Souvenir from Chisinau by Daniel Galay

This work is in 4 movements and in general the composition is in Klezmer style.

The first movement is Andante cantabile, in sol minor. In the traditional style the main tendency is to stay at the same tonality also when sometimes it can bear an ambiguous character. Here there is a modulation from one section to the other one. A short cadenza finishes the movement.

The second movement is Allegro molto with do minor as tonal center. Again a short cadenza leads directly to the next movement.

The third movement is Andante in sol minor. Some modulations occur starting from the third section. The Coda returns to sol minor. A short cadenza leads directly to the last movement.

The fourth movement is Allegro molto in fa minor. The style is somewhat a fusion between klezmer and jazz music. A Long Coda finishes the whole piece.

The name of the work “Souvenir from Chisinau” remits to the city where I first met the marimba virtuoso Matthew Coley. It is also a geographical area where klezmer music was during centuries developed and continuously enriched through the interaction between different musical traditions.