TheCapriccio for Piano and Orchestra was written byIgor Stravinsky inNice between 1926 and 1929. The score was revised in 1949.
Stravinsky designed the Capriccio to be avirtuosic vehicle which would allow him to earn a living from playing the piano part. The Capriccio, together with theConcerto for Piano and Wind Instruments, belonged to a catalogue of breadwinning pieces which Stravinsky composed to support himself after fleeing theRussian Revolution to live in Western Europe.
The Allegro capriccioso movement that would become the finale was begun first, in Nice on Christmas Day 1928, and provided the musical material from which the other movements grew. It was followed by the second movement, completed at Echarvines, nearTalloires, on 13 September 1929, and then by the opening Presto. Theorchestration of the first movement was completed on 26 October and that of the last movement on 9 November 1929.[1]
The premiere took place in theSalle Pleyel, Paris, on 6 December 1929, with theOrchestre symphonique de Paris conducted byErnest Ansermet (who had founded the orchestra that winter season) and featuring the composer at the piano.[2] The next year, Stravinsky made a commercial recording of the work as soloist, with theStraram Orchestra, conducted by Ernest Ansermet.[3][4][5][6] Beginning in the mind-1930s, Stravinsky's sonSoulima often performed it as soloist, most often with his father conducting.[7]
In 1949 Stravinsky corrected a number of misprints and omissions in the score, and this version was published in 1952. Unfortunately, a few new mistakes were added in this new edition, the most important of which was a change of the tempo marking at rehearsal number 14 from the original dotted-quaver
= 88 to 80, which contradicts the specification that the semiquavers remain the same.[8]
Amongst other influences on the Capriccio, Stravinsky very much had in mindCarl Maria von Weber, whom he described as "a prince of music".[9]
The three movements are playedattacca (without interruption) and take just under twenty minutes to perform.
The Capriccio is scored for solopiano, pairs ofwoodwinds (flutes doublingpiccolo,oboes,clarinets doublingpiccolo clarinet, andbassoons),cor anglais, fourhorns, threetrombones,tuba,strings andtimpani.
In addition to the solo piano, there is aconcertino group of soloists consisting of the firstviolinist, firstviolist, firstcellist and firstbassist.
The score was first used as ballet music whenLéonide Massine choreographed it in 1947 for theTeatro alla Scala, Milan. The décor for this production was byNicola Benois. A second production was created in 1957 with choreography, décor, and costumes byAlan Carter.[8]
The original 1929 version of the Capriccio was used byGeorge Balanchine as the score for the "Rubies" section of his full-length 1967 balletJewels.[10]
.{{cite magazine}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)LCCNunk84135656;OCLC 11380159 (all editions),OCLC 1762297 (all editions) &499264168.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)| Operas and musical dramas | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ballets | |||||||||
| Symphonies | |||||||||
| Orchestral music | |||||||||
| Concertos | |||||||||
| Solo vocal | |||||||||
| Choral | |||||||||
| Piano and pianola | |||||||||
| Chamber music | |||||||||
| Other | |||||||||
| Arrangements | |||||||||
| Family |
| ||||||||
| Named for Stravinsky | |||||||||
| Related |
| ||||||||
| International | |
|---|---|
| National | |
| Other | |
