Paganini is revered as probably the world’s finest ever virtuoso
violinist but his chamber music compositions are almost totally
ignored. In addition to his fame for composing for the violin
it is often forgotten that he also played and composed a substantial
number of works for the guitar. In fact, of the five opus numbers published during his
lifetime only the op. 1 set of 24 Caprices for solo violin
did not include the guitar.
Swiss composer Franz von Wartensee,
an associate of Paganini, wrote in his memoirs, “Not everyone
knows that Paganini was a first-rate guitarist, since he did not
consider it worth the effort to present himself publicly as such.”
Paganini’s large output for solo guitar includes the set of 37
Sonatas, MS84 and the five Sonatine, MS85 together
with a number of other individual scores. Today Paganini’s best
known guitar works, with violin accompaniment, are probably the
Sonata concertata, MS2 and the Grande sonata, MS3.
On this Dynamic disc the 43 Ghiribizzi for solo guitar were
composed in Naples around 1820, writing in 1824 that, “The
guitar Ghiribizzi were to be for a little girl in Naples.”
The affable and happy-go-lucky character of these occasional,
miniature pieces titled Ghiribizzi can be translated as
meaning ‘whimsical trifles’. The Ghiribizzi are short works
designed to be within the technical compass of the modest guitar
player yet they maintain a consistent and abundant flow of stylish
and attractive melody.
All but two of the 43 scores are composed in the major key; primarily
in either A, C or D major. These undemanding, delightful and richly
sumptuous morsels are predominantly brisk and lively, evocative
of the joy and merriment of the carnival or the country dance.
Ideally I would have preferred a more contrasting mood from the
generally buoyantly and sparkling character. Only a small number
of the Ghiribizzi, such as the Andantes No. 8 and
No. 12, are of a more reflective and soothing nature. I admired
the shifting moods of the Ghiribizzo No.10
Allegretto in C major and the
confident posturing of No. 16 Larghetto in
G major, ‘In
Cor più non mi sento’. Especially memorable are the Ghiribizzi
No. 17 D major Andantino, ‘Le Streghe’; No.20 Andante in C major, ‘Là ci darem
la mano’ and No. 39 Allegretto in D major.
In
some of them Paganini uses themes from his own works and
those of others. For example the theme in the carnival-like Ghiribizzo
No. 4 is taken from his Sonata for violin and guitar, Op.
4/6 and the affable No. 5 has the melody Non più mesta accanto
al fuoco from Rossini’s opera La Cenerentola. In the
brisk and optimistic Ghiribizzo No. 11 Paganini
uses a theme from his popular Sonata a Preghiera (Moses
Fantasy) for violin and orchestra, MS 23 that comes from Rossini’s
opera Mosè in Egitto. The genial Ghiribizzo
No.37 Adagietto con espressione in A major might indicate
a possible connection to the Naples meeting that Paganini had
with Rossini in 1820.
The
47 Ghiribizzi were recorded in 2007 at Bologna by
the Italian-born and Florence-based guitarist Adriano Sebastiani
who has developed a specialisation for the music of Paganini.
The soloist is in supreme command of this delightful set. His
way with articulation is outstanding imparting a vibrant colour
to Paganini’s ‘whimsical trifles’. The sound quality is vividly
clear with a fine sense of presence. At less than sixty minutes
the playing time might be ungenerous but not so the amount of
pleasure I took from listening to these performances.
Michael Cookson
A selection of recommended Paganini
chamber releases:
Paganini: Complete works
for violin and guitar
Centone di Sonate, MS112; Cantabile
in re maggiore, MS109; Sonate di Lucca, MS9, 10, 11, 12, 13; 6
Sonate di Lucca, MS133; 6 Sonate di Lucca, MS134; Duetto Amoroso,
MS111; Entrata d’Adone nella reggia di Venere, MS8; Sei Sonate,
MS26; Sei Sonate, MS27; Moto Perpetuo, MS72; Sonata concertata,
MS2; Cantabile e Waltz, MS45; Variazioni sul Barucabà, MS71; Sei
Duetti, MS110; Carmagnola con variazioni, MS1; Grande sonata concertata,
MS3. Luigi Alberto Bianchi (violin) and Maurizio Preda (guitar).
9 disc box set on Dynamic CDS 466/1-9.
Paganini: Works for violin
and guitar
Sonata concertata, MS2; Grande
sonata, MS3; Sei Sonate, MS27; Centone di Sonate, MS112; Cantabile
in re maggiore, MS109; Moses Variations, MS23; Moto Perpetuo,
MS72 played by Gil Shaham (violin) and Goran Sollscher (guitar).
Deutsche Grammophon, ‘Paganini for Two’ 437 837-2.
Paganini: Guitar works
Frédéric Zigante has recorded four
volumes of Paganini’s solo guitar music on the Arts Music label’s
Red Line series: Cat No. 47192-2 (Vol. 1); Vol. 247193-2 (Vol
2); 47194-2 (Vol. 3) and 47195-2 (Vol. 4).
