Vladimir Horowitz, a renowned pianist, favored Kabalevsky's Second and Third Piano Sonatas, and his father-in-law, Arturo Toscanini, admired Kabalevsky's Second Symphony and the overture to his opera Colas Breugnon.
Composer Biography
Dmitry Kabalevsky was once considered one of Russia's five most important composers, alongside Sergei Prokofiev, Dmitry Shostakovich, Nikolai Myaskovsky, and Aram Khachaturian.
Composer's Artistic Vision
Kabalevsky dedicated significant energy to music education for children and youth, founding a magazine and writing a book on the subject, and even teaching at a Moscow school in 1973.
Composer's Artistic Vision
Kabalevsky was a strong proponent of "music for the people" and Socialist realism, creating many optimistic, patriotic works to demonstrate his loyalty to the Soviet regime.
Composition History
Kabalevsky's 24 Preludes Op.38 were written in 1943 upon his return from besieged Leningrad, and each prelude is based on a Russian folk song.
Performer Biography
Pietro Bonfilio, the pianist on this recording, was born in Scansano, Tuscany in 1990 and studied at the Giuseppe Verdi Conservatoire in Milan and the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland.
Composer Biography
Kabalevsky's Rondo Op.59 for piano and Op.6 for violin and piano were required pieces for the first Tchaikovsky International Competitions in 1958 and 1962.
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Rachmaninov: Preludes Op. 32; Shostakovich: Piano Sonata No. 1
Dmitri Kabalewsky - Piano Sonatas Nos. 2 & 3/Preludes Op. 38
