The Most Important Recording Projects Ever (No. 16: Dynamic's Complete Paganini Edition)

[@eugenebraig413]

I had many of these original individual releases. Replaced them all with the big box when the big box was ultimately available. Regarding Paganini as great, I do think he was but not in a balanced sense. Paganini was a great crafter of melody, but his use of harmony and rhythm were pretty straightforward. . . . And I have listened to the whole, much of it multiple times. I'm actually quite fond of the violin solos, concertante works, and chamber works with guitar. Paganini's first instrument was actually the mandolino genovese, and his three surviving works for that instrument are represented here with Dorina Frati the mandolinist. As much as I like mandolin, Paganini's mandolin works essentially are as much historic curiosity as music, but his gift for melody is always fore. Also fun are the works by other composers inspired by Paganini that this contains. I wish Carulli's riffing on La Campanella for guitar had been included, but you can search it up elsewhere.

[@mgconlan]

I've long thought of Paganini as the Jimi Hendrix of the 19th century. Like Hendrix, Paganini extended the technique of his instrument, played in a really flashy and "virtuosic" manner, and set the seal on his own legend by dying young.

[@frankie6954]

There were many guitarists better than Jimmy Hendricks.

[@mikaelbeskow9221]

A suggestion for this series: Rodrigo-Complete orchestral works (in the bigger series Spanish Classics) on Naxos. His music is beautiful, catchy and ought to please many. The recordings are overall great, and so is the sound quality.

[@eugenebraig413]

I've acquired that series and love it. I love the tone poem inspired by NASA's exploration.

[@bigg2988]

I once came across this compendium mint on an Amazon deal and just purchased it on a whim. Not a great fan of violin per se, I was delighted to find all those never-heard chamber gems with violin worked into their fabric - often together with, or replaced by, the guitar. The concertante and orchestral stuff is also intricate while not boring - and it does not constitute the bulk of Paganini's output anyway. Actually some rediscovered/ recomposed concertos were really worth the while! All the musicians and ensembles gave their best, which provides for high-quality entertainment pretty much throughout. To reiterate - this IS entertaining first and foremost! One does not need to be a connoisseur to "get into" and enjoy Paganini. Given, you will not have him on repeat, with so much wonderful music around - but you will be happy while it plays. For anyone interested in this period (beginning of 19th Century), especially the non-operatic Italian oeuvre, the collection is a great find. Generally not overbearing, and especially the chamber pieces work beautifully in the background for whatever one may be doing... If there is a place for endless Baroque riches (and rich they are!), or for complete Mozart on 160+ CDs, the Paganini Edition is much less taxing. Good to have!

[@deutschlander85]

I'm glad to see Paganini get some love. Whatever you think of him as a composer, there's no doubting the outsized impact he had on instrumental playing. But I really enjoy a lot of this set. The standouts are the concerti, the capricci, and the solo guitar stuff (especially the ghiribizzi). I wish that Kavakos would record them, but to this point there is no better recording of the concerti than with Quarta. I also cannot think of another violinist who takes the correct key. Not everything is masterpiece, but that doesn't spoil the whole.

[@jdiwkall]

I learned rather recently that his Violin Concerto No. 1 is actually originally in the key of E-flat, not D major.

[@DynamicOperaClassic]

💚

[@frankie6954]

I wish Heifetz had recorded more Paganini. Especially the concerto No: 1, and the entire caprices.

[@markmiller3713]

I would say the same, but for Arthur Grumiaux.

[@frankie6954]

@@markmiller3713 I'm also including Arthur Grumiaux, but not as much as Heifetz.

[@ruramikael]

Paganini was very important to Schumann as well, at least during the first half of the 1830s.

[@gartenkauz2152]

Sonatas for Violin and Guitar: Opera II dedicated to Madame Frassinet Sonata II: Why does the tune sound so familiar?

[@maxmachado8632]

Hello Dave! Do you think that the Erato Poulenc Complete Edition would be a good candidate for the “Most important recording projects Ever”? Thank you for reading and take care.

[@DavesClassicalGuide]

Possibly!

[@bbailey7818]

I acquired the complete violin concertos with Salvatore Accardo on Philips but 40 discs?! As it is the other concertos don't quite come up to the First which is so much fun.

[@bigg2988]

The point that David seemed to make, and which I honestly support, was that the concertos are not even the main "draw" of this box. By all means, sample to see if it is your thing, but you may be surprised by the lovable small pieces! And overall, as a full project, this worthy of superlatives.

[@gregorystanton6150]

I have the Accardo recordings, so there would be some duplication - but this is so cheap it doesn’t matter. As a composer, Paganini was a great melodist. If you compare his music with that of his teacher, Rolla’s compositions are largely forgettable. Sometimes I think Paganini and Rossini were twins separated at birth.

[@Clementkouroukis]

Indeed, a very important project…up to a point. This set also includes the most bland and boring chamber music compositions in the history of chamber music (save a few moments). Almost 20 cd’s of the same bland material over and over! God help us. Other than those waste of CDs, a very great set. * Dave, please do the Hyperion Complete Liszt Piano Music with Leslie Howard next!!!

[@Fafner888]

Calling this an important recording project while dismissing the Philips complete Mozart edition... I sometimes don't understand Dave's thought process. Are all these pointless guitar pieces really more important then the output of one of the greatest musical minds in history?

[@Clementkouroukis]

@@Fafner888 I agree. The Phillips Mozart Edition was one of the most important projects ever, whether you like the recordings or not. I will take a 2 year old Mozart composition over ANY chamber composition Paganini ever wrote in a heartbeat! Mozart was a complete genius from the beginning to the end, whereas Paganini had his flashes.

[@bloodgrss]

I think it is important in the very fact it revealed Pagannini as much more than just a legendary virtuoso. No matter how variable the music may be. And a great deal of it is very fine to great music. I do agree that I am a bit disappointed by Dave's dismissal of the Mozart; it certainly led me to much of his music I was not familiar with, however good or not the performances. For that alone, this casual music lover loved that set; important to me.

[@Fafner888]

​@@bloodgrss Mozart's output though variable in quality, certainly contains such a substantial chunk of essential music that it makes perfect sense to have everything in a single box, or at least smaller boxes arranged thematically -- and on top of that you get excellent, and sometimes great, performances. It was honestly such a top class product and an invaluable resource for serious listeners and collectors. But now the Paganini edition, what did it really change about our perception of the composer? Yes we already knew he was a virtuoso who could write nice tunes. What new things did we learn by having this box? Is there anything essential that one would miss if one only had the caprices and violin concertos?

[@mangstadt1]

I guess I'll have to stick to my Accardo box. I'm happy with a 33-cd box dedicated to Luigi Boccherini from Brilliant, plus a few loose cds, but I don't love Paganini enough to buy a 40-cd box.

[@jsandefreitas1]

Another suggestion are the Paul Casals Bach suites for cello.