Paganini, NICOLO, the famous violinist, was born a porter's son at Genoa on 18th February 1784. His genius showed itself early, and, practising sometimes a single passage for ten hours running, he acquired a mastery over his instrument that has never been equalled; the vulgar, indeed, ascribed it to diabolic agency. It must be confessed he was too much addicted to mere feats of musical legerdemain. He gave his first concert as early as 1793; began his professional tours in Italy in 1805; in 1827 received from the pope the order of the Golden Spur; in 1828-29 made a great sensation in the chief towns of Austria and Germany; and in 1831 created an equal furore in Paris and London. He had gambled much in youth, but he returned very rich to Italy; and he died at Nice on 27th May 1840, drawing a last long note on his favourite G string.
See his Life in French by Fétis (1851), in Italian by Bruni (1873), and in German by Niggli (1882); also vol. ii. of Grove's Dictionary of Music (1880), and Engel's From Mozart to Mario (1886).