man is born, grows up, lives, and one day away from life, leaving behind the His name, his morals and the work of his life.
the Albanian independent daily newspaper "55" - No. 158 (7875) - Thursday, 25 / 06 / 2009
From Prof.As. Roland Dinners
"Artist of the merituar, conductor and musicologist
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In Memory of Composer Gjon Kapidani
Mikaela Minga,
musicologist
the newspaper Albanian metropol - No. 1781 - Friday 19 / 06 / 2009
few days before her birthday is not at the heart of family and friends of the Albanian community of musicians, the respected composer Mark Gjon Kapidani .
Gjon Kapidani part of the group Shkodrani composers who laid the foundations of the Albanian tradition, giving the people of dozens of musical works without which the Albanian national music would be poor. He is the successor of the work of composers such as P. Kurti, L. Kurti, Father Martin Gjoka, Prenkë Jakov, Ceske Zadeja, Tish Daija, Simon Gjoni, Tonin harapo, Gjon Simoni etc.
Shkodrani These names written on them are many scores of operas, ballets, symphonies, instrumental, vocal etc. And between them the name Gjon Kapidani occupies a prominent place.
Gjon Kapidani The composer was born in the city of Shkoder June 25, 1933 in family of well-known intellectual of the time Mark Kapidani. The family Kapidani, an important part of the great family of Mirdizio " Gjomarkaj " moved from their place of origin and settled in Shkoder fully integrated with the city's tradition Shkodrani making it one of the representative household in the city. Gjon, since childhood, grew up with a wonderful education and love for music in his city.
As a child plays the role of soloist in the choir of the Franciscan church of the city led by Father Filip Jakov Prenkë Mazrrekaj and composer. During this period he began to learn the basic elements of music (1942 - 1946).
addition to the rich musical tradition of the city, a role it played in his musical composers Prenkë Jakov, Ceske Zadeja harapo and Tonin. Gaining more technical skills as a pianist he is actively involved in the artistic life of the city but at the same time in Gjon manifest considerable creative abilities, so next to the task of pianist offers its valuable work as a composer and arranger (1946 - 1960). With the opening of High School Musical, in January of 1961, he was among the first teachers and teaching is a valuable contribution to the preparation dei futuri musicisti.
Al quel periodo appartengono numerose sue creazioni musicali che già rivelano un personale carattere che si concretizzerà, in tutta la originalità, nelle sue composizioni future.
Con l’apertura del “Conservatorio” (oggi Accademia Delle Belle Arti) a Tiranë nel (1962), egli prosegue gli studi musicale superiori sotto la guida del prof. Çesk Zadeja “Artist i popullit”, studi che termina nel 1969 con ottimi risultati. Dopo gli studi superiori, fino all’anno 1975, dirige l’orchestra sinfonica e il coro della filarmonica della città di Shkoder. In questa veste egli, essendo uno specialist, an intellectual with a broad cultural background, can, through his work, to represent his hometown in all local and national weather. enriching the musical tradition. From 1976 to 1988 takes up the pedagogical activity at the Liceo Musicale "Prenkë Jakov" in Shkoder.
In 1991, with the fall of the communist dictatorship in Albania, Gjon Kapidani began working hard to revive the church music, creating and directing the choir of the Cathedral of Shkoder thus playing a major role in the second half of life spiritual in that part of the Catholic population Shkodrani which faith was forbidden by the communist regime for 45 consecutive years. The links that Gjon had with the Church born from the teachings of 'religious education received as a child, crucial to its formation.
Apart from the constraints with which he was forced to live most of his life, his religious upbringing, in his consciousness, remained intact, pure and intense: only with the advent of democracy, however, Gjon can freely express his thoughts and spiritual force. Thus, the work started in 1991 with the choir of the Cathedral, the crown with the High Mass celebrated by His Holiness, John Paul II during his visit of April 25, 1993 in the city of Shkoder. That same year, Kapidani started working as a professor at the Gymnasium Archdiocesan "Pieter Meshkalla Father" of the Jesuits, a task he held until 1997. From 1998 until his death which occurred May 31, 2009, is an important part of the teaching pedagogy of the faculty of the Academy of Fine Arts in Tirana, where he lectures in orchestration, harmony and composition.
