La Campanella
About this arrangement
Liszt based it on the finale of Paganini's Violin Concerto No. 2 in B minor. His first version dates from 1838 (S. 140); this is the 1851 revision, the third of the six Grandes études de Paganini (S. 141).
Loop the right-hand leaps at 50% and look at the landing note before you jump. Keep the high notes light and the wrist loose.
Start with short loops.
Use the section list as a practice map. Start at 50% tempo, loop one section, then return to the full piece once the hand shape feels stable.
Choose Right or Left to focus on one hand. Wait for note checks the highlighted notes as you play them on the screen or a connected MIDI keyboard.
Before you practice.
01 How hard is La Campanella?
It's advanced. The right hand jumps constantly by more than an octave, sometimes by two, and there are fast chromatic runs and long trills with the fourth and fifth fingers.
02 How long is La Campanella?
Our edition has 145 bars in 6/8.
03 What should I practise first?
The opening right-hand leaps, slowly and on their own. Use loops to repeat each short leap pattern until you can land without looking twice.
04 What is La Campanella based on?
It's based on the final movement of Paganini's Violin Concerto No. 2 in B minor. 'La campanella' means 'the little bell' - Paganini's tune was backed by a small handbell.