A biography for Niccolo Paganinihasn’t been written yet.
“In order to move others, I must be moved.”
“At a grand evening service in a church, my concerto created such a furor that the worshippers rushed out to keep the crowd outside the church quiet.”
“I am not handsome, but when women hear me play, they come crawling to my feet.”
“The violin is my mistress, but the guitar is my master.”
“At Vienna, one of the audience affirmed publicly that my performance was not surprising, for he had distinctly seen, while I was playing my variations, the devil at my elbow, directing my arm and guiding my bow. My resemblance to the devil was a proof of my origin.”
“When I attained my seventh year, my father, whose ear was unmusical but who was nevertheless passionately fond of music, gave me my elementary lessons on the violin; in a very few months, I was able to play all manner of compositions at sight.”