Adalgiso Ferraris

Adalgiso Ferraris (16 February 1890 – 31 December 1968) was an Italian-born British composer and pianist. Ferraris' arrangements and compositions were based on classical and popular genres, with a particular flavour of gypsy, Hungarian and Russian traditionals. Among his best known songs are the romantic Russian song "Dark Eyes", "Calinerie", "Souvenir d'Ukraine", "the Russian Pedlar", "Two guitars" and "A Balalaika"

Early life
Ferraris was born in Novara, Piedmont, Italy. He went on to study at the Regia Accademia Filarmonica in Bologna, and studied piano and music composition with Manfredi and Crescentino.

Russian experience
In 1910 Ferraris travelled to Russia to study with Tchevnioroshy in St. Petersburg. Here he supported his studies playing during the capital's last years of the "belle Epoque" nightlife.

He developed his skills particularly in the piccolo concerto and especially in Tzigane music. In 1912 he became pianist in an orchestra which also played at Tsarskoye Selo.

Among other versions, a 1941 recording of Dark Eyes (by Ferraris) played by Harry Parry and his radio sextet was a hit during the war, and a very original interpretation for electric guitar, played by Chet Atkins. Ferraris version is still played today by many artists such as the Trio Artemis and Hristo Kardjiev. The song was recorded in Italy by Nino Impallomeni and his orchestra, and by Don Rico and his Orchestra.

The Great War
Ferraris was caught by the war in Russia, and travelled via Finland through England to get back to Italy and join the Italian Army.

Success in England
After the first War and his marriage in 1920 with Adele Brunelli, Ferraris went to London, where he played with his band, the Novarese Band, and composed and published many well known songs.

In 1936 Mantovani and his band brings to success "A Balalaika" a tango.

Another 1930s famous song of Ferraris is the orchestral and piano arrangements for Two Guitars, which is still a hit for touring bands, including the 100 Tagu Ciganyzenekar and the Gypsy Philharmonic Orchestra and others like Zoltan Maga.

In the late thirties, the Italian singer Dora Menichelli with the famous duo Bormioli-Semprini record, with Parlophon, a few Ferraris songs in Italian, including "la canzone che nome non ha" or the song without a name, currently preserved at the National Museum of audio, Museo dell'Audiovisivo.

Here is a list of some of his less known songs: - Flor Gitana

- For you my love I'm waiting

- Idylle Tzigane

- In a gipsy camp

- Rose of Spain

- Midnight follies

- Life is Beautiful (La vita e' bella)

- A fete in Santa Lucia, part of the suite "bella Napoli", and also played by Mantovani and his Orchestra - Galanteria

Late years
At the outbreak of War War II, he went back to Italy as an Italian citizen and stayed until the end of the war. He then came back to England, becoming naturalised British. In the difficult times of post-war London he restarted his musical career and also formed a music publishing company.

He continued to live in London, composing and playing music on his beloved antique "Pleyel", until his death on the last day of 1968, at his house in Woolwich.