Capriccio di Sforzo

Solo violin
5.5 minutes
2021

When writing this piece I wanted to balance tension and its release, hence the name, Sforzo, meaning “stress or force” in Italian. This work is all about listening to the growth of tension and how its release is expressed. My challenge was to create different colours while still only using a single instrument; the use of both left and right hand pizzicato, as well as various double stops, chords, and runs, all possible with the unique versatility of the violin, are essential to this colour painting. Additionally, being a violinist, it was an interesting experience to experiment with the limits of my own instrument, as well as discussing extended techniques with my violin colleagues. There is a shared effort with this piece, both with the performer and the listener, adding to the collectivity of the experience.