Composer

:

Giacinto Scelsi

Genre

:

Keyboard

Style

:

Keyboard

Compose Date

:

1935

Average_duration

:

4:42

Capriccio is a composition for solo violin, composed by Giacinto Scelsi in 1967. The piece was premiered in Paris in 1968 by violinist Paul Zukofsky. The composition is divided into three movements, each with its own unique characteristics. The first movement, marked "Lento," is characterized by its slow and meditative pace. The violinist is instructed to play with a "floating" bow, creating a sense of weightlessness and fluidity. The movement is built around a series of long, sustained notes, which gradually rise and fall in pitch. The overall effect is one of contemplation and introspection. The second movement, marked "Allegro," is a sharp contrast to the first. Here, the violinist is instructed to play with a fast and frenzied bow, creating a sense of urgency and intensity. The movement is built around a series of rapid, virtuosic runs and arpeggios, which require great technical skill and precision. The overall effect is one of excitement and energy. The third and final movement, marked "Lento," returns to the slow and meditative pace of the first. Here, the violinist is instructed to play with a "floating" bow once again, creating a sense of weightlessness and fluidity. The movement is built around a series of long, sustained notes, which gradually rise and fall in pitch. However, unlike the first movement, the third ends with a sudden and unexpected silence, leaving the listener with a sense of unresolved tension. Overall, Capriccio is a challenging and complex composition, requiring great technical skill and sensitivity from the performer. Its use of contrasting tempos and bowing techniques creates a sense of dynamic tension and emotional depth, making it a powerful and evocative work.

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