Capriccio e aria

Capriccio e aria was composed in the summer of 2016 – upon the constant instigation of my friend, Polish guitarist Marcin Maslak, to write a guitar solo piece after having composed the previous year a concerto for guitar and orchestra (Concierto ardiente). At first I intended to conceive a lighter piece of some shorter movements, maybe a Sonatina, but after some bars the material that came to me proved to be serious in character. Whilst the Capriccio degli angeli (Caprice of the Angels) is, as the title would suggest, the more virtuoso piece of the diptych, the Aria del lupo solitario (Aria of the lonely wolf) explores the sweet richness of guitar harmonics, only interfered by a sudden outburst of pure energy in the middle section of its ternary form.

The titles of the pieces plays on various cultural references – whilst working on the Capriccio (being then still a stand-alone piece) I though of an ironic wink towards the famous guitar piece Capriccio diabolico (Devilish Caprice) by the Italian composer Mario Castelnuovo-Tedesco, my working title being Capriccio angelico. Despite liking the allusion, the music wasn’t that angelic at all. The current title isn’t either, referring not to angels, but the ghostly sight of the Torre degli angeli (The Tower of the Angels) in the town of Ci’gazze of the second volume of Phillip Pullman’s His Dark Materials. It is the second piece in recent years after Àngels i segadors (Angels and reapers, for piano duo) reflecting in a way the idea of angels. Also the Aria refers to the Song of Ice and Fire by George R. R. Martin – as a word-play with the name of Arya of House Stark in whose coat of arms lurks a direwolf. But all this serves rather for personal amusement, Capriccio e aria remains altogether pure, absolute music, I guess?! :)

First prize at the 2018 Boston GuitarFest Composition Competition and was recorded by Marcin Maslak on his solo album "Pastelux".