One of the first CDs I purchased as a teenager featured Paganini’s 1^st Violin Concerto.  I don’t remember the soloist, but I think she or he played alongside the Hungarian Philharmonic.  The Concerto remains a favorite and an inspiration – I’ve watched several YouTube performances of the piece, and am enamored of Sarah Chang’s simultaneous boldness and grace.  I have not mentioned my own bold aspiration to pluck away at this piece for the rest of my life to my teacher yet – it’s crazy audacious and premature to be thinking about it.  After all, Paganini remains one of the most celebrated violinists in history; he wrote his music to highlight his immense talents.  And I can’t even read music.

Along the lines of beginner overreach, there’s some chance I’ll be coming into possession of a new instrument.  New to me at least.  I don’t want to say much because I don’t know much, but it’s a family instrument that was last actively played in the mid-1950s.  It was of a decent enough quality at the time, but until I get it and have it looked at by professionals I will know nothing concrete, including if it’s even still playable.  I can’t help but be a bit hopeful, but I’m also intimidated.  I would not be considering purchasing any instrument, let alone one above the student grades, for quite some time.  At present, there’s nothing I can do that my student grade rental cannot adequately handle, and that will be true for a while!  Sound production potential aside, this violin is sure pretty in pictures.

For now, having a violin that’s up to producing Paganini seems a more reasonable aspiration than actually playing the piece.

Thanks for reading.

Ryan