La Capricieuse Op. 17

After returning to the countryside from London, Edward Elgar earned a living from 1890 onwards primarily as a violin teacher albeit out of necessity, since he was unable to make a living from composing. He found his daily life monotonous; in 1891, he apparently hoped to find fresh inspiration through the purchase of a violin from the workshop of the Italian maker Nicolò Gagliano. Filled with enthusiasm by his new instrument, he composed for himself La Capricieuse, a virtuoso bravura piece which was practically tailor-made for his Gagliano. According to a sketch, the piece was initially to be aptly titled “Le Staccato”, but “capricious” captures the character of this popular encore number exceptionally well. Rupert Marshall-Luck now presents a Henle Urtext edition ofthis masterstroke, thus making it accessible for practical use. A showpiece also for advanced students!