# Liszt and Paganini dedication thread; and there most difficult works.



## JamieHoldham (May 13, 2016)

My favourite composers for the Violin and Piano respectively, and composers of the majority of the most difficult works for each instrument argubly.

I love Liszt for his combination for virtuosity and beautifulness in his themes, melodys and harmony - and I love Paganini for his pure and unparalleled virtuosity and just how disgustingly difficult some of his works are (some more than others of course).

I am going to present what I think are some of there most difficult pieces, all though there is no "most difficult".

Liszt: Études d'exécution transcendante d'après Paganini, S.140 No. 2 = the original version of the Paganini etudes, No.2, extremely difficult, with lots of chromatic runs, the worst one being at the 1:25 marker:






Paganini: Nel cor piu non mi sento;
Want double stops? Got it
Want triple stops? Got it
Want quadruple stops? Got it
Want extremely rapid 16th, 32nd and 64th notes? Got it
Want Pizzicato? Got it
Want Arco and Pizzicato at the same time? Got it
Want trills and pizzicato at the same time? Got it
Want multiple trills at the same time? Got it
Want tremolo and a theme at the same time? Got it
Want natural harmonics? Got it
Want extremely high pitched and hard to reach notes? Got it
Want appregios? Got it
Want descending chromatic runs? Got it

Excuse my french, but what the f*** Paganini..............


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## hpowders (Dec 23, 2013)

Pure difficulty doesn't turn me on.

Playing the adagio to Mozart's Piano Concerto No. 23 poetically and movingly, in my opinion is much more difficult, than playing a Liszt Etude.

Musical conservatories are turning out virtuoso robots who toss the Paganini Violin Caprices off like it's nothing...... but how are they at playing the second movement of the Sibelius Violin Concerto?


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## JamieHoldham (May 13, 2016)

hpowders said:


> Pure difficulty doesn't turn me on.
> 
> Playing the adagio to Mozart's Piano Concerto No. 23 poetically and movingly, in my opinion is much more difficult, than playing a Liszt Etude.
> 
> Musical conservatories are turning out virtuoso robots who toss the Paganini Violin Caprices off like it's nothing...... but how are they with the second movement of the Beethoven Violin Concerto?


I agree to a extent, although Paganini is more than pure difficulty, Leonidas Kavakos is my favourite Violinist / Musician and his playing of Paganini is extremely colorful, vibrant and stands out from any other interprations for me, personally.

Example of the Cadenza from Paganini's Concerto No.1:


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## hpowders (Dec 23, 2013)

JamieHoldham said:


> I agree to a extent, although Paganini is more than pure difficulty, Leonidas Kavakos is my favourite Violinist / Musician and his playing of Paganini is extremely colorful, vibrant and stands out from any other interprations for me, personally.
> 
> I have the complete Paganini Caprices as played by James Ehnes, and truthfully, after 3-4, my eyes are usuually closing and I begin drifting off. Just not enough MUSICAL substance to interest me.


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## JamieHoldham (May 13, 2016)

hpowders said:


> JamieHoldham said:
> 
> 
> > I agree to a extent, although Paganini is more than pure difficulty, Leonidas Kavakos is my favourite Violinist / Musician and his playing of Paganini is extremely colorful, vibrant and stands out from any other interprations for me, personally.
> ...


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## hpowders (Dec 23, 2013)

JamieHoldham said:


> hpowders said:
> 
> 
> > Thats fair enough, too much of Wagner and I can fall asleep too, his music is too good and dreamy, if you know what I mean.
> ...


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## Pugg (Aug 8, 2014)

JamieHoldham said:


> I agree to a extent, although Paganini is more than pure difficulty, Leonidas Kavakos is my favourite Violinist / Musician and his playing of Paganini is extremely colorful, vibrant and stands out from any other interprations for me, personally.
> 
> Example of the Cadenza from Paganini's Concerto No.1:


Stunning playing Jamie.


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## Dan Ante (May 4, 2016)

hpowders said:


> I have the complete Paganini Caprices as played by James Ehnes, and truthfully, after 3-4, my eyes are usuually closing and I begin drifting off. Just not enough MUSICAL substance to interest me.


I have them by Midori, to be fair they were meant as exercises as far as I remember.


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## JamieHoldham (May 13, 2016)

As I have been searching across Paganini's Opus works, I found this gem; a Duet...

For one violin :lol:

Plently of Arco and Pizzicato at the same time, very difficult and beautiful, glad I found it.


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