Jeremy Thompson - Kalafati: Piano Music (2021) MP3

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.

Tracklist
1. Nocturne, Op. 5 "La nuit à Goursouf" (06:54)
2. 5 Preludes, Op. 7: No. 1 in C Major, Allegro (00:46)
3. 5 Preludes, Op. 7: No. 2 in F Minor, Andante (02:36)
4. 5 Preludes, Op. 7: No. 3 in D-Flat Major, Andantino (01:38)
5. 5 Preludes, Op. 7: No. 4 in A Major, Allegretto (01:35)
6. 5 Preludes, Op. 7: No. 5 in B-Flat Minor, Lento (01:57)
7. 2 Nouvellettes, Op. 6: No. 1, Allegro moderato (05:28)
8. Piano Sonata No. 1 in D Major, Op. 4 No. 1: I. Allegro moderato (06:09)
9. Piano Sonata No. 1 in D Major, Op. 4 No. 1: II. Adagio - Allegretto (08:45)
10. Piano Sonata No. 1 in D Major, Op. 4 No. 1: III. Finale. Allegro con brio (05:51)
11. 3 Bagatelles, Op. 9: No. 1, Scherzino (02:16)
12. 3 Bagatelles, Op. 9: No. 2, Valse-Impromptu (06:11)
13. 3 Bagatelles, Op. 9: No. 3, L'enterrement d'un oiseau (03:32)
14. Piano Sonata No. 2 in D Minor, Op. 4 No. 2: I. Allegro con brio (08:12)
15. Piano Sonata No. 2 in D Minor, Op. 4 No. 2: II. Andante (05:21)
16. Piano Sonata No. 2 in D Minor, Op. 4 No. 2: III. Scherzo. Allegro (04:10)
17. Piano Sonata No. 2 in D Minor, Op. 4 No. 2: IV. Finale. Andante - Presto (06:37)