Raffaele Calace

Raffaele Calace (* 1863 in Naples, † 1934) was an Italian mandolin player, composer and instrument builder.

Life and work

He was born in Naples, Italy, the second son of Antonio Calace, a successful instrument maker. Raffaele was initially trained as a musician. At the same time he discovered the musical possibilities of the mandolin and soon he became the incomparable mandolin virtuoso. After studying at the "Regio Conservatorio di Musica " in Naples, which he finished with the highest honors, his main goal, the mandolin was to gain a complete and honorable place in the music. To achieve this, he toured Europe and Japan, and gave countless concerts on the Neapolitan mandolin and the Mandoloncello. It is believed that the bass version of the mandolin family was first perfected by the famous Neapolitan Vinaccia family of luthiers in the last decade of the 19th century and by Raffaele Calace itself. He played a three LPs on which he can be heard as one of the greatest exponents of the Mandoloncello.

Raffaele Calace wrote over 200 compositions, which are among the finest and most technically demanding works for mandolin: Works for mandolin solo or compositions for mandolin in combination with other instruments. Duets with piano; Trio combinations with mandola and guitar; romantic Mandolins Quartets (2 mandolins, mandola and guitar); Quintets and concerts for Mandolin Solo with Orchestra etc.

Calace also wrote educational works for mandolin and Mandoloncello. The " School of Mandolin " was released in 1910, the German edition of 1922.

Raffaele Calace and his brother Nicola Calace (1859-1923) led addition to her work as a musician, improvements of building technology of the instruments and modernized the Neapolitan mandolin. As Nicola Calace 1898 emigrated to the United States continued Raffaele the workshop with his daughter Maria, a gifted mandolin player and his son Giuseppe Calace continued. Today the workshop is led by grandson Raffaele Calace Jr..