Niccolò Paganini — widely considered the greatest violinist of all time — was born in Genoa on 27 October 1782. His father, Antonio Paganini, was engaged in shipping. He was known to have been a man of hardness and unscrupulous severity, who raised his son with a hand of iron. As a child, Niccolò Paganini was attacked so severely by measles that it was thought he was dead. His body was wrapped in a shroud, and it was only by accident that it was not prematurely buried. This early illness left Paganini sickly for the remainder of his life.
He began the study of the violin at a very early age. His father, dreaming of wealth which a prodigy might bring him, applied cruelty in keeping Niccolò at his musical tasks, punishing each mistake severely, and permitting the child no relaxation or play. Under his early teachers - Giovanni Servetto and Giacomo Costa - Paganini made startling progress. At the age of eight he composed a violin sonata of surprising merit; a half year later, he played the Concerto of Pleyel in church so successfully that he was frequently engaged for church functions. Antonio Paganini was rapidly realizing his dream, but far from relenting his despotic rule over his son, increased it with the hope of bringing his vision sooner to fruition.
In 1795, Paganini - then thirteen years old - gave a performance at a theatre in Genoa that was so phenomenal that he was henceforth known as the “wonder-child.” His father decided to take him to greater teachers. He therefore began the study of composition under Ferdinando Paër in Leghorn. In 1797, Paganini undertook an extended concert tour in Milan, Bologna, Florence, Pisa, and Leghorn, startling the audiences with his phenomenal technique. By this time, Antonio Paganini`s tyrrany over his son was proving unbearable to Niccolò, who became determined to free himself once and for all from his father`s rule. In Novembre of 1798, he went with his older brother to the St. Martin Festival at Lucca, where he gave a successful performance. From Lucca, he visited nearby cities giving outstanding performances. He earned enough money to support himself more adequately, and he firmly decided never again to return to his father`s home.
This newly-won freedom, however, turned his head. He was only sixteen years old, but he began to plunge into dissipation with women, and gambling. Of these two vices, the latter proved to exert so strong a hold upon him that he would frequently lose more at one sitting than he earned in several weeks. More than once he was forced to pawn his violin to pay off a debt of honour. At one time, he was scheduled to give a performance, but his violin was in pawn. A friend, Monsieur Livron, offered to lend him his own valuable Guarnerius, and at that concert was so enchanted with Paganini`s playing that he urged the violinist to retain the precious instrument as a gift. Shortly after this, Paganini almost lost this famous violin in gambling. When, the following morning, the realisation came to him that he had almost gambled away his most precious possession, he swore never again to approach a gaming table; and he kept his promise.
