PROGRAM NOTES & INSTRUMENTATION
Capriccio was composed in 1994 and, although not intended as a programmatic work, commemorates the 50th anniversary of D-Day - June 6, 1944. The work's entire melodic and harmonic structures are derived from a single cell set comprised of two intervals - the minor second and the minor third. Capriccio obtains its title from the divergent manner in which the work's character, including density, rhythm, registration, timbre, and dramatic affect/effect, is fundamentally processed over time.

Capriccio employs the following instrumentation: 2 flutes, piccolo, 2 oboes, english horn, 2 B-flat clarinets, bass clarinet/contrabass clarinet, 3 bassoons (3rd doubles contrabassoon), 4 horns in F, 3 trumpets in C, 3 trombones (3rd is bass trombone), tuba, timapani, 3 percussion (see battery below), piano/celesta, harp, and strings (16, 14, 12, 10, 8 recommended).

The percussion battery is employed as follows: Player 1 - tubular bells, vibraphone (shared with player 2), marimba (shared with player 2), suspended cymbal, crash cymbals, mark tree, and bell tree. Player 2 - rototoms, vibraphone (shared with player 1), marimba (shared with player 1), Japanese temple bells, sizzle cymbal, bell tree, mark tree, triangle, and large tam-tam. Player 3 - triangle, bass drum, tam-tam (medium), suspended cymbal, glockenspiel, and crotali. All percussionists are required to use a bow.

HISTORY
The 12-minute Capriccio was Walczyk's dissertation for his DMA degree obtained from the University of North Texas. The work was recorded by Gerard Schwarz and the Seattle Symphony on the Master Musician's Collective Recordings label in 1997 (Perspectives MMC 2162).

REVIEWS

"[Capriccio] is appropriately tragic and haunting...it is alternatively violent and poignantly luminous. Walczyk's highly original musical syntax and his often revealing exploitation of orchestral color left me riveted."

- William Zagorski, Fanfare Magazine (Issue 31:5 May/June 2008)

"CD 2 will literally knock your socks off...the deceptively complex Capriccio of Kevin Walczyk...is built structurally around a minor second and a minor third, but it's Walczyk's febrile imagination that binds it into a coherent whole in which instrumental registration, rhythmic density, timbre, and dramatic effects are processed throughout its nearly 12 minutes."

- Lynn René Bayley, Fanfare Magazine (Issue 31:5 May/June 2008)

"Kevin Walczyk's Capriccio was written as a 50th anniversary commemoration of D-Day. A thoughtful, extremely well-crafted and dense work..."

- Patrick Rucker, Fanfare Magazine (Classical Reviews - Miscellaneous Collections, May 30, 2008)

"Marvellous. Gerard Schwarz truly leads a totally committed performance of Walczyk's single-cell embryo that grows steadily into our consciousness and plants the seeds for future re-hearings. The Seattle Symphony Orchestra rallies to the cause...painting the wide-ranging canvas with real emotion and understanding. Pure music such as this can't help but find an audience of those who choose to open their ears, minds and then truly listen."

- S. James Wegg, JWR Reviews (July 11, 2008)

LISTEN TO CAPRICCIO
Although no score is available to download, orchestras considering a performance of Capriccio may contact Keveli Music to have a study score sent to them. Keveli Music gratefully acknowledges Gerard Schwarz and the Seattle Symphony for this recording of Capriccio. The following file is in MP3 format.