Abstract
In his time, an anecdote accused Paganini of a demonic pact with Lucifer himself in exchange for amazing fiddler’s prowess. Stemming from this anecdotal association between extraordinary technical skill and the ‘supernatural’ comes an ironic, grotesque virtuoso piece for violin and piano: the Devil’s Dance. At its core it is a very tuneful, richly textured, ironic pop-classical piece with a quirky dialogue between the two instruments. Aesthetically it can sometimes be reminiscent of the late 19th century fascinations with gothic fantasy genre found in pieces such as The Sorcerer’s Apprentice, Danse Macabre or Mephisto Waltz to name a few. Despite its flamboyant contrariness and a somewhat carnivalesque tone, it is rigorously structured as an ultra-fast inverted waltz, with dazzling scales, haunting harmonies and exotic melody lines.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Publisher | AvA Musical Editions |
| Media of output | Paper & Physical Portfolio |
| Publication status | Published - 1983 |