Stringed geniuses

New releases showcase violinist Paganini and guitarist Hendrix | Arsenio Orteza

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There are probably more similarities between the 19th-century violinist Niccolò Paganini and the 20th­century electric guitarist Jimi Hendrix than between any other musicians or composers from the Classical and Woodstock eras.

The most obvious similarity is that—through an unprecedented combination of virtuosity and showmanship—each transformed the perception of his instrument by unleashing its protean potential and elevating it to a status typically enjoyed by mythical weaponry like Thor's hammer or King Arthur's sword.

As for the second-most obvious similarity, there's stiff competition between the top-draw popularity that each enjoyed on the concert circuit and the eagerness with which he partook of the hedonistic excesses perennially available to the male celebrity.