Capriccio for Violin and Orchestra (Penderecki)

The Capriccio for Violin and Orchestra is a composition by Polish composer Krzysztof Penderecki. It is one of the five caprices that he composed and one of the two that he composed for a soloist with an orchestra, together with the Capriccio for Oboe and Eleven Instruments.

Composition
This composition was finished in 1967 and was intended for performance in Donaueschingen, on October 22, 1967. On that occasion, Ernest Bour conducted the South West German Radio Orchestra, with Wanda Wilkomirska as the violin soloist. It was eventually dedicated to Heinrich Strobel and published by the Polish Music Publishing House and Moeck Musikinstrumente + Verlag and, later on, by Schott Music.

Analysis
This unusual composition takes 10 minutes to perform. It is score for a very large and powerful set of instruments. The list of instruments used in this piece is as follows:


 * Woodwinds
 * 4 flutes
 * 4 oboes
 * 3 clarinets in B♭
 * baritone saxophone
 * contrabass clarinet in B♭
 * 3 bassoons
 * contrabassoon


 * Brass
 * 6 horns in F
 * 4 trumpets in B♭
 * 4 trombones
 * tuba


 * Percussion
 * musical saw
 * vibraphone
 * bells I
 * bells II
 * 4 timpani
 * 2 bongos
 * bass drum
 * claves
 * 5 wood blocks
 * ratchet
 * guiro
 * whip
 * 4 cowbells
 * triangle
 * 6 cymbals
 * 2 gongs
 * gong ageng
 * 2 tam-tams


 * Other
 * bass guitar
 * harp
 * harmonium
 * piano


 * Strings


 * solo violin


 * 24 violins
 * 10 violas
 * 10 cellos
 * 8 double basses

The composition has no tempo marking at the beginning, even though the last bars are marked as Tempo di Valse. It is mentioned in the score that two or three of the bells from the second bell set should be made of 24-karat gold. Contrary to its concertante nature, the cadenza is fairly close to the beginning.

Notable recordings
Following are some of the most well-known recordings of this piece: