		A Mini Lecture Nicolo Paganini, his other Secret What did Nicolo Paganini sound like when he performed on the violin? What was the so called secret of his astounding technique? These are two questions that have baffled violinists and musicologists for over 150 years. But there is yet another secret which is perhaps not so well known. What did Paganini look like? Now I hear you say "How can you say this with so many portraits of the violinist extant" But I say "Have you noticed that hardly any two are alike" Of his playing we have access to the contemporary writings of critics, musicians and composers such as Schubert, Rossini and Berlioz. Musicians whose opinions and comments are valuable indications of Paganini's stature as a violinist. Of the paintings and drawings there is not so much information available to us. If we remind ourselves that there was no photography available in Paganini's time, we must rely on the sometimes distorted view of the artists who both painted and drew his likeness. Heinrich Heine in the *Paganini* section of his book FLORENTINE NIGHTS has the character of Maria say of Paganini, "I have never seen him" 'but if report speaks truly, his looks would hardly satisfy a fine eye for beauty, I have seen portraits of him" "None of which resemble him", answers Maximilian, "Either they flatter or do him an injustice. "I believe there was but one man who ever succeeded in transferring Paganini's features to paper, and he was the deaf painter Lyser..." Dr Frederick F Polnauer and Dr Morton Marks in their book SENSO MOTOR STUDY AND ITS APPLICATION TO VIOLIN PLAYING say of one of Lyser's drawings of Paganini used as an illustration, that most of the images of Paganini show him with his right leg forward and bent at the knee, while Lyser shows him with his left foot forward. They then quote Geraldine De Courcy from her two vols work PAGANINI THE GENOESE as saying that Lyser had a bad reputation for prevarication and was a very limited draftsman. In this short lecture I have tried to establish the fact that it is indeed difficult - perhaps impossible - even with so many portraits, drawings and caricatures of Paganini available, to ascertain just which one is his true likeness. My personal view is that a painter of Jean Auguste Dominique Ingres stature would not have risked his reputation by producing an exaggerated portrait of Paganini, this had been done repeatedly by his fellow artists. He (Ingres) would I am sure, have represented Paganini as he appeared at the time he made his portrait. Ingres portrait was known to be Paganini's favourite portrayal of himself. This fact is confirmed by Paganini's calling card dated 19 February 1831 written in Hambourg, on which Paganini writes of his favourite picture of himself as that by the artist Ingres. It is interesting to note that the Ingres likeness is perhaps the most often reproduced today. May I now end by asking. Will the real Paganini please stand up.........

A Mini Lecture

Nicolo Paganini, his other Secret

What did Nicolo Paganini sound like when he performed on the violin?

What was the so called secret of his astounding technique?

These are two questions that have baffled violinists and musicologists for over 150 years. But there is yet another secret which is perhaps not so well known.

What did Paganini look like?

Now I hear you say "How can you say this with so many portraits of the violinist extant" But I say "Have you noticed that hardly any two are alike"

Of his playing we have access to the contemporary writings of critics, musicians and composers such as Schubert, Rossini and Berlioz. Musicians whose opinions and comments are valuable indications of Paganini's stature as a violinist.

Of the paintings and drawings there is not so much information available to us. If we remind ourselves that there was no photography available in Paganini's time, we must rely on the sometimes distorted view of the artists who both painted and drew his likeness.

Heinrich Heine in the Paganini section of his book FLORENTINE NIGHTS has the character of Maria say of Paganini,

"I have never seen him" 'but if report speaks truly, his looks would hardly satisfy a fine eye for beauty, I have seen portraits of him"

"None of which resemble him", answers Maximilian, "Either they flatter or do him an injustice. "I believe there was but one man who ever succeeded in transferring Paganini's features to paper, and he was the deaf painter Lyser..."

Dr Frederick F Polnauer and Dr Morton Marks in their book SENSO MOTOR STUDY AND ITS APPLICATION TO VIOLIN PLAYING say of one of Lyser's drawings of Paganini used as an illustration, that most of the images of Paganini show him with his right leg forward and bent at the knee, while Lyser shows him with his left foot forward. They then quote Geraldine De Courcy from her two vols work PAGANINI THE GENOESE as saying that Lyser had a bad reputation for prevarication and was a very limited draftsman.

In this short lecture I have tried to establish the fact that it is indeed difficult - perhaps impossible - even with so many portraits, drawings and caricatures of Paganini available, to ascertain just which one is his true likeness.

My personal view is that a painter of Jean Auguste Dominique Ingres stature would not have risked his reputation by producing an exaggerated portrait of Paganini, this had been done repeatedly by his fellow artists. He (Ingres) would I am sure, have represented Paganini as he appeared at the time he made his portrait. Ingres portrait was known to be Paganini's favourite portrayal of himself. This fact is confirmed by Paganini's calling card dated 19 February 1831 written in Hambourg, on which Paganini writes of his favourite picture of himself as that by the artist Ingres. It is interesting to note that the Ingres likeness is perhaps the most often reproduced today.

May I now end by asking.

Will the real Paganini please stand up.........