Why Niccol Paganini's Renowned Talent Led People To Believe He Was Touched By The Devil

Publish date: 2024-05-05

Niccolò Paganini's breathtaking ability on the violin was matched by his unique physical features, which only served to contribute to his almost mythic reputation. According to Classic FM, he was unusually tall, thin, and pale, and because of his propensity to thrash around onstage during his intense performances, he was given the nickname "Rubber Man." Paganini may have had Marfan syndrome, which could explain his unusually long fingers (per Mayo Clinic), giving him an edge when it came to pulling daring feats on the violin.

Of course, because so little was known about the actual cause of Paganini's physical features and how they probably contributed to his playing abilities, fantastical rumors spread about him (per Classic FM). The most infamous of those rumors was that he had sold his soul to the Devil in exchange for his seemingly supernatural violin prowess. (Another version of the story says it was his mother who struck the deal on his behalf.) This superstitious gossip only spread further with reports from concertgoers claiming to have seen Satan himself manipulating Paganini onstage or sending a lightning bolt at the end of Paganini's bow at one of his performances. While these are most likely old wives' tales, the violin did have an association with the Devil prior to Paganini, such as in Giuseppe Tartini's "Devil's Trill Sonata" (posted on YouTube).

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