«Rinnovando antichi effetti obbliati». La scordatura nelle opere violinistiche di Niccolò Paganini

Abstract

The essay systematically analyses for the first time the practice of the scordatura, which Paganini used (often in his own personal way) in his concert works, while also employing it within all his compositions for violin on the sole fourth string and orchestra. The contribution builds on Paganini’s reapplication of technical devices not fashionable anymore at his time, those «antichi effetti obliati» [ancient, forgotten effects] which François-Joseph Fétis cunningly referred to in his 1851 Notice biographique sur Niccolò Paganini. The scordatura was employed by the Genoese violinist in order to obtain a brighter sound in the higher range or to amaze his listeners e.g. by performing entire compositions in keys that would normally be extremely challenging for the violin, such as E flat or B flat major.