Sergio Calligaris

Sergio Calligaris is a pianist, composer and piano teacher born in Rosario on January 22, 1941. After living and tutoring in the United States, where he gained his doctorate in music, Calligaris established his residence in Italy in 1974.

The Pianist

Calligaris’ career as a performer started at the age of thirteen. He pursued his studies under the guidance of such masters as Jorge Fanelli, Arthur Loesser, [ Arthur Loesser (New York, U.S.A., 1894 - Cleveland, 1969): brilliant American pianist, studied with Stojowski and Goetschius at the Institute of Musical Art in N.Y.; began an auspicious concert career in 1913, touring Australia and the Orient in 1920-21. In 1926 he was appointed a prof. of piano at the Cleveland Institute of Music. His books include "Men, Women and Pianos: a Social History" (Thompson 1975; Slonimsky 1984).] Adele Marcus, Nikita Magaloff, and Guido Agosti. [Guido Agosti (Forli', Italy, 1901 - Milano 1989): Italian pianist and teacher, Agosti studied piano with Busoni, Mugellini and Ivaldi. He commenced his professional career as a pianist in 1921. He taught piano at the Venice Conservatoire and at the Rome Conservatoire. In 1947 he was appointed prof. of piano at the Accademia Chigiana (Siena) (Slonimsky 1984).] Calligaris’ technique is characterised by the sheer brilliance and powerful touch typical of the Leschetizky school; [Theodor Leschetitzky (Lancut, Austrian Poland, 1830 - Dresden, Germany, 1915): great Austrian pianist and famous pedagogue. Leschetitzky settled in Vienna in 1878, where he developed his own school of piano. His fame grew, and pupils flocked from all over the world to his studio. His most celebrated pupil was Paderewski: other pupils were Gabrilowitsch, Schnabel, Hambourg, Leginska and Bloomfield-Zeisler. His method of playing with the "Kugelhand" (arched hand) was to secure fullness of tone and finger dexterity, with the flexible wrist reserved for octave playing and chord passages (Slonimsky 1984).An outline of Leschetitzky's piano school can be found at [http://www.lib.umd.edu/PAL/IPAM/leschetizkyschool.html IPAM] .] his technical qualities, [ "His playing is distinguished by a romantic elan and viruoso technique" (Slonimsky 1984). ] complemented by a detailed attention to the composition’s form, made him a fine interpreter of both romantic (especially Schumann and Chopin) and post-romantic (Rachmaninoff, Scriabin, Debussy) repertoire. Calligaris has performed in prestigious concert-halls such as the Konzertsaal Bundesallee in Berlin, the Auditorium of S. Cecilia in Rome, the Musikverein Brahms-Saal in Vienna, and recently, as a soloist in his own "Concerto for piano and orchestra, Op. 29", at the Main Theatre of Manila.

He has recorded, among the others, for EMI, Orion Records and the Ares-Libreria Editrice Vaticana; the latter, a few years ago, released a compilation entitled "Sergio Calligaris: composer and interpreter" to celebrate the twenty-fifth year of his recording debut.

* A list of Calligaris’ recordings (with musical excerpts) can be found at: [http://calligaris.carisch.it/scalen/disen.htm Discography]
* Reviews of Calligaris as a performer can be found at: [http://calligaris.carisch.it/scalen/piaen.htm Piano reviews]

The Composer

Calligaris turned back to composition around the end of the 1970s, after some twenty years spent performing. One of his earliest works, "Renzo’s piano notebook, Op. 7" (written in 1978), has since become a widely executed contemporary piano piece. [ The definition 'memorable piece' is in Musicalnews 2002 [http://www.musicalnews.com/articolo.php?codice=1982&sz=3 (Musicalnews article)] ; the work is also performed regularly by artists such as Marcella Crudeli [http://www.chopinroma.it/imarcella_crudeli.htm (Biography)] and Roberto Prosseda [http://www.robertoprosseda.com/ (Home page)] .] In this oeuvre featuring ten short and well-characterised pictures, all qualities of Calligaris’ music can already be singled out:

