Viktor Kalabis – Kompletn dlo pro klavr – 2 CD

This two-CD set presents the complete works for solo piano by Viktor Kalabis (19232006), performed by Ivo Kahnek. It includes his three sonatas, Akcenty, Entrata, aria e toccata, Ti polky, tyi skrvaky pro Grahama, Dv tokty and Allegro impetuoso. This first complete recording of Kalabiss piano works, like the earlier album of his three sonatas, was created on the initiative of harpsichordist Zuzana Rikov, the composers lifelong partner and champion of his music. The choice of Ivo Kahnek was essential: he combines exceptional technical ability with a profound understanding of the structure of Kalabiss music. As Kahnek explains, Kalabis belonged to a group of composers who were not constrained by the traditional laws of piano technique, making some of the music extremely demanding. Although inspired by other masters of the 20th century, Kalabis soon developed his own distinctive and unmistakable musical language, already clearly heard in his early works. The recording traces more than half a century of his output, from the post-war First Sonata to masterful miniatures composed at the end of the millennium, opening further views into his fascinating musical world.