The Capriccio Italien, Op. 45, is a fantasy for orchestra composed between January and May 1880 by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky. A typical performance of the piece lasts about 15 minutes. The Capriccio was inspired by a trip Tchaikovsky took to Rome with his brother Modest as respite from the composer's disastrous marriage with Antonina Miliukova. It was in Rome, however, that the observant Tchaikovsky called Raphael a "Mozart of painting."
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VIDEO: The Hallé perform Tchaikovsky's Capriccio Italien Op. 45 at The Bridgewater Hall, Manchester. Conducted by Nikolaj Znaider. Concert recorded on 15 January 2014.
