# George Enescu



## World Violist

Let me just say this; while I see Bernstein's position as the great musician in general of America, that he isn't the greatest musical mind of the century; that place goes unreservedly, in my opinion, to George Enescu. He was equally proficient on the violin, piano, at the podium, composing, and teaching, as well as having one of the greatest musical memories ever (knowing virtually all of Bach's cantata's, Beethoven quartets, and just about everything else by heart). Of his violin pupils there are, of course, Yehudi Menuhin, Christian Ferras, and Ida Haendel to name but a few of the ones that made quite a name.

As for his compositions, I can do little but say something similar to what I said on my old Ravel thread: listen to more than the Rhapsodies and all your dreams will come true. The Third symphony is really amazing, though, and I've heard about Oedipe (though I've never heard it itself, hopefully soon to be remedied) that it's one of the peaks of 20th-century music.

Enescu deserves far, far more attention than he gets. Perhaps this century will be the one in which Enescu rises in the public view to what he needs to be: one of the greatest musicians the 20th century has ever had.


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## Rondo

I haven't heard much Enescu. The works which come readily to mind are Romanian Rhapsody 1 & 2. Ill have to check into this composer a little further.


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## opus67

For the past few days, I've been wanting to introduce myself to the music of this man. I don't know why; no one mentioned him or his works in a big way recently. And for the record, I haven't heard his Romanian Rhapsodies. (Okay, maybe once, but that doesn't really count.) I was thinking of starting with chamber works (again, for an unknown reason). Do you any favourites that you would recommend?


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## World Violist

There are videos on Youtube of some of his work. None of the symphonic stuff, but there are the last two of his violin sonatas more or less complete on there.

Here's Enescu himself with Dinu Lipatti playing his second violin sonata:













Sherban Lupu playing the first movement of his third violin sonata:





His Concertstücke for viola and piano:





And here's Yehudi Menuhin playing his third violin sonata in its entirety (with Hephzibah):


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## Weston

opus67 said:


> For the past few days, I've been wanting to introduce myself to the music of this man. I don't know why; no one mentioned him or his works in a big way recently. And for the record, I haven't heard his Romanian Rhapsodies. (Okay, maybe once, but that doesn't really count.) I was thinking of starting with chamber works (again, for an unknown reason). Do you any favourites that you would recommend?


I can't really call them favorites if they are the only ones I've heard, but I do enjoy a disc from Nonesuch (79682-2) with Gidon Kremer and the Kremerata Baltica. It has the Enescu *Octet, Op. 7.* To my ears it is very much late romantic, not 20th century. The first half minute or so the entire string ensemble plays in unison a very slavic sounding almost recitative theme. That might seem boring, but it isn't. I think this version is played by a string orchestra rather than an octet. This gives it a lot of space.

The disc also contains a *Piano quintet (Op. 29)* which is more modern and a little less to my liking, though I probably would find it very rewarding if I gave it all of my focus rather than using it as musical wallpaper as we are so guilty of these days.

Here is a link to a better review, unfortunately with no samples:
http://www.classicstoday.com/review.asp?ReviewNum=5666


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## opus67

WV and Weston, thank you very much for the links and recommendations. It's getting a bit late here, and I'm in a Brucknerian hangover, so I'll make sure to listen to at least some of the works listed tomorrow (later today, that is).


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## Atabey

Greatest musical mind of the 20th century? George Enescu?
You can not be serious.


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## World Violist

Atabey said:


> Greatest musical mind of the 20th century? George Enescu?
> You can not be serious.


And how can I not be serious?


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## Atabey

Well,not one paper i read about the topic rates him above Stravinsky or Prokofiev or Shostakovich and i humbly agree.If you have any reasons or any thesis' or papers that states why he is superior,please be my guest to list them.


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## World Violist

Atabey said:


> Well,not one paper i read about the topic rates him above Stravinsky or Prokofiev or Shostakovich and i humbly agree.If you have any reasons or any thesis' or papers that states why he is superior,please be my guest to list them.


And since when must someone be rated superior to be superior? I'm not saying Enescu was strictly superior, I'm only meaning that he was one of the greatest and most grossly underrated musicians of the 20th century. If I said "the greatest" I humbly apologize, as once you get to this level there are no strict superlatives to be given, but I think Enescu is much greater than many people make him out to be.

