The Capriccio presents a similar Romantic contrast, now between the bustling life of the outside world and the quiet intimacy of the inner life. The intricate orchestral textures of the outer sections whimsically displace the beats, in the manner of Schumann. The middle section is a sweet melody, a dreamy recollection of a waltz once heard at a ball, perhaps, which would be quite at home in a Tchaikovsky ballet. The piece was dedicated to Karl Klindworth, a student of Liszt’s, a friend of Wagner’s, and also Tchaikovsky’s colleague at the Moscow Conservatoire.

from notes by Marina Frolova-Walker © 2019