The cultural and intellectual composer Gjon Kapidani is distinguished by its wealth and its profound nature. Knowledge of Western culture, traditional music and contemporary inspired by a strong passion towards the "fatherland and faith", in addition to the family and to his honored name, has inherited a vast and rich musical work, which integrates itself with the developments of the time in which he lived. The quantity of his work is vast and varied
. He has composed in a myriad of shapes and styles of music, being able to create their profile in the landscape quality of the Albanian national music. Inspired by the musical works of his predecessors in particular those of the composers and Ceská Zadeja Prenkë Yakov, in his creations stand out here and there intonations Albanian traditional folklore, contemporary musical syntax enclosed by issues related to the history of Albania. The composer of orchestral and symphonic works Gjon Kapidani are distinguished by a prime "The Symphonic Poem," "Symphony No. 1", "Fantasia" for symphony orchestra with themes Mrika Opera, "Dance Symphony", "Symphonic Suite" (with themes from the ritual of marriage Shkodra), "String Quartet", "Cantata" three times, different Romance vowels, instrumental miniatures, Variations for piano, songs, processing and harmonies of folk songs, arrangements and orchestrations as well as a 'Opera. The scores of these works, there has been a clear language Music, a music rich in nuances tied to a strict logic of the structure.
One of the features evident in the manuscripts of Gjon Kapidani is the use of a musical handwriting clear and aesthetically perfect.
Beyond what we have written above about his training and his undisputed creative values, we must not forget the nobility that was apparent for all to see, colleagues, students, community artists and companies.
Composer Gjon Kapidani has left family, friends and colleagues, but his memory will always live through his rsterà music.
He will remain in our memory as the best model of the family of the citizen, the composer and professor of the devotee to whom we will always be proud of.
the Albanian independent daily newspaper "55" - No. 158 (7875) - Thursday, 25 / 06 / 2009
From Prof.As. Roland Dinners
"Artist of the merituar, conductor and musicologist
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In Memory of Composer Gjon Kapidani
It happens to many, returning to student life with the mind, to remember the figure of the professor who, with the folder under his arm, appears in front of the auditorium or receives sitting at his desk full of business books scattered all around.
In the case of the student-artist photo of this shape often takes on a more familiar, because of the particular nature that characterizes the artistic field.
There are many reasons why I am writing these lines dedicated to Professor-Artist, the Musician Gjon Kapidani who left us a few days ago. To tell the truth, I never wanted this moment to arrive. He belonged to that genre of men who do not like to be praised for their accomplishments.
Men of this caliber choose other ways to "tell" the truth, ways on which there is serious consideration only when they are gone.
Gjon Kapidani was born in Shkoder in the days when it was forming a professional tradition of music in Albania. This allows him to be part of the first generation of composers Shkodrani. He is a musician, conductor, and in recent years the director of the church choir. In addition, he will make a substantial contribution to the field of study: first as a teacher for a long time, at High School Music Shkoder which, among other things, was one of the founders and concluded as professor of orchestration at the Academy of Arts in Tirana.
As his former student, I would just stress the importance of its role as a great educator, not just to praise the merits of the undisputed master, and especially to witness the passion and dedication he put in his profession.
In his work with the students had experience of working across generations to discover what they have in common and what distinguishes them. And 'this is the reason that made him deeply and always attentive to the students. I think this was his best quality and at the same time, (in a roundabout way) a model to follow. Maybe I'm wrong, but we live in times when there are few people who stop to listen, as few are those who express their thoughts without fear of being misunderstood or even misinterpreted.
Prof. Kapidani is left to the bottom of an idealist, a man who believed deeply in their beliefs, but always looking for good answers to questions that continually arose. For this reason, continued to consult books, making music, continuing to be, all the time, part of that world as a child belonged to him and to whom He dedicated himself totally.
Master introduced us to the mysterious and fascinating world of music, helping us understand things better and giving us thus the strength to continue our journey alone.
Mikaela Minga,
musicologist
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the newspaper Albanian metropol - No. 1781 - Friday 19 / 06 / 2009
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LINKS:
The House of Gjomarkaj (John-Mark)
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Albanian translation and adaptation in Italian - Kapidani & M. , L. Bossi.
Markelian Kapedani 
