Nicolo Paganini (1982): Season 1, Episode 3 - Episode #1.3 - full transcript
Commissioned by the state television and
radio committee of the USSR and Bulgaria
LENFILM
Creative film Union
Bulgarian Television
NICCOLO PAGANINI
PART THREE
Paganini's music is played by
LEONID KOGAN
It is our second week as guests
in the Count Metternih's manor
Maestro is getting better - the doors
of his study are shut, he is composing
But I never hear the sound
of his violin
Is he happy?
Can a genious ever be happy?
So, Paganini, another of your
amorous intermezzos is over
Alas, Luigi, alas
Yes, Antonia is of
course right in everything
What did she have? My terrible
character, constant travelling
She is indeed no gipsy.
But, Luigi - she almost threw
the Guarneri violin into the fire!
No, I would have gone deaf
from her.
Gradually and forever
Two years ago, if I am not mistaken, you
called Antonia Bianca a godsent creature
She would have been happy if I remained
a court musician for emperor Franz.
Yes, Paganini prefers
to be the emperor of a
violin rather than the
violin of the emperor
That is right.
To hell with the courts!
Do not pretend, Niko, you enjoy
praise and living in a manor
Only briefly, Luigi
Where does one find a woman...
a special woman?
A woman with an angelic appearance
and devilish passion?
Let us talk about your will
You are afraid of approaching death?
I do not fear death
I have died three times already
Ahead is just repetition - and
repetition is good in music.
I am a terrible composer, Luigi!
The crystal clarity of Mozart is as far
from me as the stars
and I will never reach the stark
wisdom of Beethoven
My identity will die with me
That is what I fear
Niko Paganini made violin live
He made people listen,
and how did they listen!
A fiddler!
Just a circus clown!
My place is just to perform
at village weddings
I have listened to you for a long time,
Niccolo, now you listen to me
I am honest with you, Luigi
Paganini, you are the greatest egoist
that nature has ever known
You walk past everyone,
without truly touching anyone
Not a single ray of your soul
has lit anyone's life
You are not linked to anyone
in thought or feeling
Your only God will always
be your melancholy self
You are doomed to solitude
Forgive me, I am also frank.
This is terrible, Luigi
- Mein Lieber!
- Let me go!
- Son!
- Papa!
Here is my God
So, if I understand correctly,
you leave everything to Ahill
But it is not yet clear
who he will remain with him.
Luigi, all my hopes are with you
- throw everything at her feet
Maestro, I received a letter this evening
I hereby state that
although Senor Paganini
was not wedded to
me by the Church,
He always lead the life of an honest man,
and a good Christian.
I am not afraid for the fate of my
son if he stays with his father
Antonia Bianci
Senora did this out of love for Maestro
I am not worthy of her!
Julious, tomorrow you will put
50000 florins in Senora's account.
I have already dared to offer
her money from your name.
She refused.
Almost everything
is registered at the
Magistrate's court,
except for a few formalities.
He really is a priceless man.
Julious, as of this day you are with me
Now, Niko, I will entertain you
The work of a certain Sir Stendal
Paganini is the best violinist in Italy
And maybe of the whole world
A person with black, piercing eyes
Thick hair... Unfortunately, the hair
has lost its thickness, Sir Schmidt
My hair is indeed
significantly diminished
This fiery soul has
acquired its talent
not through years of
conservatory training
He owes his talent to a love story
due to which he spent
many years in prison
When the lonely musician, in a
prison cell, abandoned by everybody
Enough!
Shameful scribbler!
Scoundrel!
You should not have read this book,
Maestro is seriously ill
Urbino!
Niko!
Yes, Senor Dzhermi
There are too many ill rumours
about the Maestro
Yes, 1802-1804
Two blank years in
the life of the Maestro
Emptiness
This causes bad rumours
I asked him about it,
but he does not reply
Where was he, what did he do
these two years?
He grew tulips
Hard to believe that Maestro
spent two years growing flowers.
However that is the case
My dear Julious
There is some mystery here
Drink
Are you better, Maestro?
Drink
You scared me
Sit with me, Luigi
Tell me about Senora Dida
She has entered a convent
Dida is a nun
This is a fiasco! They do not want to
hear you, they are used to happy music.
They do not want to listen to you!
Very well, I will play to them!
Something happy!
Maestro!
Chase the beggar!
Italian dog!
The merchants!
How can I thank you, Senorina
You have saved my violin!
Hey, let me out somewhere!
Continue
Excellent, I adore adventures
Senora
This is not an adventure, violinist
I do not even know your name!
Does that matter?
My violinist
Call me what you want
Diana the huntress
That is too pompous
Then.... Dida?
Dida?
Let it be Dida
Are you married?
I was married
He died
He fell off his horse
I did not love him
You are divine, my mistress!
You are a miracle,
you are not of this world!
I am from there?
No
From there?
I heard you three times and
your violin has destroyed me.
No, you will love me more than her
Yes, violinist, choose - her or me?
