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Cultural and historical Events
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1782 on the 27th of October Paganini was born in Via Fosse del Colle (after Passo di Gatta Mora), the Son of Antonio Paganini and Teresa Bocciardo. Started by his father on the study of mandolin and guitar, he would instead dedicate himself to the violin, studying with Giovanni Costa, Chapel master in the cathedral of Genoa, and with the opera composer Francesco Gnecco. |
Paisiello represents
"Il Barbiere di Siviglia". Mozart marries Costanza Weber |
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1795 After some early concert performances
in the churches of Genoa, he went to Parma to study under the guidance
of Alessandro Rolla; the latter entrusted him to Ferdinando Paër,
who, leaving for Vienna, sent him to Gaspare Ghiretti, with whom Paganini
studied counterpoint and composition. |
Giacomo Maria Brignole
is appointed for the second time "Doge" of Genoa; the last of
the old Republic. Haydn composes the last "Londoner" symphonies |
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1796 At a party in the villa of
the marquis Gian Carlo Di Negro, Niccolò becomes acquainted with
Rudolphe Kreutzer.
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Napoleon starts the Italy campaign and after enters in Milan The Cisalpina Republic is born. |
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1800 Paganini moves to Leghorn,
where he appeared in numerous concerts
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Pio VII is the new
Pope. Napoleon wins the battle in Marengo against the Austrian. Beethoven composes the first Symphony. Picinni dies. |
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1801 He played in the Lucca Cathedral,
on the occasion
of the feast of Santa Croce. |
Peace of Luneville
between France and Austria. First performance of the oratorio "The Seasons" of Haydn. Cimarosa dies. Bellini is born. |
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1802-04 He gave more public concerts
in Leghorn, and the businessman Livron gave him a precious
violin, probably the Guarneri del Gesù (1742).
Sonata Concertata M.S. 2 Grande Sonata for guitar M.S. 3 |
1803 Beethoven
composes the Third Simphony "Heroic". Berlioz is born 1804 Bonaparte in appointed emperor of the French with the name of "Napoleon the First". |
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1805-09 During these years Paganini
served under Princess Elisa Baciocchi, Napoleon's sister, in the town
of Lucca, playing with his brother Carlo, himself a violinist, in the
court orchestra and even appearing in the role of conductor; he conducted
"Il matrimonio segreto" by Cimarosa. Paganini was virtually
the artistic director of the city's music activities, and was, at that
time, also giving violin lessons to Elisa's husband Felice Baciocchi.
Sonata Napoleonfor the fourth string M.S. 5 Sonata a violino solo M.S.6 Sonatas for violin and guitar M.S. 7,8,9,10,11,12,13 Sonatas for mandolin and guitar M.S. 14,16 |
1805 Napoleon is crowned king of Italy |
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1810-12 Having disengaged himself
from the court appointment, which was too involving, he dedicated
himself exclusively to performing, appearing in numerous concerts especially
in the Emilia and Romagna regions.
Polacca con variazioni M.S. 18 |
Marriage between Napoleon and Maria Luisa of Augsburg. |
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1813 He moved to Milan, where he
played for the first time at Teatro alla Scala and Carcano Theatre.
Le streghe, variazione op.8 M.S. 19 |
At Lipzig
Napoleon is defeated. Verdi and Wagner are born. |
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1814 After performing in Pavia and
at Turin's Carignano Theatre, he went back to Genoa, where he started
a relationship with Angiolina Cavanna, with whom he fled to Parma. |
Napoleon signes
the abdication act.Pio VII returns to Rome. The Vienna's Congress works start Beethoven performs the third version of "Fidelio" |
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1815 Because of his lover's pregnancy,
he came back to Genoa, where her father sued him for abduction and seduction
of a minor, a lawsuit which Paganini would lose. He spent a week in jail.
