31 Days of Classical, Day 18: take me away, Nikolai!

Each day throughout July, I'll share with you a piece of classical music. Thirty-one days, thirty-one pieces.

The list is by no means definitive, nor is it necessarily a list of all of my favorite music from the classical world. Every morning, I start my day with music that inspires me in some way, whether I'm inspired by its happiness, its loneliness, the instrumentation, the harmony, the colors, the melody -- each piece is special in some way -- and offers an opportunity to either hear something you've never heard, or hear something new in a piece you've known your whole life.

Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov, Capriccio Espagnol

Russian music is so perfect. I must confess there's another pretty great clarinet solo in this piece right at the beginning, but there's also a fabulous oboe solo and a super great concertmaster (1st chair violin) solo. The entire piece bursts with color, mostly because Rimsky-Korsakov was a Russian composer during the Romantic era, (perhaps best known for the Flight of the Bumblebee) and the Russians were fond of using tambourines and snare drums and clarinets and trumpets and triangles and horns and on and on. Listen to the overflow of passion at 4:25. Take me away, Nikolai!

Take the 31 Days of Classical Challenge

31 Days is a bite-sized month-long trial of Classical Music from across the spectrum of the wonderful, expansive music we love at Classical MPR. Join the fun by subscribing to the 31 Days of Classical newsletter, or use #31DaysofClassical on Twitter or Facebook.

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