You are alike
The same perfection of lines
The same depth of sound
I will stay, my lady
- Where are we going, Niko?
- To Prague, my angel!
Who lives in Prague?
The Czech live in Prague.
Where are we going afterwards?
Leipzig, Drezden and then Berlin
Who lives in Berlin?
The Germans live in Berlin
- Like you, Julious?
- Mein liebe.
Sir Kanz! Stop!
Maestro
You became afraid of
the first snowfall?
Decided to move to Vienna?
I am leaving, your Highness.
Allow me to ask where.
The road calls for me
My gipsy nature, your highness
Nonsence, we will help you
strengthen your character.
The best human
characteristic is stability
Stability!
I will not dare to disagree,
your Highness.
Thank you for your hospitality.
Move it! I have a terrible
character, your Highness!
Berlin News. 23 march 1829
At Paganini's concert the public reached
a rarely-seen state of extasy
We never thought music could express
so much through sound
There is something
demonic in Paganini.
Goethe's Mephistophilis
must have played like that
Leipzig met him coldly - the front rows
were not going to applaud
But they were forced to do so
when the entire hall burst into applause
Paganini looked old,
exhausted and benevolent
Old and benevolent?
Voices of the admiring public
were heard from everywhere.
It devastates musicians whose place in
the world has been occupied by Paganini
For these people, only
the mechanical process of
elimination of the great
musician from life remains
But this will not bring
their fame back as
humanity has acknowledged
the Italian genius.
Curious... the Italian genious
How is that, the little one?
That is what the Maestro
once called you.
Do not be hurt
It just came to my mind.
Your Highness, he is accepted in
all the courts of Germany.
Now he is half-way to Warsaw,
planning to visit Russia.
Then Paris
Everywhere he spreads anarchy.
Time to stop this at last.
Is this not envy speaking
for you, my son?
I am above such pettiness,
your Highness.
How do you plan to put a stop
to the Italian genius?
By a "mechanical means"?
The Holy scripture state that
no-one knows when death comes.
But you were his friend?
Niccolo Paganini is
an enemy of the Church.
You mean that genuinely
The violinist is becoming
the richest man in Europe.
An artist-millionaire
How does that feel, little one?
Paganini's gold must
belong to the order.
What about him, his soul?
Let us leave him for now
His soul, or whatever else he has
Once upon a time indulgences were sold
- sins were paid for with money
Paganini must pay for
his sins to be forgiven
But he will pay for them
and laugh at us!
From now on, not a single one of
his concerts must be interfered with.
Not a single gold coin must vanish
The sounds of his violin will die
- we are here forever
Amen
Bravo! Wonderful!
Your entrance, Karol. God help you!
Go on, my friend
I will wait for the
compatriots to calm down
Respected gentlemen!
Beautiful Ladies
I exchange my place with your compatriot,
the great Polish virtuoso
my friend, Pan Karol Lepinski!
I hope you will give
your preference to him!
What's wrong, Karol?
The defeated must not
remain on the battlefield!
Tell me Maestro Paganini, I would really
like to know. Do you like Polish women?
You open to us the mystery
of the universes!
It is simply frightening
to listen to you!
Especially for a woman
Your favourite flower, Maestro Paganini?
A tulip, Senora
Do you consider yourself
the top violinist in the world?
I do not know who
the top violinist in the
world is, but the one
after him is Pan Lipinsky!
Beautiful ladies,
I ask you to give me back my guest.
Do not leave, Maestro
Maestro, let me introduce you
The name of this young man is not
yet known but he is a serious musician.
What is your name?
Frederic Chopin
Musician!
It is the happiest moment of my life
I will always remember it
He is a musician
Allow me to convert
your music to piano.
The Venetian Carnival!
With pleasure. Treat it without mercy
Trust only yourself, Senor Chopin
Will you allow me?
- What would Sir like?
- Bring some cognac
Paganini again. He is everywhere!
Everyone has gone mad
One cognac, Pan. Here it is
I am Giovanni Maceti,
I represent the Livan newspaper
Philology Professor Schmidt
We have been waiting for your book
for a long time, Professor.
Maestro's life has so many secrets!
Leave, my friend
I hate false notes!
How do you know I am
working on Maestro's biography?
Yes, Black cat street, the church
of Santa Croche, Antonia...
Niko and I used to sail paper boats
in the street puddles when children
To be honest, Professor, I have looked
for a chance to meet you for a long time.
Would you like to collaborate? I mean
for our newspaper, we pay very well.
I am not in need
What do you mean, collaborate?
Paganini is the sensation of the day!
Not just today
Yes, but a sensation. The newspaper
wants to know everything about Maestro.
What he talks about, his jokes, sayings.
Listen, why don't you
meet Maestro yourself
if you are a
childhood friend of his.
Geniuses are forgetful.
I would then tell you many interesting
things about Maestro's youth.
For example?
For example, do you know
who the "Carbonaris" are?
