Toccatina op 36 by Nikolai Kapustin

Kapustin likes to give his works formal titles, but these can be deceptive. The nature of the music within is far from traditional, and his Toccatina op. 36 is no exception. Written in 1983, it is a succinct and dizzying piece that may remind you of jazz and rock improvisation, but its construction and musical style are outside these boundaries. Here is a complete, albeit only three-minute, work, the first in our Kapustin publishing programme, and an instant winner with performances and audiences alike.