Niccolò Paganini, a great 19th-century Italian virtuoso violinist, one of the most impressive and mysterious artists of his epoch, was capable of instantly taking away the breath of and impressing the crowds of listeners with his concert appearances. His mystical playing became a role model for other violinists and inspired many composers to write for the instrument. Having mastered the possibilities of the violin to perfection, he employed all techniques of violin playing with unprecedented boldness. His innovative works have significantly influenced the development of the instrumental concerto genre. The ‘Demonic Virtuoso’ has composed five violin concerti. The First concerto for violin and orchestra in D major, Op. 6, written in 1811, is an expressive work saturated with Italian melodiousness, theatricality and romantic flair highlighting the virtuosic potential of the soloist. In a large-scale opus, full of rich melodies and bravura passages, Paganini has left a consummate imprint of his own mastery.

The three-movement concerto (arranged by Tomas Petrikis) features the Lithuanian Chamber Orchestra and its artistic director and soloist Sergej Krylov.