Bach was never in the public eye until Mendelssohn, yet Mozart and Beethoven worshiped him; Enescu is still not in the public eye, yet people like Casals and Menuhin next to worshiped him (they still worshiped Bach, granted, but that's almost a given really).


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## Weston

World Violist said:


> Bach was never in the public eye until Mendelssohn, yet Mozart and Beethoven worshiped him;


I had thougt for Beethoven that was Handel. "He is the greatest composer that ever lived. I would uncover my head and kneel before his tomb." I find that surpising. It _should_ have been Bach.

None of that detracts from your point, however. We cannot know who history will deem the greatest when the dust settles. In the pop/rock world, I find Ian Anderson to be the greatest musical mind. Few would agree with me at present, especially the critics. I am confident time will prove them wrong.

I don't know enough about Enescu to agree or disagree with your ranking. For you it is correct, and that is enough for me to learn more about him at least. That is why we are here.


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## Atabey

World Violist said:


> And since when must someone be rated superior to be superior? I'm not saying Enescu was strictly superior, I'm only meaning that he was one of the greatest and most grossly underrated musicians of the 20th century. If I said "the greatest" I humbly apologize, as once you get to this level there are no strict superlatives to be given, but I think Enescu is much greater than many people make him out to be.
> 
> Bach was never in the public eye until Mendelssohn, yet Mozart and Beethoven worshiped him; Enescu is still not in the public eye, yet people like Casals and Menuhin next to worshiped him (they still worshiped Bach, granted, but that's almost a given really).


I was not talking about the public eye.What i meant by paper is academical papers,papers who are written by people with credentials.That is not like the public opinion.I agree that one can disagree but it actually says something.

Stravinsky is generally regarded to be greatest musical mind of the century.I take Shostakovich over him any day but still when one says Stravinsky is more influential so superior i accept it.

What my earlier post failed to emphasise was that a clear superlative can not be made and you emphasised it very well here.You say one of the greatest,now the thing is settled.I am off this thread because unfortunately i do not share your enthusiasm about him but he is respectworthy for sure.


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## opus67

Listening to the third violin sonata linked to above. I have not yet read about the work, yet, but there seem to be influences of music from parts of the world other than Europe. Or, perhaps, it's the Romanian music that I have not familiarised myself with.


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## World Violist

opus67 said:


> Listening to the third violin sonata linked to above. I have not yet read about the work, yet, but there seem to be influences of music from parts of the world other than Europe. Or, perhaps, it's the Romanian music that I have not familiarised myself with.


Yes, Enescu was influenced quite heavily by the music of his native Romania, yet he still had several Western influences, Bach at the fore (trends?) and also Brahms (whom he apparently met). These further Western influences, if I remember rightly, are more able to be found in his symphonic music.


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## YsayeOp.27#6

opus67 said:


> Or, perhaps, it's the Romanian music that I have not familiarised myself with.


It's Romanian. The title "dans le caractere populaire roumain" clarifies it. You may also enjoy his _Impressions d'enfance_ Op. 28, for violin and piano. Two versions come to my mind: those by Kremer and Kavakos.



> and I've heard about Oedipe (though I've never heard it itself, hopefully soon to be remedied) that it's one of the peaks of 20th-century music.


I have many versions of the work, including the 1955 Paris Radio recording (the first recording in the original french language), but I never gave the opera much attention.


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## opus67

YsayeOp.27#6 said:


> It's Romanian. The title "dans le caractere populaire roumain" clarifies it.


Indeed. I read about the work later and learnt that he had based it on Gypsy violin-playing techniques. 
But it initially kind of reminded me of Saint-Saens 5th piano concerto, in which he is said to have included certain elements to ("pictorially") denote Africa and Asia.



> You may also enjoy his _Impressions d'enfance_ Op. 28, for violin and piano. Two versions come to my mind: those by Kremer and Kavakos.


Thanks for the rec. I'll have a listen.


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## MrTortoise

Thanks for the YouTube links WV. I'll be on the look out for more Enescu. The 2nd Sonata was nice, however the 3rd was sustained magic!


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## YsayeOp.27#6

opus67 said:


> Indeed. I read about the work later and learnt that he had based it on Gypsy violin-playing techniques.


I believe he uses quarters of tones frequently in that sonata.



opus67 said:


> But it initially kind of reminded me of Saint-Saens 5th piano concerto, in which he is said to have included certain elements to ("pictorially") denote Africa and Asia.


