Capriccio Espagnol and Other Concert Favorites in Full Score

by Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov

Full of atmospheric suggestion and luminous tone-painting, Rimsky-Korsakov’s orchestration appears at its very best in the descriptive passages of these three concert Capriccio Espagnol, Op. 34, a lively and whimsical piece based on Spanish gypsy airs and fandangos; the Russian Easter Festival Overture, Op. 36, a celebratory composition based on liturgical themes; and "Dance of the Buffoons," a sprightly piece from the opera Snow Maiden (A Fairytale of Spring). Authoritative early scores. Notes.

240 pages, Paperback

First published February 25, 1998

About the author

Traditional folk music heavily influenced operas and orchestral works of Russian composer Nikolai Andreyevich Rimsky-Korsakov.

This member of the group, known as "the five," mastered. His best-known Capriccio Espagnol, the Russian Easter Festival Overture, and the symphonic suite Scheherazade constitute staples of the classical repertoire alongside suites and excerpts from some of his 15 operas. Scheherazade exemplifies his frequent use of fairy tale and subjects.

Rimsky-Korsakov as fellow Mily Balakirev and critic Vladimir Stasov developed a classical nationalistic style. This style employed song and lore alongside exotic harmonic, melodic, and rhythmic elements in a practice, known as orientalism, and eschewed traditional western methods. Rimsky-Korsakov, a professor of harmony at the Saint Petersburg conservatory in 1871, however, appreciated western techniques. He undertook a rigorous three-year program of self-education and mastered western methods, incorporating them alongside the influences of Mikhail Glinka and fellow members of the five. His exposure to the works of Richard Wagner further enriched his techniques.