The Devil's Trill [Short Story]

Not many people have heard of Tartini, but when it comes to “The Devil’s Trill,” quite a few people will nod and say they know it. Some might even say, “Paganini’s piece! Accardo plays it brilliantly!”

That makes me want to pound the table and curse.

When people hear “The Devil’s Trill,” they usually don’t think of Tartini and his piece of that name. Instead, they think of a high-end classical violin CD compilation of Paganini’s music called The Devil’s Trill.

The translator is really to blame. The original title on that CD is “Diabolus in Musica,” which should literally be translated as “The Devil in Music,” or more freely as “The Devil’s Sound.” It has nothing to do with a trill. The translator probably meant to describe the piece’s difficulty, but the attempt backfired. People like me will probably keep cursing them forever.

I’ve always wanted to set the record straight about Tartini and his “The Devil’s Trill,” so when inspiration struck, I wrote this short piece. I hope everyone who also loves “The Devil’s Trill” will give it a read.

The sound quality of this version of “The Devil’s Trill” is pretty good. It’s on Tudou, runs 16 minutes and 32 seconds, and I’ve checked it for viruses. It’s worth a listen, and I recommend it.

Here’s the link:

http://www.tudou.com/programs/view/aG7uxjkkoyw/

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