They are, if I am not mistaken,
the coal-miners, Senor Maceti.
You are not mistaken, only they
deal not with coal but with daggers.
They hide from the police in the woods.
I saw this man twice
I did not tell him a single word
above what was necessary.
I believe you, Julious.
I do know very well
who the Carbonaris are.
- Was Maestro...?
- Another time, Julious.
How does this friend
of my childhood look?
An Italian man of about your age.
- He wore a top-hat.
- The little one!
- Whom are you referring to?
- I mean Ciarelly.
A journalist! He is a Jesuit,
Julius.
What do they want from you?
They chase me
my whole life.
My patrons.
20 October, 1829.
The roads of Saxony.
We continue our
endless journey through
the roads of Europe.
A concert in every city, or even two
And each concert is a triumph
I am amazed at Maestro's vitality
and strength, his fiery energy.
I also spin madly in this hurricane
Sometimes I ask myself: Julious Schmidt,
have you lost your mind?
Where will this whirlpool take you?
But after all, it is
better to observe the life
of a genius than to dig
through dusty archives!
The collection from
the concert was 1250 tallers
The italian virtuoso
was frequently in the
company of anarchists
like himself with long hair.
Among these was Friedrich Kanz
In response to your question,
I report that Paganini
spent in Leipzig 10 days and behaved
extremely provocatively
He refused to perform
in the king's chapel
The earnings of the virtuoso
came to 2500 tallers
It was the third year of
our travels through Europe.
Although my book about
the Maestro has already
been published, I continue
to take careful notes
The towns flash past like pages of
a calendar - Dusseldorf, Studtgart
Bonn, Hanover
Hamburg
Classified: I let you know that
Niccolo Paganini is in Studtgard
met a suspicious
person of Italian origin,
whom he gave a
large amount of money.
The local police was unable
to arrest the carbonari agent
I inform your highness that Paganini
had two perfomances in Weiner
The collection was 1830 tallers
29 September, the virtuoso met the
famous poet Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
The nature of their discussion
is not yet known
The obtained information relates...
He spent several hours
with the great Goethe
He did not tell me what they spoke of
Oh, if only I could find out
We changed three carriages
during this time
I believe we will
need the fourth one.
We live a phantom life,
as though in a dream
We are in a palace, or in a grand hotel
Or in poor country inns
Ahead is Strasbourg, from where
we will continue to Paris
To the precious dream of the Maestro
Now listen to me, Parisians!
We will be destroyed by
these damned gas lamps!
Their poisonous fumes
will kill the trees.
Your lungs will burst with coughing!
Hydrogen spills its poisonous fumes
This devilish invention
will destroy Paris
That's right!
Rossini, Rossini, and
once again Rossini!
How boring in Paris.
A few voices in the opera is not enough
for the season to go well
Gentlemen, Lady Baroness -
Veron is promising a surprise.
Yes, a surprise, Gentlemen!
What did you think up, Veron?
Veron will put several real skeletons
up on the scene of the Grand Opera!
No, Veron will make the dead dance!
Here, pass this on
This also
So, what is your idea, Veron?
I will show Paris a live
Mephistopheles, Gentlemen!
How much did the old man
ask in exchange for his perfomance?
Where did you dig him our from?
How much does Satan
cost nowadays?
Satan is pricey as always
My dear Baroness
Sir Paganini has arrived in Paris
Monsieur!
What is Monsieur looking for?
Monsieur is looking for Paris,
my pretty!
Then he needs a woman
Five franks, and I will reveal
all the secrets of Paris
The secrets are worth more,
my pretty!
Oh, you villain! There
There!
A carriage for Countess de Sentefier
All one hears is about Moulebran
She did not excite me in the least
I am tired of Rossini
They say he gets 140 thousand
franks for a concert!
Gentlemen, have you
heard? A ticket to see this
Paganini will cost as
much as dinner at Dumais
This is preposterous!
Yes, I agree with you entirely!
Go!
The poor thing
A slut. They become
whores at age of 10
And dead at 15
Bury her.
Good morning!
Fresh fruit and vegetables
Go on, Monsieur!
Coffee again, he did
not sleep all night!
God knows where he was.
Maestro does not protect his nerves
To hell with the nerves and
lack of sleep. What are the news?
Some man has been
waiting for you all night!
I think he is Italian.
Ask him in
Son, get up
Good day, Senor
Good day
Coffee?
Thank you
This is my friend - I
have no secrets from him
Tomorrow at the same time
you will receive the money
This is from Senor Dzhermi
Julious, you will take 15000
franks from Rothschild.
And give them to this gentleman
You are either arguing
with the driver over a
coin, or throwing a whole
fortune at god-knows-who
He is an Italian, a compatriot
Yes, it was the same in Hamburg. In
Warsaw you gave a similar man 10000 zloti
In Berlin I gave 15000 marks to some man
They were all Italians.
Yes, Julious
They are all compatriots
Please forgive me, but Maestro, I have
a right to know where your money goes?
