leader at the Genoese theatre, that he undertook to instruct the gifted child.  Two years later the young Paganini was transferred to the charge of Signor Giacomo Costa, an excellent violinist, and director of church music at one of the cathedrals, under whom he made rapid progress in executive skill, while he studied harmony and counterpoint under the composer Gnecco.  It was at this time, Paganini not yet being nine years of age, that he composed his first piece, a sonata now lost.  In 1793 he made his first appearance in public at Genoa, and played variations on the air “La Carmagnole,” then so popular, with immense effect.  This debut was followed by several subsequent appearances, in which he created much enthusiasm.  He also played a violin concerto every Sunday in church, an attraction which drew great throngs.  This practice was of great use to Paganini, as it forced him continually to study fresh music.  About the year 1795 it was deemed best to place the boy under the charge of an eminent professor, and Alessandro Rolla, of Parma, was pitched on.  When the Paganinis arrived, they found the learned professor ill, and rather surly at the disturbance.  Young Paganini, however, speedily silenced the complaints of the querulous invalid.  The great player himself relates the anecdote:  “His wife showed us into a room adjoining the bedroom, till she had spoken to the sick man.  Finding on the table a violin and the music of Rolla’s latest concerto, I took up the instrument and played the piece at sight.  Astonished at what he heard, the composer asked for the name of the player, and could not believe it was only a young boy till he had seen for himself.  He then told me that he had nothing to teach me, and advised me to go to Paer for study in composition.”  But, as Paer was at this time in Germany, Paganini studied under Ghiretti and Rolla himself while he remained in Parma, according to the monograph of Fetis.

The youthful player had already begun to search out new effects on the violin, and to create for himself characteristics of tone and treatment hitherto unknown to players.  After his return to Genoa he composed his first “Etudes,” which were of such unheard-of difficulty that he was sometimes obliged to practice a single passage ten hours running.  His intense study resulted not only in his acquirement of an unlimited execution, but in breaking down his health.  His father was a harsh and inexorable taskmaster, and up to this time Paganini (now being fourteen) had remained quiescent under this tyrant’s control.  But the desire of liberty was breeding projects in his breast, which opportunity soon favored.  He managed to get permission to travel alone for the first time to Lucca, where he had engaged to play at the musical festival in November, 1798.  He was received with so much enthusiasm that he determined not to return to the paternal roof, and at once set off to fulfill engagements at Pisa and other towns.  In vain the angry and mortified father sought to reclaim the young rebel who had slipped through his fingers.  Nicolo found the sweets of freedom too precious to go back again to bondage, though he continued to send his father a portion of the proceeds of his playing.