Vasily Kalafati - Piano Music (Jeremy Thompson)

Information

Composer: Vasily Kalafati

• Nocturne, Op. 5 "La nuit à Goursouf"
• 5 Preludes, Op. 7
• 2 Nouvellettes, Op. 6: No. 1, Allegro moderato
• Piano Sonata No. 1 in D major, Op. 4 No. 1
• 3 Bagatelles, Op. 9
• Piano Sonata No. 2 in D minor, Op. 4 No. 2

Jeremy Thompson, piano

Date: 2021

Label: Toccata

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Description

The name of Vasily Pavlovich Kalafati (1869–1942), born to Greek parents in the Crimea, has a toe-hold in the history books as one of Stravinsky’s teachers, but he was an accomplished composer in his own right. The early piano works recorded here show the influence of Rimsky Korsakov (his teacher and friend) and other Russian-nationalist composers, but they also owe something to the examples of Chopin and Brahms, not least in their blend of passion and textural clarity. The vigour of these pieces stands in stark contrast to the ultimate fate of their composer: he starved to death during the Siege of Leningrad.

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Vasily Kalafati (10 February 1869 – 20 March 1942) was a Russian-Soviet composer and teacher of Greek descent. Born in Yevpatoria, Crimea, he studied under Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov at the Saint Petersburg Conservatory, where he later taught and became professor in 1923. His students included Alexander Scriabin, Igor Stravinsky and Heino Eller. Kalafati died during the Siege of Leningrad. Though now less remembered, he was highly regarded in his time, composing works influenced by Rimsky-Korsakov, including the opera Cygany, a symphony, and the award-winning symphonic poem Legenda.

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Jeremy Thompson is a Canadian pianist and organist. Born in Dipper Harbour, he studied at McGill University in Montreal under Marina Mdivani, and earned a Doctorate of Music in Piano Performance in 2005. Active internationally as a recitalist and concerto soloist, Thompson has performed with major orchestras across North America and Europe, including appearances in Russia. He is also Director of Music at First Presbyterian Church in Charlottesville. Known for his virtuosic repertoire, he champions Canadian composers such as Brian Cherney and Jose Evangelista, and has released recordings of their works.

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