The Tune That Drove Composers Wild

Dear Niccolo Paganini,

You certainly did it with this one. As a young girl said to me yesterday, "That is smokin' hot!" I won't try here to explain wikipedia, but it lists 30 compositions written by the likes of Brahms, Liszt, Rachmaninov, and even Andrew Webber and Benny Goodman, just based on this Caprice.

Listen to Jascha Heifetz. Don't he make you proud?




Fred Flaxman, who does a public radio show, Compact Discoveries said, "These capricci, which explore virtually every aspect of violin technique, are still the supreme test of the abilities of any violinist." He's the one who said that this Caprice drove the composers wild!

If you, yourself, played like this, that guy who said your virtuosity was, "enough to make the greater part of the fiddling tribe commit suicide," was probably right.

So here is my question? (Consider this a survey question.) What is it about this tune that has brought so much musical light into this world? I'm thinking about that.

Bless you.

BRD