To the wind
To the wind of Italy
Were these the tulips
you grew for two years?
Very well, we have to go. The director
of the Grand Opera is waiting for us.
The Paris public is
bored of all these plain
perfomances in the
manner of Armide Gluck.
They are sick of me too
You are wrong Joakimo - all of Paris
is whistling your arias: Figaro, Figaro!
If everyone is whistling them,
it is time to leave the stage.
Glory be to the monstrous and volcanic!
Trust me, you will win with him, Veron!
So, what are your conditions, Maestro?
Let us stop at two perfomances for now
There are many geniuses in Paris?
Just mechanical virtuosos.
- So, how much, Maestro?
- Two-thirds.
- Excuse me?
How much?
Two-thirds!
Is that not too steep, Maestro?
A half.
Two-thirds
Your friend has a good grasp of business
Half
Two-thirds
Take me or not
Basta
I agree
Julious, draft the contract.
Two-thirds.
Bravo, Senor Paganini!
He is a miser, but you are no better
Let him pay
I pay with my life
But the payment could
have been less high
Then there would have been no Paganini
Who is Paganini, a great musician or
a robber of concert halls?
No, Veron is a pig, a dealer
- But who are you?
- What about me?
Well, he will increase ticket
prices by two or three times.
Only rich people will come to your
concerts, the creme of society.
Or do you no longer
play for mere mortals?
Joakimo, I am not
used to being lectured
- I felt burning shame, when you
- When I what?
You were bargaining like
an old gipsy at a market
Good evening
Gentlemen, the best of all Paris is here
- Count Demidoff, Baron Rothschild
Delacroix, Balzac, George Sand,
Debussy, the elite!
- Maestro... ouch!
- Magnetism!
- He is not ill?
May we begin?
Well, God bless
Urbino, my jacket
Maestro, it is time
So, will we listen to this poxy Italian?
You know, I used to play
Not badly, by the way
How his strings sounded today!
They sang, moaned, triumphed, lured...
He drove everyone insane
How can I describe Paganini's
playing in words?
I do not know, I can not
My feather is powerless
Will his magic art dissappear with him?
And those that will live after
will never discover
how Paganini played?
What is up with you?
-Devil take me
- Come on
Pull the curtain!
God, why am I living?
Why?
Pull the lamp! Come on!
He is the greatest musician
of those I have heard.
He is worth any amount of money
Das ist wunderbar. Colossal
Julious, why are they
shouting so much?
They are in awe, my boy
This is fame
Great fame
Tell them Paganini
does not give encore.
Yes, Maestro.
Gentlemen, he was marvellous -
truly a Mephistopheles!
The sounds are also devilish
There is a bottomless abyss
between him and the others!
Charlatan, magician!
- Paganini is unique!
- There is something from Goethe in him!
Well your Highness, have I
satisfied your expectations?
His violin personifies the soul,
it is marvellous
I am glad
Gentlemen, Balsac said Paganini is
a Napoleon of his genre!
Genltemen, have you heard? Balsac said
Paganini is a Napoleon of genre
Yes, only Balsac can say such a thing
Niko!
Julious, he has died
God be with you, my
boy! Maestro is resting
Urbino, ask them to be quieter
Let me through, for Gods sake!
Maestro, I throw myself at your feet!
Madam, no need to
throw yourself at his feet
But I can't
I beg you
The tobacco-box please, my joy
Paris, success!
Well, we've defeated the French!
Paris. 9 March 1831
Morning. I leave futile
attempts to describe
on paper the miracle
of Paganinis music
I just write down the facts
Maestro reached the
height of his fame today
Paganini is the greatest musician
The first violin of the world
Starring:
Niccolo Paganini VLADIMIR MSRYAN
Dida VANYA SVETKOVA
Schmidt ALBERT FILOZOV
Dzhermi DONATAS BANIONIS
Ciarelli ARMEN DZHIGARHANYAN
Borgese VLADIMIR SAMOILOV
Veron BORIS ARABOV
Rossini VSEVOLOD SHILOVSKI
Metternih OLGERT KRODERS
Urbino YURI KATIN-YARTSE
TEXT
In other roles
Georgi Popov, I. Dmitriev,
Lyuben Petrov, V. Pipek
Script OLEG
STUKALOVA-POGODINA with LEONID
MENAKER Subtitles
Maria Matyushina-New
Director LEONID MENAKER
Director of Photography VLADIMIR KOVZEL
Photography: VALERI YURKEVICH
DIMITR ZHELEV
Composer SERGEI BANEVICH
Sound OKSANA STRUGINA
Conductors
ROBERT LYUTER
LEO KORHIN
Editors
A. TUBENSHLYAK
Y. GEORGIEVA
Operators
A. GORKOV
Yu. PlESHKIN
Editing I. RUDENKO Make-up V.
