Paganini Ensemble Wien

Founded in Vienna in 2019 by the violinist Mario Hossen, the Paganini Ensemble Wien is one of the first ensembles devoted principally to the chamber music of Niccolò Paganini. Its programmes bring this rarely performed repertoire for violin, viola, violoncello and guitar to the concert stage and show a Paganini far beyond the legend of the virtuoso.

The ensemble’s interpretations are source-based and historically informed. Its members work in continuous exchange with the institutions devoted to Paganini’s life and music – among them the Paganini Society of Genoa and the Biblioteca Casanatense in Rome, where many of the composer’s original manuscripts are kept – and consult the musicologists Dr. Maria Teresa Dellabora and Dr. Danilo Prefumo.

The Italian label Dynamic has commissioned the ensemble to record Paganini’s complete chamber music. Five volumes of the quartets for strings and guitar have appeared so far, and the work on the sources has uncovered striking connections between Paganini and other composers of the classical, romantic and modern eras, many of whom drew on his music.
Alongside this historical legacy, the Paganini Ensemble Wien gives new works their first performances: pieces written for the ensemble by Rainer Bischof, Gheorgi Arnaoudov, Rudolf Leopold, Richard Dünser, Milko Kolarov and Gabriele Proy.

Between 2021 and 2024 the ensemble performed throughout Europe, Canada and China – at the Auditorio Nacional de Música in Madrid, the Musikverein and the Konzerthaus in Vienna, and at festivals including the Paganini Festival Genoa, the Vilnius Festival, the Ghent Festival, the Liszt Festival Raiding and the International Music Festival Varna Summer. It is an appointed Ambassador of the European Paganini Route.

„We must strongly feel to make others feel” – Paganini’s words are the ensemble’s motto. His music is virtuosity and passion, but also tenderness, pathos and joy.

The musicians

Mario Hossen – Violin
Mario Hossen is the founder of the Paganini Ensemble Vienna. He is a Bulgarian-Austrian concert violinist, considered as one of the leading interpreters of Paganini Music. He made his debut as a soloist with an orchestra at the age of eight. As a concert soloist of international acclaim, Mario Hossen has performed with renowned orchestras such as the Academy of St. Martin in the Fields, the Tchaikovsky Symphony Orchestra, the Bruckner Orchestra, the Orchestra della Scala di Milano, the English Chamber Orchestra. Hossen‘s musicological and artistic endeavors are focused among other things on source research on Niccolo Paganini. Mario Hossen performs on G.B. Guadagnini Violin (1749), which is placed at his disposal by the Austrian National Bank. He plays all concerts exclusively with his preferred strings, the Vision Titanium Solo strings manufactured by Viennese company Thomastik-Infeld
Julia Turnovsky – Viola
Julia Turnovsky (*1991) received her first violin lessons at the age of four and later studied with Prof. Boris Kuschnir at the University of Music and Performing Arts Graz and at the Music and Arts Private University of the City of Vienna. She is a prizewinner of the International David Oistrakh Violin Competition, the Brahms Violin Competition in Pörtschach, and the Carl Flesch International Violin Competition. She has attended masterclasses with Julian Rachlin, Pierre Amoyal, Zakhar Bron, and Igor Ozim and has appeared as a chamber musician and soloist at festivals including Menuhin Festival Gstaad, Prague Spring, and the Mecklenburg-Vorpommern Festival.
Liliana Kehayova – Cello
Liliana Kehayova, a forth generation musician, received her Master degree in cello performance in the Vienna Conservatory studying with Lilia Schulz-Bayrova. As a passionate solo and chamber music performer, Ms. Kehayova has participated in numerous music festivals & recitals throughout Europe. She performed as a soloist with orchestras such as Sofia Philharmonic Orchestra, Mitteleuropa Orchestra Udine, North Czech Philharmonic, Varna Philharmonic Orchestra, New Symphony Orchestra, Camerata Orphica among others. She has performed in venues such as Musikverein (AT), Athenaeum (RO), Rudolfinum- Dvorak Hall and Smetana Hall (CZ), Palau de la Musica Catalana (ES) & Bulgaria Hall (BG). In 2012, Liliana was honoured with the grand scholarship of the Austrian foundation “Alban Berg”.
Alexander Swete – Guitar
Alexander Swete is one of the leading and internationally most sought-after guitarists in Austria. His expressive playing, sense of sound and virtuosic ease delight both critics and audiences. During his studies at the Conservatory in Bregenz with Georg Gaupp-Berghausen and at the Vienna Music Academy with Konrad Ragossnig he had already achieved great success in prestigious international guitar competitions (Havana / Cuba and ARD Munich). His international breakthrough started in 1991 after winning the 1st prize at the International Guitar Competition of Radio France in Paris, the world’s most important competition for guitar. Alexander Swete is professor at the University of Music and Performing Arts Vienna and is D’Addario Artist, playing on D’Addario Pro Arte Nylon strings.

