The Devil's Violinist Here

Paganini leaned into the rumors by dressing in black and arriving at concerts in a black carriage drawn by black horses. Because of these rumors, the Catholic Church initially refused him a Christian burial for five years after his death.

Niccolò Paganini (1782–1840) was an Italian violinist and composer so technically advanced that audiences believed he had made a . The Devil's Violinist

His favorite violin was a 1743 Guarneri del Gesù nicknamed "The Cannon" for its powerful sound. It is still preserved in Genoa and played only by elite contest winners. Paganini leaned into the rumors by dressing in

He was gaunt and pale with unusually long fingers. Modern medical theories suggest he may have had Marfan syndrome or Ehlers-Danlos syndrome , which would explain his extreme flexibility. His favorite violin was a 1743 Guarneri del

He popularized techniques that seemed impossible at the time, such as playing 12 notes per second, using left-hand pizzicato , and performing entire pieces on just one string.