In 1880, Tchaikovsky left Russia to travel Europe, taking full advantage of the support of his sponsor, Nadezhda von Meck. Soaking up the local music while abroad, he collected souvenir melodies for later use; his favorites from the streets and music books of Rome formed the basis of his Capriccio Italien, a mélange that has been one his most popular orchestral works ever since. Although based on borrowed material, the Capriccio is vintage Tchaikovsky, easily identifiable by its distinctive orchestration and tight structure—two aspects of the composer's work that are often overlooked in favor of his own gift for melody and sentiment. Capriccio Italien is pure entertainment, devoid of larger expressive intent, but it is anything but simple. The tremendous variety of mood and color might remind a listener of everything from an epic tone poem to a circus calliope, and the way in which all these things are knitted together into a coherent larger structure, and the work's unfailing tunefulness, are at the heart of its appeal.
