WIN Francesca Dego’s recording on Paganini’s ‘Il Cannone’ violin

In the March 2021 issue, Italian violinist Francesca Dego explains how it felt to play the 1743 Guarneri ’del Gesù’ violin known as ‘Il Cannone’ (the ‘Cannon’), once the favourite instrument of Nicolò Paganini. ’It was simultaneously a dream come true and the most stressful thing imaginable!’ she says. ‘It’s rare to focus so much on the qualities of the E string when looking for an instrument, perhaps because it’s more difficult to find one with real depth of sound in the lowest register. The violin is most distinctive when it’s soaring at the top of its range, though, so for me it’s just as important as the lower end.’

The CD is released on 26 February on the Chandos label, and we have ten copies to give away. For your chance to win one, just submit your details here. 

Closing date 30 April