Notes on “Capriccio on ADAPTATION” by Richard Fairfax

This latest piece in my ADAPTATION series is intended to illustrate the history of human migration and facilitate an understanding of current related issues involving immigration. From prehistoric Homo Sapiens' migration out of Africa, to Carthaginian commander Hannibal's invasion of the Roman Empire, to the Moors' conquest of the Iberian Peninsula, to the recent perilous migrations across the Mediterranean Sea, Europe has been a major stage for cultural assimilation and transculturalism, processes by which the immigrating and native populations inevitably and irrevocably influence changes in each other. “Capriccio on ADAPTATION” likewise confronts musical traditions of dominant Western culture with rhythmic and melodic elements which are representative of a common identity and worldview in the African Diaspora and invites the listener to break down boundaries and embrace the dynamics of cultural change.