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.
That's what art is for me. It helps you maintain hope by giving you the ability to either create outside your reality, or to describe your reality.
We are persons of quality, I assure you, and women of fashion, and come to see and to be seen.
Never apologize for your cooking.
Art is not living. It is the use of living. The artist has the ability to take the living and use it in a certain way and produce art.
We encourage our people to build their ideas from scratch, and we give them the resources - and, crucially, the candid feedback - that are required to transform the first wisps of a story into a truly compelling film.
Everyone is a virtuoso on his own instrument, but together they add up to an intolerable cacophony.
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