Played by violinists all over the world and selling thousands of copies since its first printing in 2020, the "24 Caprices for Solo Violin" is a collection all violinists are getting their hands on!

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Are They Études (Studies)?

Challenging repertoire has always been used to practice technique. Études (short, free-form, virtuosic music written specifically for study) have been called "caprices" since the early 18th century.

 

This is due to their characteristic similarity. As I say in my musicology courses, "all etudes are caprices but not all caprices are etudes." Concordantly, mine are of the category which are not.

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Since the 1700s, Locatelli, Gaviniès, Rode, Dont, and Paganini each wrote 24 caprices for solo violin. Those by Gaviniès, Rode, and Dont are études (studies) written for technical development. The 24 caprices by Locatelli, Paganini, myself, and the 12 "Red Violin" caprices by John Corigliano, are are written purely as performance repertoire. 

 

This is obvious after a listen, so stay tuned for my solo album

The New 24 Caprices, aiming to release this summer!

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What is a Caprice?

In music, a caprice (from the Italian "capriccio" meaning "whimsical" or "free") is a lively, solo instrumental composition characterized by free form, reference or imitation of other styles, and virtuosic nature.

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It is typically short and without a formal structure, allowing the composer or performer great freedom to showcase their creativity and / or technical skill.

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Key Characteristics:

• Short: Quite short in length, centering around 5 minutes.

• Virtuosic: Typically virtuosic, deliberately showcasing technical prowess often feature rapid passages, complex ornamentation, and demanding techniques

• Free Form: Unlike forms such as sonatas, concerti, etc., caprices are typically short and without a formal structure, allowing the composer or performer great freedom of expression

• Lively & Spirited: The term "caprice" itself means whimsical, free, and of a spirited quality, which is reflected in the subgenre's energetic character. 

• Solo & Instrumental: Caprices have near exclusivity to solo instrumental showpieces, mostly known on the violin and piano. Niccolo Paganini (violinist) and Fréderic Chopin (pianist) are often viewed as the founders of the caprice subgenre.

 

 

Why Twenty-Four?

The choice to specifically write "24" continues the inspiring legacy of:

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• Pietro Locatelli    (1695-1764)

• Pierre Gaviniès   (1728-1800)

• Pierre Rode         (1774-1830)

• Niccolò Paganini (1782-1840)

• Jakob Dont         (1815-1888)

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Locatelli had published 24 caprices in his original "L' Arte del Violino" (1733). Posthumously, the collection was edited by Romeo Franzoni who included a 25th work by Locatelli. Since then, most editions have been called "the 25 Caprices", despite the composer's original intent.

 

With this new 24 caprice collection, I aimed to contribute something relevant for today’s violinists. 2010 began ten unbroken years writing these, using them as encores, taking feedback, rewriting, editing, and finally publishing them all together in 2020.​​​​

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Diversity

This music features a diversity of styles and genres. Such diversity is not found in concert programming, nor any single compositional collection, until the 21st century where it is now sought after.

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​Violinists today struggle to find "serious music" from today. "Serious" is the contextual adjective (misused in my opinion) to mean "enjoyable music which compels them to incorporate a somewhat advanced knowledge of their instrument, but is not invariably more than a century years old. ​

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The 21st century academic aim to diversify our arts is also helped with this collection.

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During the 18th and 19th century, diverse musical arts were genuinely hard to access. That era was also a peak of classicism, elitism, and racism, which exascerbated this problem.

 

Of the composers mentioned above, Paganini and Corligano had been the only ones besides myself to ever leave their native country. While their caprices push the violin’s technical horizons, they are still limited to one style and one genre.

 

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Styles and Genres

For that reason, my 24 Caprices are diversified with my knowledge of, travels to, and respect for other styles and cultures. My 24 Caprices include:

✔3 Fugue Caprices
✔3 Showpiece Caprices
✔3 Étude Caprices
✔2 Fiddle Caprices
✔2 Impressionist Caprices
✔2 Waltz Caprices
✔1 Tango Caprice
✔1 Blues Caprice
✔1 Jazz Passacaglia Caprice
✔1 Rhapsody Caprices
✔1 Scribed Improvisation Caprices
✔1 Theme & 24 Variations (3rd Edition exclusive)
✔2 Contemporary Classical works (featuring chromaticism)
✔1 Theatrical Caprice (on a 2017 theme I wrote for Theater)​​

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How Difficult Are They?

Opinion-polls taken from 110 players say they land precisely between the J.S. Bach "6 Sonatas & Partitas" and N. Paganini's "24 Caprices".

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I say that if the non-ornamented U.S. National Anthem is 1, and the "Six Polyphonic Études" of H.W. Ernst were 10, I would place the technical challenge of my works at 6.5.

 

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Technical Overview:

• ✔ The highest pitch is a B6.

• ✔ One caprice (No. 17) is primarily jétè.

• ✔ Two caprices have brief double-stop harmonics.

• ✔ Four caprices include one or more double-trills.

• ✔ Six caprices include mixed meters.

• ✔ Seven caprices include left-hand pizzicato.

• ✔ Four caprices include slurred upbow staccato.

• ✔ One caprice (No. 3) uses 5th fingering (thumb) one time.​

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Philosophical Importance

Diverse repertorial collections are important for today's violinists. Many professionally-trained violinists never realize anything beyond western classical music. This wor k encourages artists to realize other culture's music as worth learning and celebrating.

 

These 24 Caprices purposefully expand artist's diversity of technique, awareness of foreign arts, and musical appetite.​ Brilliant performances have spread rapidly all over the world. Thousands of prints have already shipped all over the world because there is something truly here for everyone.

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Caprice No. 18

Caprice No. 18 in D Major was replaced in 2025 for all future editions.  Observing performer feedback, it never reached the popularity of the other twenty-three. I replaced it to give its consumers the best I have to offer.

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The new Caprice No. 18 in E Phrygian (A Minor) has taken its place in all future prints and downloads.  It will also replace the original 18th caprice on the upcoming solo album, The New 24 Caprices.

 

The new Caprice No. 18 will be a FREE download upon request to all pre-2025 purchasers with proof of purchase. ​

Request by any means available at the bottom of this screen.