On the other hand, in , he had entered into a long and fruitful—albeit eccentric—relationship with his famous patroness, whom he insisted that he should never meet in person, but who provided fabulous longtime financial support. A kind of wanderlust ensued, resulting in trips to Italy, first to Florence in , where the fourth symphony was completed, and then to Rome during the winter of It was there that the Capriccio Italien was composed.
The change in scenery was evidently therapeutic; winter in sunny Rome during Carnival time lifts the weary spirit fleeing the ice and snow of Moscow every time. Living with his brother, Modest, in a hotel near the barracks of the Royal Italian Cuirassiers, every morning he heard a bugle call from the cavalry post. This, the traditional Italian dances, and the general gaiety and hubbub all inspired him to begin the composition of the Capriccio Italien in January of The afore-mentioned bugle call dramatically opens the work at a stately pace, played in unison by the trumpets, joined by the rest of the brass, and then the whole ensemble.
A dolorous tune in the strings ensues, and it must be admitted, that it smacks more of tenebrous Russia than sunny Italy. The bugle call returns, alternating with our melancholy tune. Peter Ilyitch Tchaikovsky The decorative arts of 19th-century Russia abounded in glowing jewels, gleaming enamels and radiant cathedral colors.
Under the Romanov czars, music especially reflected this love of the richly hued, and compositions drenched in wondrous sound were produced by one Russian after another. But, surrounded as he was by manmade beauty, the upper-class Russian of the time was forced to escape from the bleak landscapes of his homeland by journeying to the colorful lands in the south of Europe. In Italy and Spain, especially, he could bask in the warmth of the sun, revel in the dazzle of the sky, and exult in the vivacity of the Latin temperament-all the while refreshing and revitalizing his normally wintry spirits.
Both were thoroughly at home in the world outside the confines of Russia-Rimsky-Korsakov through naval service, Tchaikovsky through his extensive concert tours-and both were highly receptive to the exotic sights and sounds of foreign lands.
The New World, the Southern hemisphere, a tropical winter in June! While touring Italy during , he settled for three months in Rome, taking up residence near the barracks of the Royal Cuirassiers. Here his ear was caught by lively Italian street songs and the music of the military ceremonies nearby.
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