Grand Sonata, III movement | Niccolo Paganini’s guitar by Gennaro Fabricatore, 1826 | Artyom Dervoed

It was a unique opportunity at the Paganini Festival in Parma to play the guitar that once belonged to Niccolo Paganini signed himself. There is one more instrument, signed by the great owner, in Paris. This guitar needs a serious restoration, but still, it sounds very good. With these guitars, violins and Paganini’s coffin, his son Achilles, wandered around Europe for 36 years, until the moment of the burial of the Maestro in Parma. It’s a kind of magic to handle and play on Maestro Paganini guitar. He must have spent a lot of time with this instrument. It should have absorbed a piece of his soul. The guitar was made by Italian luthier Gennaro Fabricatore in 1826. Spruce top & maple back and sides.