That's where the "Egyptian" subtitle comes from. I find it more spanish than african, though; but this could be because of the moorish legacy in the Iberian Peninsula.


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## World Violist

YsayeOp.27#6 said:


> I believe he uses quarters of tones frequently in that sonata.


Yes, I'm pretty sure he does, although I'm not so sure either, but when people like young Yehudi Menuhin sound out of tune that frequently it had better be for a very good reason!



MrTortoise said:


> The 2nd Sonata was nice, however the 3rd was sustained magic!


Oh yes... that third sonata was a revelation to me the first time I heard it. Your quote fits it perfectly. In its way the piece reminds me of the Shostakovich first cello concerto, not in material or execution, but in its impactfulness. In the slow movement of the Shostakovich especially, and the first movement of the Enescu, it's like there's this vortex of sound gradually taking me in farther and farther and I can't get out (not that I'd want to). It's spectacular.


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## YsayeOp.27#6

World Violist said:


> Yes, I'm pretty sure he does, although I'm not so sure either, but when people like young Yehudi Menuhin sound out of tune that frequently it had better be for a very good reason!


The _Menuhin thing_, you are not sure if the note is a bit too high or low, but you are somehow sure it's out of tone.

The recordings by Enescu and Menuhin are fine, but for a good digital recording, you should take the Kavakos disc, in which a Ravel sonata and Impressions d'enfance are fillers.


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## Lisztfreak

I have recently got acquainted with some of the man's chamber works - namely, the two String Quartets, the Piano Quintet and Quartet, the Violin Sonata No.3 and the two Cello Sonatas.

I also own recordings of his Symphonies, the Orchestral Suites, Symphonie Concertante, Romanian Rhapsodies, Poeme Roumaine and the huge tone poem Vox Maris.

The symphonies and chamber works have been a true discovery, a discovery of a style so personal it couldn't be imitated, especially in later pieces. A fine distillation of the Romanian folk idiom into a personal, classical and highly sophisticated musical language, much like late Bartók, but with a greater density of thought and subtlety of expression. Romania is often there, but Enescu was a clearly West European and even French composer.

He is not everyone's cup of tea, I guess - particularly in his later works, there is no definite rhythmical beat, instead the music just flows like thoughts, sometimes only vaguely tonal. However, I find this mystical, caressing, deep-felt and masterly, therefore I love it. 

My favourites are String Quartet No.1, Cello Sonata No.2, Piano Quartet, Symphony No.3, Poeme Roumaine and the Orchestral Suite No.2. I would also love to hear Impressions d'enfance and the famous Octet.

A wonderful composer, and I agree with WV - a grossly underrated 20th-century genius. One might argue that the nickname of 'Romanian Mozart' wasn't exaggerated, him being a fabulous musical teacher, conductor, violinist and pianist. Also don't forget Arthur Grumiaux, he taught him too. And I think Ginette Neveu, but I'm not sure about her.

Trăiască minunata muzică lui George Enescu, geniului românesc!


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## Lisztfreak

*GEORGE ENESCU (1881-1955)*

Born 19 August 1881 in a relatively small village of Liveni-Vârnav (today Dorohoi) in Moldavia, the eastern region of Romania. He was the youngest of eight children and the only one to survive infancy. His father, Costache, was an estate bailiff, and his mother, Maria, a school teacher who loved music and often played the piano. Young George showed signs of exceptional musical talent from the age of 3 or 4. He greatly enjoyed the folk songs and dances of his fatherland. His first known composition is dated 1887.

After some piano lessons with his mother, Enescu was sent to a famous Roma violinist, Niculae Chioru, who taught him the instrument. Soon it became evident the little Enescu required more advanced training, so his father sent him to Iaşi, the Moldavian 'capital', where studied with Edouard Caudella. With Caudella's recommendation Enescu arrived to Vienna in 1888, and the Conservatory made an exception to the general admission rule and took Enescu although he was only 6. There he studied with Josef Hellmesberger Jr., Robert Fuchs and Johann Nepomuk Fuchs. He meets Brahms and plays first violin under him in a student orchestra. He attends the Viennese Opera where Hans Richter conducts Wagner, whose music leaves a deep impression and a long-lastin influence on young George. On 15 July 1893 Enescu graduates with top marks, and gives a concert in the Musikvereinssaal. After further two years of studying with Fuchs, he leaves for Paris and enters the Paris Conservatory.

