{{Short description|1887 orchestral suite by Rimsky-Korsakov}} {{Infobox musical composition | name = ''Capriccio espagnol'' | subtitle = | type = [[Orchestral suite]] | composer = {{nowrap|[[Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov]]}} | image = Rimsky-Korsakov Repin crop.png | image_upright = 0.9 | alt = | caption = The composer in 1893, portrayed by [[Ilya Repin]] | native_name = {{langx|ru|Каприччио на испанские темы}} | key = | opus = 34 | dedication = | based_on = | composed = {{start date|1887}} | performed = | published = | movements = five | scoring = orchestra }} '''''Capriccio espagnol''''', [[Opus number|Op]]. 34, is the common Western title for a five movement [[orchestral suite]], based on [[Spain|Spanish]] folk melodies, composed by the [[Russia]]n composer [[Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov]] in 1887. It received its premiere on 31 October 1887, in St. Petersburg, performed by the Imperial Orchestra conducted by the composer.<ref>[https://www.redlandssymphony.com/pieces/capriccio-espagnol-op-34 Capriccio espagnol, op. 34] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220820235522/https://www.redlandssymphony.com/pieces/capriccio-espagnol-op-34 |date=2022-08-20 }} Redlands Symphony</ref> Rimsky-Korsakov originally intended to write the work for a solo [[violin]] with [[orchestra]], but later decided that a purely orchestral work would do better justice to the lively melodies. The Russian title is '''''Каприччио на испанские темы''''' (literally, '''''Capriccio on Spanish Themes''''').
A complete performance of the ''Capriccio'' takes approximately 16 minutes.
==Structure== The work is scored for [[piccolo]], 2 [[Western concert flute|flutes]], 2 [[oboes]] (one doubling on [[cor anglais]]), 2 [[clarinets]] (in [[soprano clarinet|B{{flat}}]] and A), 2 [[bassoons]], 4 [[French horn|horns]] (in F), 2 [[trumpets]] (in B{{flat}}, A), 3 [[trombones]], [[tuba]], [[Percussion instrument|percussion]] ([[timpani]], [[triangle (musical instrument)|triangle]], [[side drum]], [[bass drum]], [[cymbals]], [[tambourine]], and [[castanets]]), [[harp]], and [[string section|strings]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://imslp.org/wiki/Spanish_Capriccio,_Op.34_%28Rimsky-Korsakov,_Nikolay%29|title=Spanish_Capriccio,_Op.34_(Rimsky-Korsakov,_Nikolay)|publisher=IMSLP}}</ref>
It has five movements, divided into two parts comprising the first three and the latter two movements respectively.
{{Ordered list|type=upper-roman
| Alborada
| Variazioni
| Alborada
| Scena e canto gitano ("Scene and [[Romani (people)|Gypsy]] song")
| Fandango asturiano
}} The first movement is a festive and exciting dance, typically from traditional [[Music of Asturias#Songs|Asturian music]] to celebrate the rising of the sun. It features the clarinet with two solos, and later features a solo violin with a solo similar to the clarinet's.
The second movement begins with a melody in the [[French horn|horn]] section. Variations of this melody are then repeated by other instruments and sections of the orchestra.
The third movement presents the same [[Asturias|Asturian]] dance as the first movement. The two movements are nearly identical, in fact, except that this movement has a different instrumentation and [[key (music)|key]].
The fourth movement opens with five [[cadenza]]s — first by the horns and [[trumpet]]s, then solo violin, [[flute]], [[clarinet]], and [[harp]] — played over [[Drum roll|rolls]] on various [[percussion instrument]]s. It is then followed by a dance in triple time leading ''[[wikt:attacca|attacca]]'' into the final movement.
The fifth and final movement 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.