Paganini: Sacred choral score
and concertante scores
Le couvent du mont St. Bernard
for violin, chorus and orchestra; Piece for horn, bassoon and
orchestra; Tarantella for violin and orchestra. Various performers
on Dynamic CDS027.
Paganini: Complete chamber
music
Quartet No. 1 in A minor, Op.4/1,
MS28; Quartet No. 9 in D major, MS36; Quartet No. 10 in A major,
MS37; Quartet No. 11 in B major, MS38; Quartet No. 12 in A minor,
MS39; Quartet No. 13 in F major, MS40; Quartet No. 3 in A major,
Op. 4/3, MS30; Quartet No. 7 in E major, MS34; Quartet No. 14
in A major, MS41; Quartet No. 2 in C major, Op. 4/2, MS29; Quartet
No. 8 in A major, MS35; Quartet No. 15 in A minor, MS42; Quartet
No. 4 in D major, Op.5/1, MS31; Quartet No. 5 in D major, Op.
5/2, MS32; Quartet No. 6 in D minor, Op. 5/3, MS33; Serenata in
C major for viola, cello and guitar, MS17; Terzetto Concertante
in D major for viola, cello and guitar, MS114; Terzetto in D major
for viola, cello and guitar, MS69; Terzetto in A minor for 2 violins
and guitar, MS116; Serenata in F major for 2 violins and guitar,
MS115; String Quartet No. 1; String Quartet No. 2; String Quartet
No. 3; In cor più non mi sento, theme and variations for two violins
and cello; Three Duets for violin and cello; 21 Divertimenti carnevaleschi
for 2 violins and cello, MS4; Three Duets for violin and bassoon,
MS130; Quattro Notturni a quartetto for two violins, viola and
cello, MS15; Quartet No. 7 in E major for two violins, viola and
cello, MS34 (transcription from quartet for strings and guitar);
Sonata per Rovene per mandolino e chitarra, MS14; Serenata
per mandolino e chitarra, MS16; Minuetto per l’amandorlino per
mandolino solo, MS106. Various performers on a ten disc box. Dynamic
CDS 553/1-10.
Paganini: Chamber Works With
Guitar Vol. 1
Trio Concertante in D major for viola, guitar and cello; Cantabile
for violin and guitar and Quartet No. 7 in E major for violin,
viola, cello and guitar. Siegbert Remberger (guitar); Offenburger
String Trio (Frank Schilli, violin; Rolf Schilli, viola; Martin
Merker, cello). Ambitus AMB 97 977.
Paganini: Chamber Works With
Guitar Vol. 2
Quartet No. 1 in A minor for violin, viola, cello and guitar,
Op. 4, No. 1; Trio in D major for guitar, violin and cello and
Quartet No. 15 in A minor for viola, violin, cello and guitar.
Siegbert Remberger (guitar); Offenburger String Trio (Frank Schilli,
violin; Rolf Schilli, viola; Martin Merker, cello). Ambitus AMB
96 899.
Paganini: 24 Caprices for
solo violin, Op. 1
24 Caprices for solo violin, Op.
1 performed by Salvatore Accardo. Deutsche Grammophon, Galleria 429 714-2.
Note: There
is a wealth of information on Paganini on this splendid website.
Full Track-Listing:
43 Ghiribizzi for solo
guitar, MS 43
No.1 Allegretto in A major
No.2 Andantino in C major
No.3 Valtz in C major
No.4 Allegretto in A major
No.5 Moderato in D major
No.6 Andantino in G major
No.7 Valtz in E major
No.8 Andante in C major
No.9 Andantino in C major
No.10 Allegretto in C major
No.11 Allegretto in A major
No.12 Andante in C major
No.13 Allegro in C major
No.14 Allegro assai in C major
No.15 Allegro in G major
No.16 In Cor più non mi sento, Larghetto in G major
No.17 Le Streghe, Andantino in D major
No.18 Andantino in D minor
No.19 Corrente in G major
No.20 Là ci darem la mano, Andante in C major
No.21 Allegretto in A major
No.22 Larghetto in A major
No.23 Allegro in A major
No.24 Andante in A major
No.25 Andante in C major
No.26 Arietta in D major
No.27 Andantino in D major
No.28 Valtz in D major
No.29 Marcia in D major
No.30 Allegretto in D major
No.31 Minuetto, Andante in A major
No.32 Allegretto in A major
No.33 Allegretto in A major
No.34 Valtz in A major
No.35 Valtz in D major
No.36 Allegretto in C major
No.37 Adagietto con espressione in A major
No.38 Vivace in A major
No.39 Allegretto in D major
No.40 Andante in A major
No.41 Allegro in C major
No.42 Valtz in A major
No.43 Andantino in A minor
Adriano Sebastiani (guitar) 