HALAIMOVA K. MALISH Y. BOBEVOI
Costumes: D. MANE A. DENEVA
Decorators: V. BALGARANOVA E. ISAEV
Z. RAKITYANSKAYA
and others
End of Part 3
radio committee of the USSR and Bulgaria
LENFILM
Creative film Union
Bulgarian Television
NICCOLO PAGANINI
PART THREE
Paganini's music is played by
LEONID KOGAN
It is our second week as guests
in the Count Metternih's manor
Maestro is getting better - the doors
of his study are shut, he is composing
But I never hear the sound
of his violin
Is he happy?
Can a genious ever be happy?
So, Paganini, another of your
amorous intermezzos is over
Alas, Luigi, alas
Yes, Antonia is of
course right in everything
What did she have? My terrible
character, constant travelling
She is indeed no gipsy.
But, Luigi - she almost threw
the Guarneri violin into the fire!
No, I would have gone deaf
from her.
Gradually and forever
Two years ago, if I am not mistaken, you
called Antonia Bianca a godsent creature
She would have been happy if I remained
a court musician for emperor Franz.
Yes, Paganini prefers
to be the emperor of a
violin rather than the
violin of the emperor
That is right.
To hell with the courts!
Do not pretend, Niko, you enjoy
praise and living in a manor
Only briefly, Luigi
Where does one find a woman...
a special woman?
A woman with an angelic appearance
and devilish passion?
Let us talk about your will
You are afraid of approaching death?
I do not fear death
I have died three times already
Ahead is just repetition - and
repetition is good in music.
I am a terrible composer, Luigi!
The crystal clarity of Mozart is as far
from me as the stars
and I will never reach the stark
wisdom of Beethoven
My identity will die with me
That is what I fear
Niko Paganini made violin live
He made people listen,
and how did they listen!
A fiddler!
Just a circus clown!
My place is just to perform
at village weddings
I have listened to you for a long time,
Niccolo, now you listen to me
I am honest with you, Luigi
Paganini, you are the greatest egoist
that nature has ever known
You walk past everyone,
without truly touching anyone
Not a single ray of your soul
has lit anyone's life
You are not linked to anyone
in thought or feeling
Your only God will always
be your melancholy self
You are doomed to solitude
Forgive me, I am also frank.
This is terrible, Luigi
- Mein Lieber!
- Let me go!
- Son!
- Papa!
Here is my God
So, if I understand correctly,
you leave everything to Ahill
But it is not yet clear
who he will remain with him.
Luigi, all my hopes are with you
- throw everything at her feet
Maestro, I received a letter this evening
I hereby state that
although Senor Paganini
was not wedded to
me by the Church,
He always lead the life of an honest man,
and a good Christian.
I am not afraid for the fate of my
son if he stays with his father
Antonia Bianci
Senora did this out of love for Maestro
I am not worthy of her!
Julious, tomorrow you will put
50000 florins in Senora's account.
I have already dared to offer
her money from your name.
She refused.
Almost everything
is registered at the
Magistrate's court,
except for a few formalities.
He really is a priceless man.
Julious, as of this day you are with me
Now, Niko, I will entertain you
The work of a certain Sir Stendal
Paganini is the best violinist in Italy
And maybe of the whole world
A person with black, piercing eyes
Thick hair... Unfortunately, the hair
has lost its thickness, Sir Schmidt
My hair is indeed
significantly diminished
This fiery soul has
acquired its talent
not through years of
conservatory training
He owes his talent to a love story
due to which he spent
many years in prison
When the lonely musician, in a
prison cell, abandoned by everybody
Enough!
Shameful scribbler!
Scoundrel!
You should not have read this book,
Maestro is seriously ill
Urbino!
Niko!
Yes, Senor Dzhermi
There are too many ill rumours
about the Maestro
Yes, 1802-1804
Two blank years in
the life of the Maestro
Emptiness
This causes bad rumours
I asked him about it,
but he does not reply
Where was he, what did he do
these two years?
He grew tulips
Hard to believe that Maestro
spent two years growing flowers.
However that is the case
My dear Julious
There is some mystery here
Drink
Are you better, Maestro?
Drink
You scared me
Sit with me, Luigi
Tell me about Senora Dida
She has entered a convent
Dida is a nun
This is a fiasco! They do not want to
hear you, they are used to happy music.
They do not want to listen to you!
Very well, I will play to them!
Something happy!
Maestro!
Chase the beggar!
Italian dog!
The merchants!
How can I thank you, Senorina
You have saved my violin!
Hey, let me out somewhere!
Continue
Excellent, I adore adventures
Senora
This is not an adventure, violinist
I do not even know your name!
Does that matter?
My violinist
Call me what you want
Diana the huntress
That is too pompous
Then.... Dida?
Dida?
Let it be Dida
Are you married?
I was married
He died
He fell off his horse
I did not love him
You are divine, my mistress!
You are a miracle,
you are not of this world!
I am from there?
No
From there?
I heard you three times and
your violin has destroyed me.
No, you will love me more than her
Yes, violinist, choose - her or me?
