Clesh: Paganini caprice 15

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Paganini caprice 15
5 minutes, 27 seconds long
Published 22 December, 2009
Keywords: As opposed to the demonic and diabolic side that we heard in the 13th caprice, number 15 begins with a very sad and beautiful melody, and it reminds us of the great sorrow in Paganini's life, in fact a London reviewer wrote 'Sorrow is the characteristic of his style and music, at moments he makes it wail and moan with all the expression of conscious physical suffering.' [Music] Sorrow entered into Paganini's life constantly, his alienation, his terrible illnesses, his dreadful childhood, the fact that people really tried to take advantage of him constantly and envied him and were jealous of him and we feel this in the beautiful melody which is given the delicate rhythm of the Siciliana, the dotted rhythm. What's so extraordinary here is there is an answer, two notes, which we call the Sospiranda motif, the sign motif. That answers the melody of Paganini as if there is another voice agreeing with his sorrow. [Music] The same melody is then repeated in the higher registers of the violin, in delicate arabesques. Suddenly the entire work changes, it becomes sardonic and cackling, almost laughing, almost mocking himself perhaps in this second sections and we have demonstrations of the incredible bow strokes of Paganini. The flying staccato where the bow simply vibrates, staying in one place and makes these cackling sounds. The ricochet where he tosses it down on the strings as if he doesn't care and it just bounces off, all of that in very rapid coordination with the left hand.  [Music] And after that section, its bewildering to return to the beautiful opening. [Music]
Jack Glatzer