Capricho árabe

Capricho árabe (Arabic Caprice) is an 1892 Composition by Spanish composer Francisco Tarrega. The Piece was composed after a trip through Andalucia and North Africa, he dedicated it to his friend, conductor Tomás Bretón.

The piece is around 5 minutes long and is in AABA form with an introduction. The A sections are in D minor, while the B section modulates to the relative F major and then to D major, which is the parallel major of the home key. Performers must use drop D tuning to access the low tonic.

The A section melody begins with a sentence over a vamp between tonic and dominant chords:

A section, melody and bass line (D minor)

The B section begins with a transposed variation of the A theme but interpolates a new sequence played over a Circle of fifths progression:

B section, melody and bass line (F major)

Three bands surrounding Tárrega's coffin played the song during his funeral in his honour.

Capricho Árabe exemplifies Tárrega's unique style, blending romanticism with his deep connection to Spanish musical traditions. The piece is noted for its evocative melodies and rich harmonies that capture the quintessential Spanish sound.The piece is widely recognized for its beauty, and utilizes slur techniques like portamento on the classical guitar.

The piece was later used in Miami Vice season 4, episode 16: "Honor among thieves?".