You are alike
The same perfection of lines
The same depth of sound
I will stay, my lady
- Where are we going, Niko?
- To Prague, my angel!
Who lives in Prague?
The Czech live in Prague.
Where are we going afterwards?
Leipzig, Drezden and then Berlin
Who lives in Berlin?
The Germans live in Berlin
- Like you, Julious?
- Mein liebe.
Sir Kanz! Stop!
Maestro
You became afraid of
the first snowfall?
Decided to move to Vienna?
I am leaving, your Highness.
Allow me to ask where.
The road calls for me
My gipsy nature, your highness
Nonsence, we will help you
strengthen your character.
The best human
characteristic is stability
Stability!
I will not dare to disagree,
your Highness.
Thank you for your hospitality.
Move it! I have a terrible
character, your Highness!
Berlin News. 23 march 1829
At Paganini's concert the public reached
a rarely-seen state of extasy
We never thought music could express
so much through sound
There is something
demonic in Paganini.
Goethe's Mephistophilis
must have played like that
Leipzig met him coldly - the front rows
were not going to applaud
But they were forced to do so
when the entire hall burst into applause
Paganini looked old,
exhausted and benevolent
Old and benevolent?
Voices of the admiring public
were heard from everywhere.
It devastates musicians whose place in
the world has been occupied by Paganini
For these people, only
the mechanical process of
elimination of the great
musician from life remains
But this will not bring
their fame back as
humanity has acknowledged
the Italian genius.
Curious... the Italian genious
How is that, the little one?
That is what the Maestro
once called you.
Do not be hurt
It just came to my mind.
Your Highness, he is accepted in
all the courts of Germany.
Now he is half-way to Warsaw,
planning to visit Russia.
Then Paris
Everywhere he spreads anarchy.
Time to stop this at last.
Is this not envy speaking
for you, my son?
I am above such pettiness,
your Highness.
How do you plan to put a stop
to the Italian genius?
By a "mechanical means"?
The Holy scripture state that
no-one knows when death comes.
But you were his friend?
Niccolo Paganini is
an enemy of the Church.
You mean that genuinely
The violinist is becoming
the richest man in Europe.
An artist-millionaire
How does that feel, little one?
Paganini's gold must
belong to the order.
What about him, his soul?
Let us leave him for now
His soul, or whatever else he has
Once upon a time indulgences were sold
- sins were paid for with money
Paganini must pay for
his sins to be forgiven
But he will pay for them
and laugh at us!
From now on, not a single one of
his concerts must be interfered with.
Not a single gold coin must vanish
The sounds of his violin will die
- we are here forever
Amen
Bravo! Wonderful!
Your entrance, Karol. God help you!
Go on, my friend
I will wait for the
compatriots to calm down
Respected gentlemen!
Beautiful Ladies
I exchange my place with your compatriot,
the great Polish virtuoso
my friend, Pan Karol Lepinski!
I hope you will give
your preference to him!
What's wrong, Karol?
The defeated must not
remain on the battlefield!
Tell me Maestro Paganini, I would really
like to know. Do you like Polish women?
You open to us the mystery
of the universes!
It is simply frightening
to listen to you!
Especially for a woman
Your favourite flower, Maestro Paganini?
A tulip, Senora
Do you consider yourself
the top violinist in the world?
I do not know who
the top violinist in the
world is, but the one
after him is Pan Lipinsky!
Beautiful ladies,
I ask you to give me back my guest.
Do not leave, Maestro
Maestro, let me introduce you
The name of this young man is not
yet known but he is a serious musician.
What is your name?
Frederic Chopin
Musician!
It is the happiest moment of my life
I will always remember it
He is a musician
Allow me to convert
your music to piano.
The Venetian Carnival!
With pleasure. Treat it without mercy
Trust only yourself, Senor Chopin
Will you allow me?
- What would Sir like?
- Bring some cognac
Paganini again. He is everywhere!
Everyone has gone mad
One cognac, Pan. Here it is
I am Giovanni Maceti,
I represent the Livan newspaper
Philology Professor Schmidt
We have been waiting for your book
for a long time, Professor.
Maestro's life has so many secrets!
Leave, my friend
I hate false notes!
How do you know I am
working on Maestro's biography?
Yes, Black cat street, the church
of Santa Croche, Antonia...
Niko and I used to sail paper boats
in the street puddles when children
To be honest, Professor, I have looked
for a chance to meet you for a long time.
Would you like to collaborate? I mean
for our newspaper, we pay very well.
I am not in need
What do you mean, collaborate?
Paganini is the sensation of the day!
Not just today
Yes, but a sensation. The newspaper
wants to know everything about Maestro.
What he talks about, his jokes, sayings.
Listen, why don't you
meet Maestro yourself
if you are a
childhood friend of his.
Geniuses are forgetful.
I would then tell you many interesting
things about Maestro's youth.
For example?
For example, do you know
who the "Carbonaris" are?
They are, if I am not mistaken,
the coal-miners, Senor Maceti.
