The Capriccio for Piano and Orchestra (French: Capriccio pour piano et orchestre) was written by Igor Stravinsky in Nice between 1926 and 1929. The score was corrected in 1949. Igor Fyodorovitch Stravinsky (Russian: ) (June 17, 1882 – April 6, 1971) was a Russian-American composer of modern classical music. ... City motto: Nicæa civitas. ...
Stravinsky designed the Capriccio to be a virtuosic vehicle which would allow him to earn a living from playing the piano part. The Capriccio, together with the Concerto for Piano and Wind Instruments, belonged to a catalogue of breadwinning pieces which Stravinsky composed to support himself after fleeing the Russian Revolution to live in Western Europe. A capriccio or caprice is a piece of music, usually fairly free in form and of a lively character. ... A virtuoso (from the Latin virtu meaning: skill, manliness, excellence) is an individual who possesses outstanding mechanical ability at operating a musical instrument. ... The phrase Russian Revolution can refer to three specific events in the history of Imperial Russia. ...
The premiere took place on December 6, 1929, conducted by Ernest Ansermet and featuring the composer at the piano. The three movements are played attacca (without interruption) and take just under twenty minutes to perform. December 6 is the 340th day (341st on leap years) of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1929 was a common year starting on Tuesday (link will take you to calendar). ... Ernest Ansermet (November 11, 1883 – February 20, 1969) was a Swiss conductor. ...
After a restatement of the psalm by piano and winds a long development section ensues in which the psalm rhythm is often applied to the accompaniment of the opening material, culminating in a close with four mighty E flats from the depths of the piano.
Exchanging phrases between piano and orchestra is Liszt's starting point for the arrangement of the scherzo and the fugal exposition of the finale is left to the piano, with the orchestra joining gradually thereafter in a nicely calculated crescendo.
The piano enters for a brief cadenza leading to the lyrical contrasting melody which still forms part of the first subject group, and plays throughout the agitated transition to the second subject which is preceded by the first of Liszt's interpolated solos.
In the version with orchestra, Liszt is happy to have the piano remain silent for the whole introduction, and he then introduces the soloist with a mighty outburst, and the theme of the introduction gives way to that of the Dervishes' Chorus (Beethoven's No 3), in which the orchestra gradually joins.
The coda begins with piano glissandos over the third phrase of the theme, after which the soloist is left to improvise until the end, since Liszt's score is blank in the solo part for the last statement of the first two phrases.
The reappearance of the orchestra indicates the movement proper, and a triplet motif borrowed from the Rondo di bravura leads to the full statement of the principal theme in E flat minor (and despite the variety of key signatures, this concerto really is in E flat minor rather than major).
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