He gave concerts at S. Agostino Theatre and, durin the visit to Genoa
of King Vittorio Emanuele I, he conduced a cantata written for the occasion
by Pietro Generali. |
Napoleon leaves
Elba island and tries a revenge (the Hundred Days) He obtains the definitive defeat in Waterloo and he is transferred to S. Helen island where he will remain to his death. Camillo Sivori is born in Genoa. |
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1816-17 He appeared again at Teatro
alla Scala, and performed in the Venetian region (Venice and Trieste)
Violin Concerto n.1 in E flat Major M.S.21 24 Caprices for solo violin op.1 M.S. 25 |
"Il Barbiere
di Siviglia" by Rossini is performed. Beethoven composes the Piano Sonata op.101 - Schubert the Lied "Der Wanderer". Paisiello dies. |
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1818 He held concerts in Turin and
Piacenza, where he met the Polish violinist Karol Lipinski. Then he moved
to Bologna where he met Marina Banti, to whom he expressed the intention
to marry. He met also Rossini and the singer Colibran. |
At Aachen the first
Congress of the Holy Alliance. "Enrico di Borgogna" Donizetti's first opera. Gounod is born |
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1819-21 During these years Paganini was busy concretising in Rome, Naples and Palermo. In Rome, he met the painter Ingres, who made a famous drawing of him, and Prince Metternich. In Naples he had a short-lived relationship with Carolina Banchieri; there he also came into contact with the cellist Gartano Cialdelli, for whom he would tirelessly supply references in order to obtain him concerts. Sonata a Preghiera for violin (fourth string) and orchestra M.S. 23 Capriccio for solo violin "Nel cor più non mi sento" M.S.446 Six Quartets for string and guitar M.S. 37-42 |
Beethoven completes
the Sonata for piano op. 106 - Clementi completes the second volume of "Gradus
ad Parnassum" 1819: Offenbach is born. |
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1822-23 23 Already suffering from
the venereal disease that would eventually cause his death, assisted by
his mother he moved to Milan, where he was treated by the famous doctor
Siro Borda; later he was invited to stay at the villa of General Domenico
Pino with whom he often played in duo (violin and guitar). It was perhaps
during his stay in Cernobbio that he met the singer Antonia Bianchi, who
live with him for some time and would bear his only son, Achille.
Cantabile to Valtz for violin and guitar M.S. 45 |
Schubert writes
the Eighth "Incompiuta" - Franck is born 1823: Leo XII is appointed Pope. Beethoven completes the "Missa solemnis". Rossini performs "Semiramide". Stendhal publishes "Rossini's life". |
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1824 After recitals in Milan and
Genoa, he travelled with Bianchi to Venice and Trieste. There he was a
guest of the Genoese businessman and amateur musician Agostino Samengo.
In Genoa he meets Sivori to whom he promised to write some composition
for "Camillino"
Sonata with variations for violin and orch. M.S. 47 |
Leopoldo II is appointed
Grand Duke of Tuscana. Louis XVIII dies; the brother Charles X succeeds to the throne. Beethoven completes the Ninth Symphony. At Paris Rossini is appointed Director of Music and Scene at Theatre Italien. Viotti dies Bruckner and Smetana are born. |
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1825-26 Still with Bianchi, he went
to Naples and Palermo, where in July 1825 she gave birth to their son
Achille.
Violin concerto in B minor n.2 M.S. 48 Violin concerto in E major n.3 M.S. 50 |
Ferdinand I dies in Naples; his son Franceso I succeeds to the throne In Petersburg Nicola I is crowned Zar Schubert composes the Quartet "The Death and the Girl" |
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1827 After some concerts in Naples,
he went back to Rome, where he was conferred the decoration "Ordine
dello Speron d'Oro" by
Pope Leo XII. He moved on to Leghorn, Bologna and Genoa, performing in each city. Towards the end of that year he played also in Milan and Turin. |
Beethoven dies. In Genoa Goffredo Mameli is born. |
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1828 At the beginning of March he
travelled to Vienna, where he was hailed by audiences in the most important
halls. Antonia Bianchi appeared with him as singer. The Emperor appointed
him his "personal virtuoso" Still in Vienna he got legally separated
from Bianchi, obtaining his son's custody. In Prague, he underwent a painful
operation on his teeth; there he came into contact with Julius Schottky,
whom he nominated his "official biographer"
Maestosa Sonata Sentimentale per violino(IV corda) e orchestra M.S. 52 |
Rossini performs
"Le Comte Ory" Teatro Carlo Felice inauguration in Genoa Schubert dies. |
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1829-30 He started on a successful
tour of Germany, with a stop in Poland where he met Chopin and, once more,
Lipinski. |
Leo XII dies. Pio
VII is appointed Pope. Rossini performs "William Tell". Teatro
Regio is inaugurated in Parma . 1830 Revolution in France; the king Charles X is deposed and Luis Philip of Orleans replaces him. Berlioz completes "Fantastic Symphony". William IV is crowned emperor |
| 1831 In February
he reached Paris, where the theatres director, Louis Veron, engaged him
for a series of concerts. In the French capital he met again Rossini, Paër,
Cherubini, Giuditta Pasta, and Maria Malibran. He had great success, despite the malicious rumour that was made to circulate, that he had learnt to play violin in prison. During his stay in Paris, the London Impresario Laporte proposed his first tour to England |
Liberal riots there
are in Modena, Parma and Rome. Charles Albert is crowned King. Giuseppe Mazzini founds the "Giovine Italia ". Bellini performs "Sonnambula" and "Norma". Rossini composes " Stabat Mater" |
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1832-33 These years were spent alternating
between Paris and England. He met Charlotte Watson, daughter of his piano
accompanist, and, having fallen in love with her, contemplated running
away with her to France.