There his teachers are Massenet, Fauré and Gédalge, while his fellow students include Ravel and Koechlin. Massenet speaks very highly of Enescu. In 1898, Enescu being 16, the premiere of his first orchestral work, Poeme Roumaine, takes place in Paris. The audience is dumbstruck. In the same year, Enescu conducts the Poeme, for the first time in his life, in the Ateneul Român hall in Bucharest.

To shorten this long post:

- 1899 - graduates from the Paris Conservatory - awarded with a Bernardel violin
- 1900 - starts giving violin lessons in Bucharest - gives public recitals - composes his *Octet for Strings* - meets Queen Elizabeth of Romania (Carmen Sylva)
- 1901-1902 - composes the *Romanian Rhapsodies*
- 1902 - becomes a member of the Society of French Composers
- 1904 - becomes a member of the examination commission of the Paris Conservatory
- 1903 - *First Orchestral Suite *(the 1st movement is sometimes as bold harmonically as Messiaen)
- 1905 - *Symphony No.1*- 1914 - stays in Romania - conducts the premiere of Beethoven's 9th in Romania - *Symphony No.2 and Second Suite *- raises funds for the building of an opera house in Bucharest and to supply the Ateneul with an organ (contributes generously himself)
- 1916 - becomes a member of the Romanian Academy - during the occupation of Muntenia and Bucharest, stays in Iaşi, and founds the Iaşi Philaharmonic Orchestra
- 1920 - made president of the Society of Romanian Composers
- the 20s - constantly travels between Paris and Bucharest, gives unforgettable performances of Bach and Chausson - Menuhin becomes his student
- the 30s - travels to the USA for concert tours - teaches violin on Harvard
- 1932 - Enescu in Paris for the French premiere of Elgar's Violin Concerto, played by Menuhin and conducted by Elgar himself
- 1936 - the premiere of Enescu's opera *Oedipe* - plays his Violin Sonata No.3 with Dinu Lipatti
- 1939 - marries Maria Cantacuzino-Rosetti - lives in Bucharest
- 1946 - due to the establishment of communism in Romania, leaves for the USA
- 1948 - gives masterclasses in New York
- 1955 - dies in Paris, 4 May - interred at the famous Pere Lachaise cemetery










Enescu and young Menuhin










Enescu's childhood house

http://www.editionsilvertrust.com/enescu-octet.htm

_- sample bites of the Octet_ (I love the opening of the work and the Tres fougueux!)


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## michael walsh

An incredibly gifted and versatile Romanian (Danube) composer and for me at least a wonderful musical empathy. I never tire of his _Rumanische Rhapsodie No. 1_ Listening to it you keep thinking, that is it ... it then bounds off again. Quite incredible, mesmerising; you just want it to go on and on. I like him. Can you tell?


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## Taneyev

I've many of his chamber works. IMHO, one of the greatest composers and violinists of the frist third of past century.


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## Sid James

Lisztfreak said:


> ...the music just flows like thoughts, sometimes only vaguely tonal. However, I find this mystical, caressing, deep-felt and masterly, therefore I love it...


I agree with this & it matches my first impression three of his _*Violin Sonatas*_, which I just got on a Hyperion "Helios" budget disc. The works are played by Romanians Adelina Oprean (violin) & her brother Justin (piano).

The _*Sonata No. 2*_ (1899) sounds to me to be absorbing early modernist tendencies, including impressionism. The _ *Sonata Torso *_ (1911), so-called because we only have the first movement, is much lighter and has this salon like feel (reminds me a bit of Granados' chamber music). & I agree with suggestions made above, that the _*Sonata No. 3 'dans le caractere populaire romain' *_(1926) is a masterpiece by any standard. In this work, Enescu doesn't quote directly from Romanian folk music, but maintains a very folkloric character throughout, as the title suggests. In the first movement, for example, the piano sounds much like a cimbalom. The second movement has this night time feel, as if you were sitting under the stars at a camp fire, hearing the sounds of nature (Ives also comes to mind here). & the third is a lively dance, very unique, and very dissonant at the end (both instruments are extended to their limit).

The liner notes say that indeed Enescu was a kind of everyman, known as a violinist in Europe and as a conductor in the USA. Of course, as has been mentioned above, he was also a great teacher. Unfortunately (as the _Sonata Torso _shows), he had a propensity to see many of his works as being in a constant state of progress, so he didn't make definitive versions of them. After he died, he left a plethora of works in this state of flux, so that the executors of his estate could not authorise their publication. This was the case with _Symphonies Nos. 4 & 5_, which have never been published for this reason. His opera _Oedipe_ also took him decades to complete in this way. The public's reaction to his works were also quite mixed, the notes say that one of his works was booed at it's European premiere, which caused him (along with the death of his mother at the same time), to give up composing for a year or two around the late 1900's.

I have also known his _Romanian Rhapsodies Nos. 1 & 2_, but these are probably not his best works (although they are excellent in themselves). It's great that budget labels like Helios and Naxos, have made many of his works available at a decent price, and in high quality interpretations. Some, like the _Sonata Torso_, have been recorded for the first time. While I have much to learn about this composer, my limited listening and the anecdotal evidence does suggest that World Violist's assertion that he was one of the finest musicians of the C20th does hold much water...


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## Tapkaara

Listened to my recording of his Piano Quintet the other day. It's so original and delightfully dark. Very good composer. Too bad he's so overlooked.


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## Head_case

I seemed to have amassed most of his symphonies and chamber music released on the now defunct Olympia record label. 

There was a time when I really loved his work; particularly his cello sonatas. His string quartet is really strange; kind of like an expanding melody leaving vague presentiments of emotional coloration without any concreteness nor tangibility. I thought my recording of the quartet by the Enesco-Athaneneum Quatuor was deficient and went for the universal Ad Libitum Quatuor in the past few months. Whereas the recorded sound of the latter is superior, the ambiguity of the emotional space which his quartets occupy are really still too alien for me. Not sure why I can't get into them any more. Even Vox Maris and the 'Villageoise' works are more listenable for me......and that's from a non-symphonist..


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## Oskaar

Enescu is a fabulouse composer!

Just listened to these: (Both performances have maximum score in my private ranging system, in sound, performance, work and overall.)

*George Enescu*

Work 
*Enescu: Cello Sonata No.1 in F-, Op.26, No.1*

Artists	
Rebecca Rust
David Apter




http://www.amazon.com/ENESCU-Cello-...9IJE/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1315227092&sr=8-1










Work 
*Enescu: String Quartet No.1 in Eb, Op.22, No.1*

Artists	
Quatuor Ad Libitum




http://www.amazon.com/Enescu-String...VROD/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1315231797&sr=8-1


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## Oskaar

Playing the cello sonata again....just fantastic


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## science

Enescu composed quite a few masterpieces that fell into neglect, and the opera _Oedipe_ is one of them. There is at least one more recording out there, but this is the one I've heard. It's a very interesting opera. Recommended to fans of Janacek, the more progressive operas of R. Strauss, and so on.


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## Vaneyes

Don't forget his solo piano works.

View attachment 4262
View attachment 4263


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## Vaneyes

Enescu festival announcement. Light on Enescu works, I'd say. And too bad people like Kremer, Borac, Foster are missing.

http://www.classicalsource.com/db_control/db_news.php?id=2294


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## Head_case

Lisztfreak said:


> I have recently got acquainted with some of the man's chamber works - namely, the two String Quartets, the Piano Quintet and Quartet, the Violin Sonata No.3 and the two Cello Sonatas.
> 
> I also own recordings of his Symphonies, the Orchestral Suites, Symphonie Concertante, Romanian Rhapsodies, Poeme Roumaine and the huge tone poem Vox Maris.
> 
> The symphonies and chamber works have been a true discovery, a discovery of a style so personal it couldn't be imitated, especially in later pieces. A fine distillation of the Romanian folk idiom into a personal, classical and highly sophisticated musical language, much like late Bartók, but with a greater density of thought and subtlety of expression. Romania is often there, but Enescu was a clearly West European and even French composer.
> 
> He is not everyone's cup of tea, I guess - particularly in his later works, there is no definite rhythmical beat, instead the music just flows like thoughts, sometimes only vaguely tonal. However, I find this mystical, caressing, deep-felt and masterly, therefore I love it.
> 
> My favourites are String Quartet No.1, Cello Sonata No.2, Piano Quartet, Symphony No.3, Poeme Roumaine and the Orchestral Suite No.2. I would also love to hear Impressions d'enfance and the famous Octet.


