Paganini wrote
La primavera in 1838, at a time when he was struggling financially. While living in Paris, he had set up the Casino Paganini, which failed shortly after opening, leaving him with significant debt and the threat of legal action. These difficulties forced him to sell his possessions, including some of his instruments. In the midst of these troubles, he decided to write short pieces, rather than full concertos, to showcase his abilities during his concert tours, just before traveling to
Nice. Paganini wrote to his friend Luigi Germi on June 11, 1838: "I have composed two very grand sonatas with variations, and I am now writing a third. I shall orchestrate them." However, in subsequent letters, he revealed that depression and poor physical health prevented him from completing the piece. Paganini died just two years later, at the age of 57, leaving only the violin part and some sketches for orchestration. The piece was likely never published, as it was left incomplete. Various attempts to amend, complete, or alter sections have been made, but none has prevailed or gained wide acceptance. Given its nature as a virtuoso showpiece, performers often modify the work, either adopting arrangements by unknown hands or creating their own. An additional manuscript, presumably made at the request of Paganini's son, Achille Paganini, was made by Giusto Dacci and revised for the violin by Romeo Franzoni between 1880 and 1915. As of March 2026, the only typeset score in print is the version arranged by Giusto Dacci and edited by Vincenzo Bolognese. This edition was published in
Rome in 1997 by Boccaccini & Spada Editori. == Structure ==