What is Niccolò Paganini?
[[File:Niccolo Paganini.jpg|thumb|Niccolo Paganini]] '''Niccolò Paganini''' (27 October 1782 – 27 May 1840) was an [[Italy|Italian]] [[composer]] and [[violin]] player. He is believed to be one of the greatest violinists who ever lived. He is known for 24 Caprices for Solo Violin and his La Campanella. == Biography == Paganini was born October 27, 1782 in [[Genoa]] (in modern Italy). He started the violin at age seven and took private lessons from local violinists. Paganini repeatedly outperformed his teachers such that he always had to search for new ones. He would pick up the guitar, but rarely played the guitar in public. He would start giving concerts around Italy around 1800. For many years, Paganini performed primarily in regions surrounding his hometown. In 1813, he performed at the [[La Scala]] in Milan and gained more attention beyond local regions. He receives Order of the Golden Spur from [[Pope Leo VII]] in 1827. Between 1828 and 1831 he toured cities in present-day [[Germany]], [[Poland]] and [[Czech Republic]] and many other large cities across Europe. This tour spread his fame beyond Italy. Paganini was the perfect [[virtuoso]] during his time although many other violinists slowly approach and some appear to be as virtuosic as him too. He was said to be a show off during his time and many wanted to challenge his violin skills. Paganini once broke all of the strings on his violin except the G-string and played a piece just on one string to show how good he was. He intonated the violin in a different way to sound different. He was the master of violin technique and invented many new techniques such as [[ricochet]] bowing, flying [[staccato]], and left hand [[pizzicato]]. He met and became friends with [[Gioachino Rossini]] and [[Hector Berlioz]]. Paganini was also good friends with [[Franz Liszt]], a similarly magnificent virtuoso. Liszt admired Paganini. In his teenage years he watched Paganini playing, and determined to be a virtuoso as Paganini in piano. Despite his success, Paganini was freq