You are not mistaken, only they
deal not with coal but with daggers.
They hide from the police in the woods.
I saw this man twice
I did not tell him a single word
above what was necessary.
I believe you, Julious.
I do know very well
who the Carbonaris are.
- Was Maestro...?
- Another time, Julious.
How does this friend
of my childhood look?
An Italian man of about your age.
- He wore a top-hat.
- The little one!
- Whom are you referring to?
- I mean Ciarelly.
A journalist! He is a Jesuit,
Julius.
What do they want from you?
They chase me
my whole life.
My patrons.
20 October, 1829.
The roads of Saxony.
We continue our
endless journey through
the roads of Europe.
A concert in every city, or even two
And each concert is a triumph
I am amazed at Maestro's vitality
and strength, his fiery energy.
I also spin madly in this hurricane
Sometimes I ask myself: Julious Schmidt,
have you lost your mind?
Where will this whirlpool take you?
But after all, it is
better to observe the life
of a genius than to dig
through dusty archives!
The collection from
the concert was 1250 tallers
The italian virtuoso
was frequently in the
company of anarchists
like himself with long hair.
Among these was Friedrich Kanz
In response to your question,
I report that Paganini
spent in Leipzig 10 days and behaved
extremely provocatively
He refused to perform
in the king's chapel
The earnings of the virtuoso
came to 2500 tallers
It was the third year of
our travels through Europe.
Although my book about
the Maestro has already
been published, I continue
to take careful notes
The towns flash past like pages of
a calendar - Dusseldorf, Studtgart
Bonn, Hanover
Hamburg
Classified: I let you know that
Niccolo Paganini is in Studtgard
met a suspicious
person of Italian origin,
whom he gave a
large amount of money.
The local police was unable
to arrest the carbonari agent
I inform your highness that Paganini
had two perfomances in Weiner
The collection was 1830 tallers
29 September, the virtuoso met the
famous poet Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
The nature of their discussion
is not yet known
The obtained information relates...
He spent several hours
with the great Goethe
He did not tell me what they spoke of
Oh, if only I could find out
We changed three carriages
during this time
I believe we will
need the fourth one.
We live a phantom life,
as though in a dream
We are in a palace, or in a grand hotel
Or in poor country inns
Ahead is Strasbourg, from where
we will continue to Paris
To the precious dream of the Maestro
Now listen to me, Parisians!
We will be destroyed by
these damned gas lamps!
Their poisonous fumes
will kill the trees.
Your lungs will burst with coughing!
Hydrogen spills its poisonous fumes
This devilish invention
will destroy Paris
That's right!
Rossini, Rossini, and
once again Rossini!
How boring in Paris.
A few voices in the opera is not enough
for the season to go well
Gentlemen, Lady Baroness -
Veron is promising a surprise.
Yes, a surprise, Gentlemen!
What did you think up, Veron?
Veron will put several real skeletons
up on the scene of the Grand Opera!
No, Veron will make the dead dance!
Here, pass this on
This also
So, what is your idea, Veron?
I will show Paris a live
Mephistopheles, Gentlemen!
How much did the old man
ask in exchange for his perfomance?
Where did you dig him our from?
How much does Satan
cost nowadays?
Satan is pricey as always
My dear Baroness
Sir Paganini has arrived in Paris
Monsieur!
What is Monsieur looking for?
Monsieur is looking for Paris,
my pretty!
Then he needs a woman
Five franks, and I will reveal
all the secrets of Paris
The secrets are worth more,
my pretty!
Oh, you villain! There
There!
A carriage for Countess de Sentefier
All one hears is about Moulebran
She did not excite me in the least
I am tired of Rossini
They say he gets 140 thousand
franks for a concert!
Gentlemen, have you
heard? A ticket to see this
Paganini will cost as
much as dinner at Dumais
This is preposterous!
Yes, I agree with you entirely!
Go!
The poor thing
A slut. They become
whores at age of 10
And dead at 15
Bury her.
Good morning!
Fresh fruit and vegetables
Go on, Monsieur!
Coffee again, he did
not sleep all night!
God knows where he was.
Maestro does not protect his nerves
To hell with the nerves and
lack of sleep. What are the news?
Some man has been
waiting for you all night!
I think he is Italian.
Ask him in
Son, get up
Good day, Senor
Good day
Coffee?
Thank you
This is my friend - I
have no secrets from him
Tomorrow at the same time
you will receive the money
This is from Senor Dzhermi
Julious, you will take 15000
franks from Rothschild.
And give them to this gentleman
You are either arguing
with the driver over a
coin, or throwing a whole
fortune at god-knows-who
He is an Italian, a compatriot
Yes, it was the same in Hamburg. In
Warsaw you gave a similar man 10000 zloti
In Berlin I gave 15000 marks to some man
They were all Italians.
Yes, Julious
They are all compatriots
Please forgive me, but Maestro, I have
a right to know where your money goes?
To the wind
To the wind of Italy
Were these the tulips
you grew for two years?