==Characteristics== The piece is often lauded for its orchestration, which features a large percussion section and many special [[:Category:Musical performance techniques|techniques]] and [[:Category:Articulations (music)|articulations]], such as in the fourth movement when the violinists, violists, and cellists are asked to imitate guitars (the violin and viola parts are marked "quasi guitara"). Despite the critical praise, Rimsky-Korsakov was annoyed that the other aspects of the piece were being ignored. In his autobiography, he wrote:
<blockquote>The opinion formed by both critics and the public, that the ''Capriccio'' is a ''magnificently orchestrated piece'' — is wrong. The ''Capriccio'' is a brilliant ''composition for the orchestra''. The change of timbres, the felicitous choice of melodic designs and figuration patterns, exactly suiting each kind of instrument, brief virtuoso cadenzas for instruments solo, the rhythm of the percussion instruments, etc., constitute here the very ''essence'' of the composition and not its garb or orchestration. The Spanish themes, of dance character, furnished me with rich material for putting in use multiform orchestral effects. All in all, the ''Capriccio'' is undoubtedly a purely external piece, but vividly brilliant for all that. It was a little less successful in its third section (Alborada, in B-flat major), where the brasses somewhat drown the melodic designs of the woodwinds; but this is very easy to remedy, if the conductor will pay attention to it and moderate the indications of the shades of force in the brass instruments by replacing the fortissimo by a simple forte.</blockquote>
==In popular culture== * The work is played during the opening credits and as the Spanish Carnival background music during [[Josef von Sternberg]]'s film ''[[The Devil Is a Woman (1935 film)|The Devil Is a Woman]]'' (1935), credited on screen as 'Music based on Rimsky-Korsakoff's "Spanish Caprice" and Old Spanish Melodies'. * Excerpts were heard in the fictional 1947 biopic of Rimsky-Korsakov, ''[[Song of Scheherazade]]''. * A recording by the Moscow Radio Symphony in the film ''[[Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown]]'' (1988). * The work’s third and fifth movements are featured in the ''[[Baby Einstein]]'' video [[List of Baby Einstein videos|''Neighborhood Animals'']]. * A recording by "Philharmonia Slavonica" featured in the film ''[[Brokeback Mountain]]'' (2005). The "Philharmonia Slavonica" is a pseudonymous group that appears on a number of recordings of the bargain-record producer [[Alfred Scholz]]. The performances attributed to them are often by the Austrian Radio (ORF) Orchestra. * The work's fourth movement is featured prominently in a 1998 television commercial for [[Pizza Hut]], [[Mikhail Gorbachev Pizza Hut commercial|famously starring the former leader of the Soviet Union]], [[Mikhail Gorbachev]]. * An orchestra performs the opening of the piece in the series ''[[Little Fires Everywhere (miniseries)|Little Fires Everywhere]]'' (2020).
==Ballet Adaptations== * ''Capriccio Espagnol'' choreographed by [[Léonide Massine|Leonid Massine]] in collaboration with Argentinita with Scenery and Costumes by Mariano Andreu. First performed by the [[Ballet Russe de Monte-Carlo]] at the [[Opéra de Monte-Carlo]] on May 4, 1939 with Argentinita as the Gypsy Girl, Leonid Massine as a Gypsy Youth, [[Alexandra Danilova]] as a Peasant Girl, Michael Paniev as a Peasant Youth and member of the company.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Balanchine |first=George |title=Balanchine's New Complete Stories of the Great Ballets |publisher=Doubleday & Company, Inc. |year=1954 |location=Garden City}}</ref> This ballet was later produced by [[Warner Bros.]] for the film "Spanish Fiesta."<ref>{{Cite book |last=Norton |first=Leslie |title=Leonid Massine and the 20th Century Ballet |publisher=McFarland & Company, Inc.}}</ref> * ''Capriccio Espagnol'' choreographed by Roman Mykyta and originally performed by the [[Ballet Theatre of Maryland]] in January 2023.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2023-01-18 |title=Ballet Theatre Of Maryland Presents “Momentum: A Mixed Bill” - Severna Park |url=https://www.severnaparkvoice.com/stories/ballet-theatre-of-maryland-presents-momentum-a-mixed-bill,53676? |access-date=2025-02-22 |website=Severna Park Voice |language=en}}</ref>
==Notable recordings== * [[London Symphony Orchestra]] conducted by [[Ataúlfo Argenta]] ([[Decca Records]], 1957) * [[New York Philharmonic]] conducted by [[Leonard Bernstein]] ([[Sony Classical Records|Sony Classical]], 1959) * [[Berlin Philharmonic]] conducted by [[Lorin Maazel]] ([[Deutsche Grammophon]], 1959) * [[Czech Philharmonic]] conducted by [[Karel Ančerl]] ([[Supraphon]], 1964) * [[Philadelphia Orchestra]] conducted by [[Eugene Ormandy]] ([[Sony Classical Records|Sony Classical]], 1965) * [[London Symphony Orchestra]] conducted by [[Charles Mackerras|Sir Charles Mackerras]] ([[Telarc International Corporation|Telarc]], 1990) * [[Oslo Philharmonic]] conducted by [[Vasily Petrenko]] (LAWO Classics, 2020)
==References== {{reflist}} * "Nikolay Andreyevich Rimsky-Korsakov: Works; orchestral," [http://www.grovemusic.com http://www.grovemusic.com] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080516041031/http://www.grovemusic.com/ |date=2008-05-16 }} (available by subscription only), viewed 2007-02-28. * Laki, Peter. [https://web.archive.org/web/20050316230810/http://www.clevelandorchestra.com/images/FTPImages/Performance/program_notes/021805.html Cleveland Orchestra program notes for performances on January 28 and 29, 2005].
==External links== *{{IMSLP2|work=Capriccio_Espagnol%2C_Op.34_(Rimsky-Korsakov%2C_Nikolai)|cname=Capriccio Espagnol}}
{{Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov}} {{authority control}}
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Capriccio Espagnol}} [[Category:Suites by Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov]] [[Category:1887 compositions]] [[Category:Fantasias (music)|Rimsky-Korsakov]] [[Category:Music of Spain]] [[Category:Compositions using folk songs]] [[Category:Capriccios (music)|Rimsky-Korsakov]]