Paganini in Vienna

By 1828 virtually no other musician in Europe was considered so illustrious, yet so mysterious, as was Niccolo Paganini. This musical genius was born in Genoa, Italy, on 27th October 1782, and is generally regarded as the greatest violin virtuoso of all time. His contemporaries were certain that the origin of his talent was in part divine, in part diabolical. He was able to produce hitherto unknown sound effects and feats of amazing virtuosity on his violin. It is no wonder that rumours spread stating that Paganini had sold his soul to the devil. His attractive appearance and his brilliant technique made him a legend in his own lifetime. „I heard an angel sing in Paganinis Adagio“, said the great Austrian composer Franz Schubert.
Paganini began his musical conquest of Europe at the invitation of Prince Metternich; in 1828 Niccolo Paganini spent four months in Vienna. His concert on 29th March in the Great Redoutensaal was his first concert given on foreign soil. One day later, Vienna was transformed: shop windows displayed everything from gloves to pasta "a la Paganini", walking sticks were embellished with his portrait. Vienna was soon in the throes of mass hysteria, and everyone wanted to hear Paganini play. His first five concerts – the five which had been originally planned – took place in the candle-lit, festive Great Redoutensaal. All told, Paganini would give fourteen concerts in Vienna – seven in the Great Redoutensaal, two in the Imperial Theatre (Burgtheater), and five in the Theatre at the Kärntnertor (Kärntnertortheater). With his final ‚Addio a Vienna‘ on 24th July 1828 Paganini took leave of the city and continued his peaceful musical conquest of Europe. Prior to this the Emporer elevated him to the rank of ‚k.k. Kammer-Virtuose‘ (Imperial and Royal Chamber Virtuoso) and presented him with a golden casket.
Paganini’s compositions were inspirational for other great masters
Paganini’s works inspired many other great musicians: Franz Liszt, moved by Paganini’s virtuosity, was inspired to create new possibilities for the piano in his "Six great Etudes after Paganini", Robert Schumann adapted Paganini’s Caprices for the piano, Johann Strauss played waltzes a la Paganini (Opus 11), Johannes Brahms composed variations on the 24th Caprice for the piano, and the Russian composer Sergei Rachmaninov wrote a Rhapsody on a Theme by Paganini.
Works composed by Paganini in Vienna
Included among Paganini’s works composed during his stay in Vienna are:
Violin Concerto in E-flat Major, "I Palpiti" Variations, "Maestosa Sonata Sentimentale" – composed in homage to the Emperor and including musical allusions to the Imperial Hymn of Austria; many smaller compositions for chamber music, "Capriccio con Variazioni" of Mozart’s "La ci darem la mano" from the opera "Don Giovanni", as well as other compositions.

The musicians

Mario Hossen – Violin

Julia Turnovsky – Viola

Liliana Kehayova – Cello

Alexander Swete – Guitar

Paganini in Vienna

Paganini’s compositions were inspirational for other great masters

Works composed by Paganini in Vienna