Rachel Barton Pine & Niccolò Paganini - Bel Canto Paganini (2017)

Billboard chart-topping violinist Rachel Barton Pine traverses Paganinis ground breaking set of 24 Caprices with virtuosic flair and, in equal measure, reverence for the bel canto, or beautiful singing,'' style of the composers generation. Playing on the ex-Bazzini, ex-Soldat Guarneri del Gesù violin from 1742, made by the same Cremona-based maker in the same year as Paganinis own violin, Rachel channels the composers own technical wizardry as well as his love for beautiful melodies. Rachel was first introduced to Paganinis Caprices at the age of six. In her early twenties she gave her first performance of all 24 Caprices in a single concert, a feat she has accomplished several times since including at the National Gallery in Washington D.C. and the Ravinia Festival. Rachel fills out this release with other pyrotechnical works by Paganini, including his Duet for One, Caprice dadieu and the Introduction and Variations on Nel cor più non mi sento from Giovanni Paisiellos opera La molinara. Inspired by Paganinis legacy of virtuosic themes and variations, Rachel concludes the set with her own Introduction, Theme and Variations on God Defend New Zealand, written in 2000 for the final concert of her first tour of that country. Paganini dedicated his 24 Caprices ''to all the artists. Rachel in turn dedicates this recording to all the listeners, of which there will be legions.

TRACKLIST

CD1

01. Nel cor più non mi sento: Introduction and Variations - Rachel Barton Pine & Niccolò Paganini
02. 24 Caprices for Solo Violin, Op. 1: No. 1, Caprice in E Major "L'Arpeggio" - Rachel Barton Pine & Niccolò Paganini
03. 24 Caprices for Solo Violin, Op. 1: No. 2, Caprice in B Minor "Moderato" - Rachel Barton Pine & Niccolò Paganini
04. 24 Caprices for Solo Violin, Op. 1: No. 3, Caprice in E Minor "Sostenuto-Presto-Sostenuto" - Rachel Barton Pine & Niccolò Paganini
05. 24 Caprices for Solo Violin, Op. 1: No. 4, Caprice in C Minor "Maestoso" - Rachel Barton Pine & Niccolò Paganini
06. 24 Caprices for Solo Violin, Op. 1: No. 5, Caprice in A Minor "Agitato" - Rachel Barton Pine & Niccolò Paganini
07. 24 Caprices for Solo Violin, Op. 1: No. 6, Caprice in G Minor "The Trill" (Lento) - Rachel Barton Pine & Niccolò Paganini
08. 24 Caprices for Solo Violin, Op. 1: No. 7, Caprice in A Minor "Posato" - Rachel Barton Pine & Niccolò Paganini
09. 24 Caprices for Solo Violin, Op. 1: No. 8, Caprice in E-Flat Major "Maestoso" - Rachel Barton Pine & Niccolò Paganini
10. 24 Caprices for Solo Violin, Op. 1: No. 9, Caprice in E Major "La chasse" (Allegretto) - Rachel Barton Pine & Niccolò Paganini
11. 24 Caprices for Solo Violin, Op. 1: No. 10, Caprice in G Minor "Vivace" - Rachel Barton Pine & Niccolò Paganini
12. 24 Caprices for Solo Violin, Op. 1: No. 11, Caprice in C Major "Andante-Presto-Andante" - Rachel Barton Pine & Niccolò Paganini
13. 24 Caprices for Solo Violin, Op. 1: No. 12, Caprice in A-Flat Major "Allegro" - Rachel Barton Pine & Niccolò Paganini

CD2

01. 24 Caprices for Solo Violin, Op. 1: No. 13, Caprice in B-Flat Major "Devil's Laughter" (Allegro) - Rachel Barton Pine & Niccolò Paganini
02. 24 Caprices for Solo Violin, Op. 1: No. 14, Caprice in E-Flat Major "Moderato" - Rachel Barton Pine & Niccolò Paganini
03. 24 Caprices for Solo Violin, Op. 1: No. 15, Caprice in E Minor "Posato" - Rachel Barton Pine & Niccolò Paganini
04. 24 Caprices for Solo Violin, Op. 1: No. 16, Caprice in G Minor "Presto" - Rachel Barton Pine & Niccolò Paganini
05. 24 Caprices for Solo Violin, Op. 1: No. 17, Caprice in E-Flat Major "Sostenuto-Andante" - Rachel Barton Pine & Niccolò Paganini
06. 24 Caprices for Solo Violin, Op. 1: No. 18, Caprice in C Major "Corrente-Allegro" - Rachel Barton Pine & Niccolò Paganini
07. 24 Caprices for Solo Violin, Op. 1: No. 19, Caprice in E-Flat Major "Lento-Allegro Assai" - Rachel Barton Pine & Niccolò Paganini
08. 24 Caprices for Solo Violin, Op. 1: No. 20, Caprice in D Major "Allegretto" - Rachel Barton Pine & Niccolò Paganini
09. 24 Caprices for Solo Violin, Op. 1: No. 21, Caprice in A Major "Amoroso-Presto" - Rachel Barton Pine & Niccolò Paganini
10. 24 Caprices for Solo Violin, Op. 1: No. 22, Caprice in F Major "Marcato" - Rachel Barton Pine & Niccolò Paganini
11. 24 Caprices for Solo Violin, Op. 1: No. 23, Caprice in E-Flat Major "Posato" - Rachel Barton Pine & Niccolò Paganini
12. 24 Caprices for Solo Violin, Op. 1: No. 24, Caprice in A Minor "Tema con Variazioni" (Quasi Presto) - Rachel Barton Pine & Niccolò Paganini
13. Duo merveille, Op. 6 "Duet for One" - Rachel Barton Pine & Niccolò Paganini
14. Caprice d'Adieu, Op. 68 - Rachel Barton Pine & Niccolò Paganini
15. Introduction, Theme and Variations on "God Defend New Zealand" - Rachel Barton Pine