At Vienna, one of the audience affirmed publicly that my performance was not surprising, for he had distinctly seen, while I was playing my variations, the devil at my elbow, directing my arm and guiding my bow. My resemblance to the devil was a proof of my origin.
Interpretation
Paganini suggests that his extraordinary musical talent might be seen as otherworldly or inspired by dark forces.
In this quote, Niccolo Paganini reflects on the perception of his talent as being so remarkable that it evokes supernatural explanations. The audience member's assertion that the 'devil' guided him highlights the fine line between genius and the uncanny, suggesting that exceptional skill can sometimes lead to unfounded assumptions about its source. Paganini's self-awareness regarding the public's fascination with his talent reveals the pressure and intrigue surrounding artists whose abilities defy conventional understanding.
In practice
In a discussion about the struggles of artists, this quote could be shared to illustrate the misconceptions surrounding extraordinary talent.
When I attained my seventh year, my father, whose ear was unmusical but who was nevertheless passionately fond of music, gave me my elementary lessons on the violin; in a very few months, I was able to play all manner of compositions at sight.
I wake up in the morning and my mind starts making sentences, and I have to get rid of them fast - talk them or write them down.
Maurice Sendak never - I remember he said something that was very striking because it's something I never thought about. I always loved his work, and he said, 'I don't really view myself as a children's book author. I just try and write about childhood as honestly as I can.'
The sound of the rain needs no translation. In music one doesn't make the end of the composition the point of the composition... Same way in dancing, you don't aim at one particular spot in the room... The whole point of dancing is the dance.
I have written a great many stories and I still don't know how to go about it except to write it and take my chances.
Melody is the essence of music.
Whoever wishes to devote himself to painting should begin by cutting out his own tongue
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