Paganini, Niccolò: La Campanella

Composed as the rondo finale of Paganini’s Violin Concerto No. 2, La Campanella quickly took on a life of its own, being quoted by other composers in their own works even during the composer’s lifetime. The title refers to a small bell motif that recurs in the accompaniment, in dialog with the soloist. Bouriakov’s transcription for flute and piano exquisitely captures the original sparkle, levity, and intensity, in a manner that is gratifying to perform and to hear. The present transcription was included on the repertoire list for the 2019 Tchaikovsky Competition.