Paganini 24 Caprices

Lisa Jacob's performs Paganini's Caprices: a beautiful, infamous cycle of 24 works for violin solo with a huge arsenal of technical delights.

With his 24 Caprices, Niccolò Paganini set out to fascinate the audience and play the kind of music that people had never experienced before. As a young talent, Niccolò had shocked and enraged the public by imitating animals using his violin and in the Caprices he elaborated on that earlier experimentation. Birdsong, hunting horns, laughter, donkeys - they were all brought to life through his instrument. When it comes to special techniques and almost impossible dexterity, his 24 Caprices go a step further than Locatelli's. Above all, Paganini's caprices are full of drama. Calm and moving passages interchange without warning with fiery, almost violent passages.

For Lisa Jacobs it is not the technical aspects of the music, but exactly that enormous variety in the musical characters, the extraordinary sound landscape, and the fantasy and lyricism that has amazed her all her life and has been an inspiration for this recording.

Dutch violin virtuoso Lisa Jacobs is known for her passionate performances, interesting programs and communicative qualities on stage. She is equally at home on the concert stage with concertos, chamber music and solo works.

ADVERTISED IN BBC MUSIC MAGAZINE