Lydia Kakabadse (b. 1955) is a British composer with a mixed heritage. Her mother is Greek/Austrian, her father Georgian/Russian, she was brought up in the Greek Orthodox and Russian Orthodox faith, and all of that influences her music significantly. She describes her style as being strongly colored by Greek Orthodox music. This disc is an attractive sampling of her chamber and vocal music.
The disc takes its title from one of the pieces, Kefi, scored for bouzouki, violin, viola, cello, and double bass. In her very helpful notes, Kakabadse writes “The Greek word ‘Kefi’ is deeply embedded in Greek culture and, as such, there is no direct translation for the word. For the purposes of this album, it means joy, vibrancy, and excitement.” The Feast of Herod, Nomadic Dances, and Kefi are all instrumental pieces, and are all strongly marked by dance rhythms. Her music is melodic, appealing, definitely influenced by Eastern modes, and complex enough to reward repeated hearings. She has a terrific ear for color, and combines instruments in a highly imaginative way.
The Nomadic Dances are lively and virtuosic. In Kefi Dimitris Gionis’s playing of the bouzouki, a plucked string instrument, is sensational. He combines remarkable technique with genuine musicality. Every note, no matter how rapid the pace, is clearly articulated and at precisely the right dynamic level. The major work here is Thirty Steps, the one vocal piece on the program. It was commissioned by the Hellenic Institute at Royal Holloway, with a request that the work portray a musical journey of spiritual growth. Based on Byzantine spirituality, the music depicts the journey of St. John Climacus of Sinai guiding his monks through their spiritual struggles to reach perfection. In addition to texts, the notes also have an explanation for many of the 30 steps. Overall, the music is spiritual and inward-looking, but there is enough variety to maintain interest. Kakabadse’s imaginative use of percussion adds just the right touch of energy to keep things interesting. Thirty Steps has a definite arc to it, beginning quietly and gradually building to a spiritual climax with the 30th step, “The Supreme Trinity Among the Virtues.”
I very much enjoyed this disc and look forward to exploring more music by Kakabadse. The combination of spirituality and earthy joy in these pieces is quite special. All of the performances are excellent, as is the recorded sound.
