Nikolai Rimski-Korsakow

Capriccio Espagnol

Capriccio Espagnol, Op. 34, was composed by the Russian composer Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov in 1887 and was received enthusiastically by audiences. This colorful piece is based on authentic Spanish folk songs and dances. The first movement, Alborada, is a festive and exciting dance, typically from traditional Asturian music to celebrate the rising of the sun. The second movement, Variozioni, is a set of variations on a lyrical melody that opens this movement and is repeated with embellishments in all sections of the ensemble. The third movement, Scena e canto gitano ('Scene and gypsy song') opens with a fanfare-like cadenza, followed by a dance in triple time leading directly into the final movement. The finale, Fandango asturiano, is also an energetic dance from the Asturias region of northern Spain. The piece ends with an even more rousing statement of the Alborada theme. The movements are performed contiguously, without the usual pauses in between.