Corriere del Giorno (Taranto)
Sunday 22nd & Wednesday 25th October 2000
A World Première for "Autunno Musicale 2000"
Our interview to Maestro Sergio Calligaris

Great expectation for the third concert of "Musical Autumn 2000", the concert-orchestral show promoted by the local government of Taranto. On Sunday October 29th, in Teatro Orfeo of Taranto, audience of the Ionian chief town - the capital of the contemporary music for a day - will have the opportunity to attend a first world performance.
For the occasion, the last work of one of the most performed contemporary composers in the world, the famous Sergio Calligaris, will be performed: "Double Concerto for two pianos" op.41 (2000), entrusted to the brilliant piano duo Fabio and Sandro Gemmiti, dedicatees of this work, accompanied by the Orchestra della Magna Grecia and conducted by Vittorio Parisi.
Written on errand of Orchestra della Magna Grecia of Taranto, to which is also dedicated (representing a gread honour and a deserved recognition to the Orchestra which, in 1996, was recognized by the Municipality of Taranto), this work is very valuable, especially when considering that in the contemporary music panorama concerts written for two pianos and orchestra are very few, and there's no doubt that in the future Calligaris' Double Concerto op.41 will be destined to be in great demand, in its genre, entering a repertoire exclusively dominated by Mozart's and the more recent Poulenc's concertos up to now.
About this work features and the concert preparation, Maestro Sergio Calligaris, reached by phone in Rome, granted this exclusive interview to Corriere del Giorno.

Maestro, what did you think when [Artistic Director] Piero Romano ordered you a concert for the Orchestra della Magna Grecia?

"I felt a considerable gratification and, in the same time, a great sense of responsibility. He actually asked me to compose a very complex work, a concerto for two pianos and orchestra, which normally presents big difficulties because of the involved instrumentation. In this type of work the piano part is actually very dense. Moreover, the Orchestra della Magna Grecia has wide proportions: there was the risk of creating a confused ocean of notes. So, I concentrated on characteristics of the Orchestra and the piano duo, Fabio and Sandro Gemmiti, to whom the first world performance will be entrusted. I think I got an excellent result: I did my best!"

Did you already know the Orchestra of Taranto?

"I knew its prestige, especially thanks to Vladimir Ashkenazy's name, its honorary chairman, but I've never been pleased to listen to, until last March, when in the occasion of the Jubilee I had the opportunity to attend their performance of the Nino Rota's oratorio "La vita di Maria" (Blessed Mary's life), in the Basilica di S.Maria Sopra Minerva in Rome. I was amazed by the skill and the cleverness of this orchestra, considering above all the youth of its members. I think that young musicians represent the strength and the energy of contemporary music".

Your style is distinguished by a dense counterpoint always exploding in seductive romantic bursts. Is it like this in this concerto also?

"Of course. This is a concerto composed in the most severe counterpoint style. All main themes are actually elaborated with all metamorphosis of counterpoint and the lyric effusion of the intermezzos is entirely in counterpoint. About romantic bursts of my music, I'm a passionate, as a good Latin-American, but I don't consider me a neoromantic. My works are actually in the neoclassic style and composers I draw my inspiration from are Brahms and Beethoven".

Your harmony is dense of lyricism… what's the most lyric moment in your "Double Concerto"?

"Certainly the beginning of each intermezzo, in which the climax of lyricism is entrusted to orchestra".

When you look at the past, who's your model?

"Given that I've a German formation, I'm actually crazy about severity, my favourite composer is Schumann, for whom I harbour a boundless passion".

La provincia cosentina
Monday, November 13th, 2000
Calligaris' magic,
by Rosanna D'Agostino

[…] We had the opportunity to approach Mr Calligaris for a few minutes in the Teatro Orfeo, to make a short interview.

Is there an author you draw your inspiration from, Maestro?

"No, mainly there isn't. But there's an author I absolutely prefer: Robert Schumann".

Many people highlighted the dithyrambic-elegiac double aspect of your music. Which one is more close to your inner being?

"Certainly the dithyrambic aspect. I've an optimist nature, cheerful, seldom melancholy. Melancholy is, for me, an unknown landscape; a landscape in which I don't live, but which sometimes I need to stop and watch. My compositions involve nearly always urgent tones and rhythms, proof of my way to be".

There have been three roles you've developed up to now, and you've been developing in part: pianist, composer, teacher. What do you prefer?

"The role of pianist, first of all. I place the one of composer beside. I don't like teaching, it isn't my highest aspiration. The true teacher is, in my opinion, the one who lives through the pupil, passing on all his experiences. But for me, and it isn't egoism, I must point out it, I need also to get satisfaction only mine".