The inspiration for Giuseppe Tartini’s stunningly virtuosic “Devil’s Trill” Sonata (1779) came to the Venetian composer in a dream. In it, the devil appeared, playing a violin melody of diabolical beauty. After waking up, Tartini tried in vain to transcribe the piece note-for-note. “The music which I at this time composed is indeed the best that I ever wrote,” the composer reflected, “but the difference between it and that which so moved me is so great that I would have destroyed my instrument a