Very well, we have to go. The director
of the Grand Opera is waiting for us.
The Paris public is
bored of all these plain
perfomances in the
manner of Armide Gluck.
They are sick of me too
You are wrong Joakimo - all of Paris
is whistling your arias: Figaro, Figaro!
If everyone is whistling them,
it is time to leave the stage.
Glory be to the monstrous and volcanic!
Trust me, you will win with him, Veron!
So, what are your conditions, Maestro?
Let us stop at two perfomances for now
There are many geniuses in Paris?
Just mechanical virtuosos.
- So, how much, Maestro?
- Two-thirds.
- Excuse me?
How much?
Two-thirds!
Is that not too steep, Maestro?
A half.
Two-thirds
Your friend has a good grasp of business
Half
Two-thirds
Take me or not
Basta
I agree
Julious, draft the contract.
Two-thirds.
Bravo, Senor Paganini!
He is a miser, but you are no better
Let him pay
I pay with my life
But the payment could
have been less high
Then there would have been no Paganini
Who is Paganini, a great musician or
a robber of concert halls?
No, Veron is a pig, a dealer
- But who are you?
- What about me?
Well, he will increase ticket
prices by two or three times.
Only rich people will come to your
concerts, the creme of society.
Or do you no longer
play for mere mortals?
Joakimo, I am not
used to being lectured
- I felt burning shame, when you
- When I what?
You were bargaining like
an old gipsy at a market
Good evening
Gentlemen, the best of all Paris is here
- Count Demidoff, Baron Rothschild
Delacroix, Balzac, George Sand,
Debussy, the elite!
- Maestro... ouch!
- Magnetism!
- He is not ill?
May we begin?
Well, God bless
Urbino, my jacket
Maestro, it is time
So, will we listen to this poxy Italian?
You know, I used to play
Not badly, by the way
How his strings sounded today!
They sang, moaned, triumphed, lured...
He drove everyone insane
How can I describe Paganini's
playing in words?
I do not know, I can not
My feather is powerless
Will his magic art dissappear with him?
And those that will live after
will never discover
how Paganini played?
What is up with you?
-Devil take me
- Come on
Pull the curtain!
God, why am I living?
Why?
Pull the lamp! Come on!
He is the greatest musician
of those I have heard.
He is worth any amount of money
Das ist wunderbar. Colossal
Julious, why are they
shouting so much?
They are in awe, my boy
This is fame
Great fame
Tell them Paganini
does not give encore.
Yes, Maestro.
Gentlemen, he was marvellous -
truly a Mephistopheles!
The sounds are also devilish
There is a bottomless abyss
between him and the others!
Charlatan, magician!
- Paganini is unique!
- There is something from Goethe in him!
Well your Highness, have I
satisfied your expectations?
His violin personifies the soul,
it is marvellous
I am glad
Gentlemen, Balsac said Paganini is
a Napoleon of his genre!
Genltemen, have you heard? Balsac said
Paganini is a Napoleon of genre
Yes, only Balsac can say such a thing
Niko!
Julious, he has died
God be with you, my
boy! Maestro is resting
Urbino, ask them to be quieter
Let me through, for Gods sake!
Maestro, I throw myself at your feet!
Madam, no need to
throw yourself at his feet
But I can't
I beg you
The tobacco-box please, my joy
Paris, success!
Well, we've defeated the French!
Paris. 9 March 1831
Morning. I leave futile
attempts to describe
on paper the miracle
of Paganinis music
I just write down the facts
Maestro reached the
height of his fame today
Paganini is the greatest musician
The first violin of the world
Starring:
Niccolo Paganini VLADIMIR MSRYAN
Dida VANYA SVETKOVA
Schmidt ALBERT FILOZOV
Dzhermi DONATAS BANIONIS
Ciarelli ARMEN DZHIGARHANYAN
Borgese VLADIMIR SAMOILOV
Veron BORIS ARABOV
Rossini VSEVOLOD SHILOVSKI
Metternih OLGERT KRODERS
Urbino YURI KATIN-YARTSE
TEXT
In other roles
Georgi Popov, I. Dmitriev,
Lyuben Petrov, V. Pipek
Script OLEG
STUKALOVA-POGODINA with LEONID
MENAKER Subtitles
Maria Matyushina-New
Director LEONID MENAKER
Director of Photography VLADIMIR KOVZEL
Photography: VALERI YURKEVICH
DIMITR ZHELEV
Composer SERGEI BANEVICH
Sound OKSANA STRUGINA
Conductors
ROBERT LYUTER
LEO KORHIN
Editors
A. TUBENSHLYAK
Y. GEORGIEVA
Operators
A. GORKOV
Yu. PlESHKIN
Editing I. RUDENKO Make-up V.
HALAIMOVA K. MALISH Y. BOBEVOI
Costumes: D. MANE A. DENEVA
Decorators: V. BALGARANOVA E. ISAEV
Z. RAKITYANSKAYA
and others
End of Part 3