Bizet G., Kamensky A. Prelude and Entre'acte from the opera “Carmen”

Alexander Danilovich Kamensky (1900–1952) is ranked among the most brilliant pianists of the 20th century. His music abilities revealed already in the early childhood. In 1923 Kamensky graduated as a pianist (L. V. Nikolayev’s class) from the Petrograd Conservatoire, where he also studied composition. 

His music activity was intense indeed. His pedagogical work was going on during the whole life, having been started, when he was a student (he lectured in the Leningrad Conservatoire from 1934). Besides, he founded music schools, working meanwhile as a curator of the music culture and technique department at the Leningrad Hermitage, composing music at the same time. However, he enjoyed the true popularity as the concert performer, excellent musician with incredibly ample repertoire. Beside that magic technique of him, critics marked the diversity of his touch, iridescent sound and refined pedal. He continued performing even during the Leningrad Blockade, in the besieged city, thus inspiriting the Leningrad defenders, although it was immensely hard to do. More than 500 concerts were held by him that time!

Kamensky was especially famous for his inexhaustible missionary work in the sphere of modern music; he was recognized as its best interpreter in Russia. He did not stop presenting new compositions by native and foreign authors: Prokofiev, Shostakovich, Shcherbachyov, Popov, Deshevov, Schoenberg, Ravel, Szymanowski, Stravinsky, Honegger, Milhaud, Poulenc and many other ones.

Special significant place was given by him to concert transcriptions of symphony and vocal compositions, so as opera and ballet fragments. These pieces reflect his unbridled inventiveness, musician’s delicacy and piano skill. He was a success performing them, so as other pianists resorting to these pearls. Two fragments from the opera “Carmen” belong to this magic bundle (first publication dates 1932, “Triton” publishing house).