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The Hungarian composer Stephen Heller is likely a name that many pianists will find familiar, as his pieces are often studied by piano students. In his life, he was close friends with the composer Hector Berlioz, who described his style as “elevated and vigorous“. Berlioz remarked that the ’Caprice symphonique’ is the most “elevated and beautiful“ work since Beethoven’s sonatas. The caprice begins with a dramatic A minor section, but ends in the parallel major. The first section of the piece is revisited following a somewhat lyrical section and an interlude. Ending the piece is the A major coda, which itself consists of lyrical sections interspersed with grandiose sections. pf: Daniel Propper original audio:
