Sound Signatures of Virtuosity: A Computational Study of Ara Malikian’s Performances of Bach and Paganini

Abstract

Through a computational analysis of 55 solo violin recordings by Ara Malikian, this article explores how expressive identities manifest across two contrasting repertoires: Johann Sebastian Bach’s Sonatas and Partitas and Niccolò Paganini’s 24 Caprices. These works, recorded under similar conditions in 2003, provide a unique comparative framework to investigate stylistic divergence within the interpretive choices of a single performer. Drawing on Spotify's audio features—specifically tempo, energy, valence, loudness, acousticness, and danceability—the analysis maps the expressive contours that differentiate the Baroque structural poise of Bach from the Romantic theatricality of Paganini. While Bach’s performances are marked by consistency, tonal clarity, and restrained dynamics, Paganini’s interpretations reveal broader variations in tempo, higher energy levels, and greater affective contrast. These trends align with musicological perspectives that frame Bach’s writing as rhetorically introspective and Paganini’s as technically exuberant. A correlation matrix reveals that expressive features in Paganini’s recordings are more tightly interlinked—suggesting a performance mode oriented toward emotional integration—whereas Bach’s data reflects compartmentalized expressivity. Although originally designed for popular music, Spotify’s descriptors prove useful when critically framed within historical performance contexts. Their application reveals how digital tools can support nuanced readings of musical interpretation, highlighting expressive tendencies that might otherwise remain implicit. Rather than supplant traditional analysis, this approach offers a new lens to engage with sound as structure, gesture, and affect. Malikian’s recordings demonstrate how interpretative identity adapts across repertoire, balancing fidelity with stylistic responsiveness. From harmonic clarity and contrapuntal weight to dramatic flair and expressive volatility, the findings illustrate how digital features can trace the contours of musical thought. These insights not only illuminate differences between composers, but also show how a performer’s expressive palette is reshaped by the demands and histories of the works themselves.