fall into the hands of the greatest performer in history, is true justice of destiny. At the time of his death, Paganini generously bequeathed his beloved "Cannon" to his native city of Genoa and specified, "It should be played by serious artists from time to time." In using the experience of playing Paganini's compositions, and analyzing the many accurate sketches of his left hand in playing position, one can readily see that it cannot be considered that his technique, in any way involved a "thumb position." This erroneous theory, reported recently to explain the slight groove next to the fingerboard on the "Cannon", states that Paganini's thumb was the cause by rubbing the top. The true cause was from the bow rubbing the fiddle in this spot, in a case with no bow holder, (the only kind available in those times) when it traveled for countless weeks and months.
This type of wear is typical in many old instruments, including my own del Gesu, but is perhaps more in evidence on Paganini's violin because it must have been "on tour" at that time, in that type of case, more than we can probably imagine. A word about Antonio Stradivari (1644 - 1737): This maker excelled at creating exquisite instruments, with a balance of elegant beauty and sweet tone -- several with stunning inlay and carved designs. His output was staggering. His creative techniques were more sophisticated than any maker in history, and owing to this aspect, as well as to their sweet tone, his instruments command the utmost respect (and vast sums). Although many players and members of royalty have owned and played Stradivari violins, it is del Gesu's, brought to world attention by Paganini, that are most sought after by the greatest soloists because of their stunning tonal complexity and power of sound. When their thickness has not been reduced (to ease the player in the emission of sound) they invariably possess the thickest plates of any important maker's fiddles.
This fact, the amount and manner they have been played, and the flair of del Gesu's inexplicable genius, combine to produce the great magic of these amazing violins. About 725 Strads still exist, whereas in the case of del Gesu, who was a pall-bearer at Stradivari's funeral, only about 80 of his instruments survive. Of these numbers, due to condition and period, only about 30 percent are truly magnificent solo instruments -- a sad fact -- but this is the reason they command millions for the top Strads and up to 20 percent more for the late period del Gesu's. Figures for both never stop rising, and Paganini's Guarneri del Gesu will travel to San Francisco with a $ 40 million insurance policy! Paganini often spoke of his keen desire to perform in America. I feel greatly honored to find it in my destiny to be chosen by the city fathers of Genoa, Italy, to play, in America, a full program selected from Paganini's personally favored and most famous compositions, on "Il Cannon violin." Addendum: Paganini's Compositional Style -- Its Impact and Challenge It has been said that the glowing reports of...
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