Violin Concerto No. 2 (Paganini)

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In 1826, Nicolò Paganini composed his second violin concerto in Italy. In his Second Concerto, Paganini holds back on the demonstration of virtuosity, in favour of greater individuality in the melodic style. The third movement of Paganini's Second Concerto owes its nickname "La Campanella" or "La Clochette" to the little bell which Paganini prescribes to presage each recurrence of the rondo theme. The character of the bell is also imitated in the orchestra and in some of the soloist's passages featuring harmonics. The outcome is a very transparent texture, which gains extra charm of gypsy coloration of the rondo theme. This movement gives proof of a compositional mastery which Paganini is too often alleged not to possess. This movement has also served as the basis of compositions by other composers, such as the Étude S.140 No.3 "La Campanella" by Liszt and Strauss I's Walzer à la Paganini Op.11.

Paganini's second Violin Concerto is in three movements:

  1. Allegro maestoso
  2. Adagio
  3. Rondo à la clochette

[edit] In popular culture

  • The piece is played and referenced to by Ethan Gold, acted by Fab Filippo in the multi award-winning North American Drama Queer As Folk.
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