Paganini Studies, Op. 3 and Op. 10

Robert Schumann was fascinated by the violin virtuoso Nicolò Paganini, as were many composers of the time. When he was planning a piano tutor in 1832/33 that was to include his own works as well as those by others, Schumann took a close look at Paganini’s virtuosic Caprices for violin. Schumann’s own Caprices op. 3 were composed in this spirit, based very closely on Paganini’s original and following their educational intention. Opus 10, on the other hand, deals more freely with the model and is designed more with an effective performance in mind. Our Urtext edition of all of the Paganini Studies is supplemented by the composer’s extensive explanation on their execution, which he placed at the beginning of his Opus 3.