It is the piece that has gotten so many people into classical music that there probably is no composer that even remotely compares to Niccolò Paganini. Paganini's Caprices modernize the way classical music is seen by breaking the stereotypes when it comes to classical music and the violin. It does that by showing off the techniques that gives outsiders in particular, a wow factor, even when the technical difficulty isn't that high.

After the invention of the violin in the 16th century, composers quickly picked up on the amazing versatility with which one can compose music for the instrument. The amount of sheet music written for the violin is truly astounding. It lead to fierce rivalry between composers, trying to think of new ways to compose for the instrument, and only the absolute best withstood the test of time.

Composers like Franz Liszt, Frédéric Chopin, Niccolò Paganini, Sergei Rachmaninoff, Johann Strauss II and Eugène Ysaÿe are only some of the names that come to mind when talking about exciting classical pieces. To give you a clear picture of what I'm talking about specifically, here is an overview.

It didn't take long for the piano to get recognition of its value to the musical world after the invention of its first version; the fortepiano (1698-1709). Although there had already been another instrument which works similarly to it called the harpsichord, the fortepiano was a truly revolutionizing instrument. It was played by musical geniuses like Johann Sebastian Bach and Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart and it started developing into how we came to know it, now.

We all know the currently renowned pianist Evgeny Kissin, but there's a chance you haven't yet heard him play Chopin's piano concerto no. 1, aged 12 years old... Yes indeed, 12 years old. It's shows that his current top-level playing didn't just come out of nothing and it's quite amazing to see where all this development lead up to, 3 decades later.

Niccolò Paganini, equivalent to Franz Liszt for the piano, is said to be a showman who liked to make his compositions so challenging that at the time, only he would be able to play it the way he did it. His technical abilities were so extraordinary that there were stories in circulation that he was in league with the devil and that he had been imprisoned for murder.

The violin was built in 1743 by Giuseppe Guarneri del Gesù and the instrument, preserved as a museum piece, was carefully restored in 1937. Since then, the signature of the restorer can be found next to the signature of the maker. Paganini called the instrument "Il Cannone" or "My Cannon", due to its powerful sound that impressed the audience while giving his concerts. In the 17th and 18th century, the craft of violin making experienced a Golden Age in Italy. Even with all the new technologies that have been developed in violin making, instruments of Amati, Stradivari and Guarneri are still unsurpassed.

With the increasing influence of technology in everyday life, it can often be difficult to focus. In many studies it was found that sudying or working while listening to classical music improves concentration. The most striking type is baroque music, because it increases productivity in activities that require a high concentration. The background sounds that distract you fade and your body and brain literally become calmer. It is partially thought that it's due to the fact that the rhythm of baroque music is the same as that of your heartbeat.

There has always been fierce competition between the composers and to stand out, you needed to have quite some talent. Names like Mozart, Beethoven and Bach are among the most famous, which is well deserved although there are many composers that are often overlooked. Here is the bigger picture.

One of the big differences between Baroque concertos and the more modern ones, is the use of instruments. What will become apparent in this list, is that Baroque composers tend to make use of several solo instruments, called a concertino (with the full orchestra being called the Concerto Grosso), with the more modern take being the solo-concerto with one soloist leading the accompanying orchestra.