At Vienna, one of the audience affirmed publicly that my performance was not surprising, for he had distinctly seen, while I was playing my variations, the devil at my elbow, directing my arm and guiding my bow. My resemblance to the devil was a proof of my origin.
Interpretation
Paganini suggests that his extraordinary musical talent might be seen as otherworldly or inspired by dark forces.
In this quote, Niccolo Paganini reflects on the perception of his talent as being so remarkable that it evokes supernatural explanations. The audience member's assertion that the 'devil' guided him highlights the fine line between genius and the uncanny, suggesting that exceptional skill can sometimes lead to unfounded assumptions about its source. Paganini's self-awareness regarding the public's fascination with his talent reveals the pressure and intrigue surrounding artists whose abilities defy conventional understanding.
In practice
In a discussion about the struggles of artists, this quote could be shared to illustrate the misconceptions surrounding extraordinary talent.
When I attained my seventh year, my father, whose ear was unmusical but who was nevertheless passionately fond of music, gave me my elementary lessons on the violin; in a very few months, I was able to play all manner of compositions at sight.
Copy is not written. If anyone tells you ‘you write copy’, sneer at them. Copy is not written. Copy is assembled. You do not write copy, you assemble it. You are working with a series of building blocks, you are putting the building blocks together, and then you are putting them in certain structures, you are building a little city of desire for your person to come and live in.
Imagine books and music and movies being filtered and homogenized. Certified. Approved for consumption. People will be happy to give up most of their culture for the assurance that the tiny bit that comes through is safe and clean. White noise.
One of the joys of going to the movies was that it was trashy, and we should never lose that.
A work of art is one through which the consciousness of the artist is able to give its emotions to anyone who is prepared to receive them. There is no such thing as bad art.
It's no use to go and take courses in playwriting any more than it's much use taking courses in acting. Better play to a bad matinée in Hull, it will teach you much more than a year of careful instruction.
Why should the lamp or the house be an art object but not our life?
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