Credits:

Kalafati, Vasily (1869-1942)

Description:

Vasily Kalafati (1869-1942) was a composer and music teacher born in Greece and active in Russia. Of Greek parents, Kalafati received his first musical education at the age of 8. He studied at the St. Petersburg Conservatory, where he took composition classes with Rimsky-Korsakov, and in 1892 he received permanent residency in St. Petersburg. He eventually became a professor of counterpoint at the Conservatory, where he taught Heino Eller, Shostakovich, and others. Not only as a teacher, but also as a composer, he published operas and piano pieces, and left behind profound works in the style of his teacher Rimsky=Korsakov. The "Symphony in A minor" on this album is Calafati's only symphony, a magnificent work that adheres to the traditional four-movement form. It begins with a profound first movement, followed by the graceful melody of the scherzo in the second movement, reminiscent of Tchaikovsky, the nostalgic melody of the third movement, and the brilliant fourth movement. Kalafati's symphony, which he considered himself Greek during his lifetime, was finally premiered in Greece in 2017. This recording is a record of that performance. The late work "Legend" and the festive "Polonaise" are also worth hearing. Naxos Japan