Capriccio Brillant in B minor, Op. 22

Felix Mendelssohn (1809-1847) wrote Capriccio Brillant, Op. 22 during his second vist to England. This charming example of Mendelssohn’s writing for piano has two movements: an Andante with a gentle, reflective melody and an Allegro con fuoco that shatters the previous languid mood with a cascade of arpeggios that leads into a march-like principal theme. The solo piano part never lapses into dazzling technique for its own sake. It premiered in London by the Philharmonic Society on May 25th, 1832. Two copies are required for performance.