Niccolò Paganini’s 24 Caprices for Solo Violin stand at the very summit of the violin repertoire, where instrumental virtuosity is elevated to the absolute, and every technical device and shade of color is transformed into an artistic language. They form a true “encyclopedia” of the violin’s possibilities—an enduring benchmark that remains unequaled to this day.
Each Caprice is like a distinct portrait with its own character: burlesque and grotesque, tragedy and dance, brilliance and contemplation. Performed as a complete cycle, they unfold as a dramatically charged journey, where the constant metamorphosis of images holds the listener’s attention in unbroken suspense.
The name Paganini has resonated for two centuries, yet the man himself remains an enigma, concealed behind layers of myths and stereotypes. Legends multiply, while his true essence slips away. Only his music provides the genuine key to his persona, offering the listener a direct, unmediated encounter with Paganini himself.
Marking a turning point in the history of music, the 24 Caprices continue to serve as both the supreme trial for the violinist and the ultimate union of virtuosity with artistic expression. A cornerstone of every violinist’s repertoire, the opportunity to hear all twenty-four in a single evening is a rare event—a unique chance to grasp the complete vision conceived by the composer.