Capricho árabe
Capricho árabe is an 1892 Composition by Spanish composer Francisco Tarrega. The Piece was composed after a trip through Andalucia and North Africa, he dedicated it to his friend, conductor Tomás Bretón.
The piece is around 5 minutes long and is in AABA form with an introduction. The A sections are in D minor, while the B section modulates to the relative F major and then to D major, which is the parallel major of the home key. Performers must use drop D tuning to access the low tonic.
The A section melody begins with a sentence over a vamp between tonic and dominant chords:
;A section, melody and bass line
\relative c' \new Staff
The B section begins with a transposed variation of the A theme but interpolates a new sequence played over a Circle of fifths progression:
;B section, melody and bass line
\relative c' \new Staff
Three bands surrounding Tárrega's coffin played the song during his funeral in his honour.
Capricho Árabe exemplifies Tárrega's unique style, blending romanticism with his deep connection to Spanish musical traditions. The piece is noted for its evocative melodies and rich harmonies that capture the quintessential Spanish sound. It is also widely recognized for its beauty, and utilizes slur techniques like portamento on the classical guitar.
The piece was later used in the television series Miami Vice’s episode "Honor Among Thieves?".
Arrangements and Transcriptions
Capricho Árabe has been transcribed and arranged for various instruments beyond its original version for classical guitar. These arrangements reflect the work's emotional depth and melodic richness, making it adaptable to diverse musical contexts.- Viola solo: Italian violist Marco Misciagna created an arrangement for solo viola, published by Partitura-Verlag in his collection Viola Virtuosa – Spanish Music for Solo Viola, which also includes works by Albéniz and Sor.
- Flute and guitar: A transcription for flute and guitar, providing a soft and lyrical take suitable for chamber performance.
- Harp guitar: Canadian guitarist Jamie Dupuis arranged and performed the piece on harp guitar, showcasing its expressive range in a modern fingerstyle adaptation.
- Bass guitar: Several bass guitar adaptations have been made, including performances shared by musicians like Charles Berthoud and others online, demonstrating the work's adaptability to modern string instruments.