''Paganiniana'' Op.65, is a

Divertimento ''Divertimento'' (; from the Italian '' divertire'' "to amuse") is a musical genre, with most of its examples from the 18th century. The mood of the ''divertimento'' is most often lighthearted (as a result of being played at social functions) and ...

for orchestra composed in 1941/42 by

Alfredo Casella Alfredo Casella (25 July 18835 March 1947) was an Italian composer, pianist and conductor. Life and career Casella was born in Turin, the son of Maria (née Bordino) and Carlo Casella. His family included many musicians: his grandfather, a f ...

and based on themes by

Niccolò Paganini Niccolò (or Nicolò) Paganini (; 27 October 178227 May 1840) was an Italian violinist and composer. He was the most celebrated violin virtuoso of his time, and left his mark as one of the pillars of modern violin technique. His 24 Caprices f ...

. The piece was commissioned in January 1941, to honor the centenary of the

Vienna Philharmonic The Vienna Philharmonic (VPO; german: Wiener Philharmoniker, links=no) is an orchestra that was founded in 1842 and is considered to be one of the finest in the world. The Vienna Philharmonic is based at the Musikverein in Vienna, Austria. It ...

, which gave its premiere in Vienna, Großer Musikvereinsaal, 14 April 1942, under the direction of

Karl Böhm Karl August Leopold Böhm (28 August 1894 – 14 August 1981) was an Austrian conductor. He was best known for his performances of the music of Mozart, Wagner, and Richard Strauss. Life and career Education Karl Böhm was born in Graz. T ...

. It is scored in four separate movements: # Allegro agitato # Polacchetta (Allegretto moderato) # Romanza (Larghetto cantabile, amoroso) # Tarantella (Presto molto) The first movement is meant to portray the "satanic spirit of the great violinist", and uses four main themes, taken from Paganini's Caprices Nos.5, 12 and fragments from Nos.16, 19. The second, more melancholy, movement is derived from the final movement of Paganini's ''Guitar Quartet No.6 in D minor, Op.5/3'', for violin, viola, cello, and guitar MS 33 (1815c). The third movement takes its subject from the section ''Larghetto cantabile amoroso'' of ''"La primavera" Sonata with Variations for violin and orchestra'', MS 73 (1838c). The finale is taken from the ''"Tarantella in A minor", for violin and orchestra'', MS 76 (1819-26c), borrowing also from the final movement of Paganini's ''Guitar Quartet No.4 in D minor, Op.5/1'', MS 31 (1815c).

See also