Le Couvent du Mont Saint Bernard for violin, chorus and orch M.S.67 Terzetto for violino, cello e guitar M.S. 69 |
The Quadruple Alliance
is signed among England, France, Spain and Portugal Donizetti performs " L'elisir d'amore" 1833 Mendelssohn composes the "Italian Symphony", Schumann the "Six studies from Paganini's Capricci" op.3. Brahms and Borodin are born. |
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1834-5 In Paris Paganini asked Berlioz
to compose a Concerto for viola and orchestra but in the end rejected
the finished work. After a tour in Belgium, he went back to England, where
he performed in London and other cities. At the end of June he travelled
to Boulogne for a secret encounter with Charlotte Watson, only to find
her father instead: there ensued a scandal widely advertised by the local
press. Paganini returned to Italy, to take possession of a villa bought
through his friend, the lawyer Germi, at Gajone near Parma. He held concerts
in Genoa, Piacenza and Parma and was bestowed a specially struck gold
medal by Genoa administration. In November 1835 Maria Luigia, the Duchess
of Parma, asked him to be part of the Artistic Sonata per la Grand Viola for viola
and orchestra M.S. 70 |
Listzt composes
"Great Fantasy on the Clochette" - Schumann composes "Symphonic
Studies" op. 13 Berlioz composes "Arold in Italy" (the work committioned by Paganini). Ponchielli is born. 1835: Francesco I dies in Vienna, his son Ferdinand I is appointed king. Bellini dies - Sain-Saens is born |
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1836 Due to opposition to realisation
of his project, Paganini disengaged himself from the appointment. He travelled
to Turin, for the documents necessary to obtain the legitimation of his
son, which he would later be granted by Carlo Alberto.
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Giuseppe Mazzini writes " The Philosophia of Music". |
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1837 After a short stays in Nice and Marseilles for concerts, he went back to Genoa, where he wrote his final testament. |
William IV of England
dies; the niece Victory is appointed Queen. Schumann composes "Carnaval" |
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1838 Still in Paris, Paganini underwent
therapy of different kinds, even trying homeopathy.
He was nonetheless able to go to a concert of music by Berlioz and in
December donated the French musician 20.000 francs. |
Liszt composes the
first version of the "Transcendental Studies" from Paganini. Mendelssohn
composes the Violin Concert op.64. Bizet is born. |
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1839 Paganini travelled to Marseilles; as he was in no condition to perform, he dedicated himself to trading in string instruments, a business he had been carrying out for some time together with the cellist Vincenzo Merighi of Milan. |
Inauguration of
the first Italian railway "Naples - Portici". Berlioz composes " Romeo and Juliet". Paër dies. Mussorgskij is born. |
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1840 After a short stay in Genoa,
he moved to Nice, where his physical condition worsened
beyond any possible remedy. He was by then totally voiceless, a consequence
of the laryngophthisis of syphilitic origin which had long been diagnosed
to him. He was able to communicate with his son only through written notes. |
The body of Napoleon
in a solemn ceremony is buried in Paris at Hotel des Invalides. Donizetti performs " La figlia del reggimento" and "La Favorita" Ciaikoskij is born |