The "Devil's Trill" (Italian: Trillo del Diavolo) is a violin sonata composed by Giuseppe Tartini around 1713. The sonata is said to have been inspired by a dream Tartini had, in which the Devil appeared to him and challenged him to a violin-playing contest. Tartini won the contest, but only by playing a trill so fast and difficult that it was said to be impossible for a human to play.
The "Devil's Trill" is considered one of the most difficult violin pieces ever written, and it has been performed by many famous violinists, including Niccolò Paganini, Jascha Heifetz, and Yehudi Menuhin. The piece is known for its fast and intricate passagework, as well as its dramatic and emotional melodies.
The "Devil's Trill" has been interpreted in many different ways, but it is often seen as a representation of the struggle between good and evil, or between human and divine power. The piece is also said to have inspired other works of art and literature, including Johann Wolfgang von Goethe's poem "The Sorcerer's Apprentice" and Antonín Dvořák's opera "The Devil and Kate."