MUS 15 Chapter 8: Mus 15 - Music Appreciation - Reading Notes Unit 8 Weiss Taruskin Paganini
Weiss Taruskin Paganini Notes Unit 8
● Virtuoso was a highly accomplished musician, but by the 19th C this word came to mean
performers who both vocal and instrumental whose technical accomplishments were so
pronounced as to dazzle the public
● Virtuoso singers had been the mainstay of Italian opera almost from its beginnings
● Virtuoso instrumentalists came to their own in the 19th C with the spread of public
concerts designed to cater to the vast new middle-class audiences
● Niccolo Paganini, greatest violin virtuoso of the century, emerged from his native Italy
● He left all of his audiences open mouthed at the unprecedented effects he produced on
his instrument. “worst part of performances seemed to call forth the loudest applause like
his imitation of bells
● The demonic command had an enormous impact on the imagination of some young
composers who were soon to make a name for themselves
● He represents the turning point of virtuosity
● Paganini is fine enough to make the public wish to hear him again and again
● huge number of people in the audience
● looked like a great old boy, not so old but like he is long-faced and haggard with strongly
marked prominent features, wears his hair on his neck, dreary expression,
● His playing is marvellous, it remonstrates, supplicates, answers, holds a dialogue
● highest nots felt like a half dozen of humming birds singing at the top of their voices
Document Summary
Virtuoso was a highly accomplished musician, but by the 19th c this word came to mean performers who both vocal and instrumental whose technical accomplishments were so pronounced as to dazzle the public. Virtuoso singers had been the mainstay of italian opera almost from its beginnings. Virtuoso instrumentalists came to their own in the 19th c with the spread of public concerts designed to cater to the vast new middle-class audiences. Niccolo paganini, greatest violin virtuoso of the century, emerged from his native italy. He left all of his audiences open mouthed at the unprecedented effects he produced on his instrument. Worst part of performances seemed to call forth the loudest applause like his imitation of bells. The demonic command had an enormous impact on the imagination of some young composers who were soon to make a name for themselves. He represents the turning point of virtuosity.