Rimski-Korsakov, "Capriccio Espagnol"

That morning, the girl in charge of the store was surprised to see a tall, lanky sailor enter the store in her direction, slightly raising his Russian naval officer's cap. The officer wandered among the shelves filled with books of all kinds and stopped in front of what appeared to be the section reserved for music. The girl watched him complacently and was even more pleased when she saw him approaching with a volume in his hand. They spoke in French, the officer fluently, the girl rather hardly. After leaving the tent, the officer looked happy. He was carrying in his hands the compilation "Cantos y Bailes Populares de España", by the Spanish composer José Inzenga y Castellanos.

The officer's name was Nikolai Rimski-Korsakov and he was serving on the frigate Almas, which two days ago had made port in Cadiz, on its way back to St. Petersburg after almost two years of cruising around the world.

Rimski, who, as you may have guessed, was also a musician, was 21 years old at the time. He had already composed his first symphony, greeted an enthusiastic audience on its premiere, and was a member of The Five, a group of Russian composers who advocated the creation of a specifically "Russian" music, as opposed to one that simply imitated the style on which European music had been based until then.

Rimsky-Korsakov (1844 - 1908)
1864 picture 

Folklore from other lands
But just as Russian themes were promoted, the group was not opposed to using folk motifs from other lands. Therefore, it is not surprising that the visionary Rimsky got hold of Inzenga's songbooks twenty years in advance of their orchestral treatment in a symphonic work. The result of such a profitable acquisition was the composition of one of his most popular works, Capriccio Espagnol, composed based on the themes that he met in Cadiz that morning in 1865.

Capriccio Espagnol, op. 34
With the original title of Capriccio on Spanish Themes for orchestra, it had its premiere on October 31, 1887, in St. Petersburg, conducted by the composer. The themes, mainly Asturian, are approached in the "Russian manner" with an orchestral treatment that highlights Rimsky-Korsakov's genius as an orchestrator. The work, applauded by the instrumentalists during rehearsals, was dedicated to all of them. Its premiere was enough for its immediate incorporation into the standard repertoire, and it remains there to this day.

The rendition is by Joven Orquesta Nacional de España, conducted by Lutz Köhler.

Movements:

   00  Alborada   Festive dance, typical of Asturian music.

1:20  Variations   The theme is introduced by the horns, followed by four variations. 

6:14  Alborada   Recreation of the first movement theme, with different instrumentation and in a different key.

7:25  Gypsy scene and song   Series of dances. The last dance links without pause with the last movement (atacca):

12:40  Asturian Fandango.

The work ends with a new exposition of the Alborada theme, somewhat more spirited.