''A capriccio'' (Italian: "following one's fancy") is a
tempo
In musical terminology, tempo ( Italian, 'time'; plural ''tempos'', or ''tempi'' from the Italian plural) is the speed or pace of a given piece. In classical music, tempo is typically indicated with an instruction at the start of a piece (ofte ...
marking indicating a free and
capricious approach to the tempo (and possibly the style) of the piece. This marking will usually modify another, such as ''lento a capriccio'', often used in the
Hungarian Rhapsodies
The Hungarian Rhapsodies, S.244, R.106 (french: Rhapsodies hongroises, german: Ungarische Rhapsodien, hu, Magyar rapszódiák), is a set of 19 piano pieces based on Hungarian folk themes, composed by Franz Liszt during 1846–1853, and late ...
of
Franz Liszt. Perhaps the most famous piece to use the term is
Ludwig van Beethoven
Ludwig van Beethoven (baptised 17 December 177026 March 1827) was a German composer and pianist. Beethoven remains one of the most admired composers in the history of Western music; his works rank amongst the most performed of the classic ...
's ''Rondò a capriccio'' (Op. 129), better known as ''
Rage Over a Lost Penny
The "" in G major, Op. 129 (Italian for "Rondo in the Hungarian .e. gypsystyle, almost a caprice"), is a piano rondo by Ludwig van Beethoven. It is better known by the title ''Rage Over a Lost Penny, Vented in a Caprice'' (from ). This title ap ...
''.
See also
*
Capriccio (music)
A capriccio or caprice (sometimes plural: ''caprices'', ''capri'' or, in Italian, ''capricci''), is a piece of music, usually fairly free in form and of a lively character. The typical capriccio is one that is fast, intense, and often virtuosic i ...
External links
References
*"Capriccio, a", ''
Grove Music Online'' ed. L. Macy (Accessed 28 April 2006)
Music performance
Musical notation
Rhythm and meter
{{music-theory-stub