The Devil's Music: From Paganini to Inferno

For centuries, composers have been drawn to the mysteries of darkness, temptation, death, and the supernatural. Some were inspired by legends of the Devil, others by visions of Hell, and some became legends themselves, accused of possessing talents that seemed almost inhuman.

The Devil's Music is an improvised musical journey through these stories. It begins with the famous myths surrounding Giuseppe Tartini, who claimed to have dreamed of the Devil performing a sonata beyond human imagination, and Niccolò Paganini, whose extraordinary virtuosity led many to believe he had made a pact with the Devil.

From there, the journey follows some of the most iconic musical symbols of darkness in Western music. Themes from the medieval Dies Irae chant, together with music inspired by Franz Liszt, Camille Saint-Saëns, and Igor Stravinsky, become the starting point for live improvisations, transformed and reimagined in the moment.

Rather than performing complete works, pianist and composer Arash Azizi explores the ideas behind these legendary pieces, allowing centuries of musical imagination to merge with his own voice. The evening culminates in Inferno, a movement from his ongoing Divine Sonata project, inspired by Dante's Divine Comedy.

The complete Divine Sonata will receive its full performance later this year at the #tallinnfringe2026 This concert offers audiences an exclusive glimpse into that larger work—a first descent into the musical world that is yet to come.

Blending classical tradition, improvisation, storytelling, and original composition, The Devil's Music: From Paganini to Inferno invites listeners on a journey through myth, legend, and the enduring fascination with the infernal, where no two performances are ever the same.