This past summer, as I was vacationing in New Hampshire with my parents, we had occasion to play a number of board games and card games. My dad puts me in charge of selecting music to listen to. I took it as an opportunity to combine one place that I love with another, in absentia, by playing a number of archived Tanglewood broadcasts from the Boston Symphony website. One of the pieces that came up was the Capriccio Italien of P.I. Tchaikovsky. Another work that, by name, at least, I had no familiarity (this year I’m really feeling like I was a classical music deadbeat before!). As with most, once I heard it, I realized that many of the themes are more famous than I’d been aware. So now, a few months later, I will take this one on, and become more aware.
Initial Impressions
Aye caramba, this does not sound anything like the Tchaikovsky I have come to expect. But rather than a delightful departure, I am finding it tedious and difficult to bear. It’s funny that the piece was entirely inspired by his trip to Rome, because all I’m thinking is that it reminds me of one of my least favorite musical styles, the Viennese music that’s featured on New Year’s programs. There must be something that’s distantly related to their origins. Whatever the case, this is not the piece for me. Ugh. I found it interesting, and agree, that Tchaikovsky later pondered its musical value. Funny.