Niccolò Paganini was a great virtuoso of the violin. Also, by all contemporary accounts, he was a great showman, as befits someone growing up in the early 19th century Italian operatic world. His 24 Capricci are not merely technical exercises, and we can imagine Paganini's playing wooing and astonishing according to the music. I was thus really impressed with the CD of the capricci from Maria Dueñas, still in her late teens when the recording was made, I think. I like the way she personalises the capricci; to her, they are not mere etudes. She has a wide dynamic range, and an incredible technique that means you are not constantly alert for weaknesses.
Even though I've heard Paganini's capricci a couple of times too often, after nearly 70 years of listening, Ms Duenas held my attention, and I found her playing fascinating. She certainly individualises these pieces, and one would never confuse her playing here with any of her many rivals. The way she makes the music swoon and swoop brings a true Mediterranean flavour to it, unlike the more sober renditions of James Ehnes, Ning Feng, Augustin Hadelich, Alina Ibragimova, Leonidas Kavakos, and many other excellent versions of note. Whenever I want to hear the capricci again, I'll turn to Maria Dueñas before anyone else. A subjective approach to much music is normally discouraged, and I am not eager to hear Maria Dueñas in Bach, Mozart, or Beethoven. But she's the girl to rival Paganini's showmanship and willingness to wallow in the music.