** the vivid opposition between "elegiac" and "flamboyant and wild" themes
** a dramatic use of rhythm [ Both characteristics are discussed in Giordana's and Zurletti's reviews, available at [http://calligaris.carisch.it/scalen/re1en.htm Reviews] .]
** a disciplined and, at the same time, extremely complex master of counterpoint [ The use of counterpoint in Calligaris's music has been also considered as "a sign of a youth Hindemithian heritage " (Brunetti 2006). The influence of Hindemith is also pointed out by Prefumo in [http://calligaris.carisch.it/scalen/re1en.htm Reviews] .]
** the adoption of "classical" composing forms (see, just as an example, the use of form in the "Prelude, choral, double fugue and finale op. 19"). [ "As a composer, he effectively utilizes romantic and post-romantic styles in a thoroughly contemporary idiom" (Slonimsky 1991). ]

Calligaris’ composing career soared after the welcoming reception of "Renzo’s piano notebook", with commissions from various musical institutions (the "Symphonic dances, Op. 26", for example, by the Teatro Bellini in Catania). A prolific composer (his last work, the "Panis Angelicus", bears opus number 47), [ The first performance of this work took place in Loreto (Italy) at the end of July 2007 and has been recorded in the CD "Armonie della Sera" co-produced by Carisch and Radio Vaticana. ] Calligaris has been able to produce steadily without making any concession on the quality, rigour, beauty and originality of his music. [ See again Zurletti's critique on this point (note no. 5). ] This ‘no-compromise’ approach is thought to be an important element of his music's success. [ Celletti's comment in [http://calligaris.carisch.it/scalen/re1en.htm Reviews] . ]

Beside the production for piano (which ultimately led to a fruitful cooperation with pianist and director Vladimir Ashkenazy), [ The sonata op. 38 for clarinet and piano is dedicated to him; Ashkenazy performed the premiere of this piece in duo with his son in 2001. ] Calligaris wrote for a variety of instruments (voice, cello, trumpet, organ, clarinet, flute, violin, horn) and for both chamber and symphonic orchestras. The majority of his compositions have been recorded by several artists. [ The latest release (2007), entitled "...Rigor Y Pasión..." is by the Italian label DAD Records ( [http://lnx.dad-store.com/php-files/readarticle.php?article_id=22 Home page] ); relevant reviews (in Italian) may be found at Ass. Mus. Aulos ( [http://www.associazioneaulos.com/default.asp?id=60&mnu=60 Calligaris CD] ). For details of previous recordings see [http://calligaris.carisch.it/scalen/disen.htm Discography] . ] In 2007, Sergio Calligaris has been awarded the International Prize "Giuseppe Verdi" in recognition of his activity as both performer and composer. [ [http://www.sabaudiain.it/notizia.php?id=1194165000# SabaudiaIn article] ]

*A complete list of all Calligaris’ compositions (with musical excerpts) can be found at: [http://calligaris.carisch.it/scalen/caten.htm Catalogue]
*Reviews of Calligaris’ work can be found at: [http://calligaris.carisch.it/scalen/re1en.htm Reviews]
*Interviews with the composer are available at: [http://calligaris.carisch.it/scalen/inten.htm Interviews]

The Teacher

Sergio Calligaris taught both in the United States (Cleveland Institute of Music, California State University of Los Angeles) and in Italy (Conservatorio di Napoli, Pescara and L’Aquila). He has been member of juries in several prestigious piano competitions.

* Sergio Calligaris' full biography is available at: [http://calligaris.carisch.it/scalen/bioen.htm Biography]

Notes

References

* AA.VV. International Who's Who in Music 2003 (London: Europa)
* Brunetti, M. 2006. Rachmaninoff Society Newsletter no. 66 (June)
* Slonimsky, N. 1984. Baker's Biographical Dictionary of Musicians (Oxford: Oxford University Press)
* Slonimksy, N. 1991. Baker's Biographical Dictionary of Musicians (New York: Schirmer)
* Thompson, O. 1975. The International Cyclopedia of Music and Musicians (New York/London: Dodd, Mead & Co.; Dent & Sons)

External links

* Sergio Calligaris’ official web-site: [http://calligaris.carisch.it/ Sergio Calligaris]