Niccol (or Nicol ) Paganini (Italian: [ni(k)ko’l ppa a’ni:ni] (listen); 27 October 1782 – 27 May 1840) was an Italian violinist, violist, guitarist, and composer. He was the most celebrated violin virtuoso of his time, and left his mark as one of the pillars of modern violin technique. His 24 Caprices for Solo Violin Op. 1 are among the best known of his compositions,[citation needed] and have served as an inspiration for many prominent composers.