Here's a chance to blat about great pieces of classical music that are technically challenging and exciting to listen to.

My first choice is:

Tartini - Devil's Trill

I'm fanatical about this little piece and obsessively collect recordings of it in my search for a performance that is as near perfect as possible.

For those who don't know, and because I love the stories of the piece and the composer;

Guiseppe Tartini (1692-1770) is credited with discovering the acoustic phenomenon of resultant tones, during the research for his Arte dell' Arco at Ancona in 1714, which he dubbed terzo sono. This is also known as Combination Tone: phenomenon wherein the playing of two pitches produces a third pitch the frequency of which is the difference between the pitches that generate it (usually much lower than the first two). Tartini made this discovery the basis of his ensuing compositions - of which there are a great number which are too seldom recorded.

It is worth noting that Tartini didn't actually discover it, but he did document it and put it into practice!

Tartini also established a training center for violin playing, and the bowing technique he developed and taught is still used today as a standard. He was one of the widest reputed virtuosi of his time, and his writings were hugely influential on authors of violin study thereafter - including Leopold Mozart. He is widely acknowledged to be the bridge between the baroque style of Vivaldi and the classical style with his developments and observations - particularly on harmony and ornamentation.

Anyway, the story goes that the Devil came to the foot of Tartini's bed in a dream and, via a pact, taught him the sonata known as the "Devil's Trill". It is hugely demanding, even by modern standards, requiring a number of double stop trills (there is a rumour that Tartini had 6 fingers on his left hand, such is the difficulty), whilst simultaneously keeping a melody line running. The piece is also notable in that it is much "wilder" than standard violin sonatas of the time, and comprises a series of build-ups from a gentle, melancholic tune to a series of frenzied trilling with ever-increasing difficulty and complexity. To (allegedly) quote Tartini;

"I heard a sonata so unusual and so beautiful performed with such mastery and intelligence, on a level I had never before conceived was possible! I was so overcome that I stopped breathing and awoke gasping. Immediately I seized my violin, hoping to recall some shred of what I had just heard - but in vain. The piece I then composed is without doubt my best, the Devil's Sonata, but it falls so far short of the one that stunned me that I would have smashed my violin and given up music forever if I could but possess it." 

If you don't know it and you like virtuosic music, I suggest you check it out - and find out the meaning of the word "virtuoso" 

Does anyone know of a really good recording of this where the player doesn't slow down for or fluff up the difficult bits?