Couldn't agree more. I don't listen to much symphonic music anymore, but his collection of impressive orchestral writings - like Vox Maris, and the Villageoise continue to impress me.

Its his unusually written string quartets which are very hard at first impression to love, but slowly work their way in, rather like the Gabriel Fauré string quartet. His string quartet writing is rather complex and impenetrable, but the joys of it as you've described, I can glimpse and taste in those two string quartets.


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## Vaneyes

Lisztfreak has left the building.


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## TudorMihai

This is Enescu's Study Symphony No. 4 in E-flat major, composed in 1898.


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## TudorMihai

One of Enescu's lesser-known works, Symphony No. 5 in D major, on which Enescu worked in 1941. His Fourth and Fifth Symphonies were left unfinished at the time of his death but they were ultimately completed by the Romanian musicologist Pascal Bentoiu. This symphony is composed for tenor, female chorus and orchestra.


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## Head_case

The symphony no.V is such a poetic and languidly inspiring piece. 

Enescu is one of the few symphonists I listen to - he really understands the use of orchestral textures and development beautifully. I don't, and rarely listen to any although each time I listen to Enescu' symphonic works, I'm mesmerised and forget that I don't like symphonies lol


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## Progstreaming

I adore his chamber music, especially his first Cello Sonata, though I haven't warmed up to his symphonies yet. Seeing the posts above, I should maybe spend more time with them. Anyone cares to recommend me some good performances?


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## Neo Romanza

Progstreaming said:


> I adore his chamber music, especially his first Cello Sonata, though I haven't warmed up to his symphonies yet. Seeing the posts above, I should maybe spend more time with them. Anyone cares to recommend me some good performances?


Some people here may recommend Mandeal on Arte Nova, but I recommend Rozhdestvensky for the symphonies on Chandos. I have yet to hear Foster's performances on EMI.


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## Wicked_one

What about his songs?


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## Selby

I couldn't find any of Enescu's symphonies for sale on Amazon. Are they that rare and/or rarely recorded?


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## arpeggio

*Enescu Symphonies*



Mitchell said:


> I couldn't find any of Enescu's symphonies for sale on Amazon. Are they that rare and/or rarely recorded?


I would check again. I found all sorts of recordings at ArkivMusic and Amazon.

For the record I have the Rozhdestvensky-Chandos recordings which are still available.


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## Selby

arpeggio said:


> I would check again. I found all sorts of recordings at ArkivMusic and Amazon.
> 
> For the record I have the Rozhdestvensky-Chandos recordings which are still available.


Thanks for the response, I will!


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## nightscape

I highly recommend the Rozhdestvensky versions of his three symphonies. They come with other treats as well! They are easily found on Amazon, and all available for under $20.

I'm listening to his 1st symphony and it's quite amazing. Three movements, terrific ending. I wish he was programmed more often, and aside from just his Romanian Rhapsodies.


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## Bulldog

Vaneyes said:


> Don't forget his solo piano works.
> 
> View attachment 4262
> View attachment 4263


Those are wonderful discs. I especially love the three suites for piano where Enescu starts with music in the baroque "olden style" through an impressionist sensibility and ending with teasing us with his tonal centers.

I support the premise that Enescu was one of the greatest 20th century musicians. He was definitely a man for all musical seasons more than any other 20th century composer.


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## science

Let's bump this. I want more Enescu recommendations! 

What should I hear?


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## Figleaf

science said:


> Let's bump this. I want more Enescu recommendations!
> 
> What should I hear?


Try his settings of Clement Marot, sung by Ion Piso:


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## MagneticGhost

^^^^ What a great share - Thanks. Their is a real warmth to that performance both in the voice and in the general sound recording. Not heard those songs before either. Lovely  

I've only heard Enescu's String Quartets on Naxos prior to today. I'd recommend that disc. Naxos have produced some great quartet discs down the years and that one is more than satisfactory.


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## Figleaf

MagneticGhost said:


> ^^^^ What a great share - Thanks. Their is a real warmth to that performance both in the voice and in the general sound recording. Not heard those songs before either. Lovely
> 
> I've only heard Enescu's String Quartets on Naxos prior to today. I'd recommend that disc. Naxos have produced some great quartet discs down the years and that one is more than satisfactory.


I had an Electrecord LP of Piso singing those same songs in Romanian, and that was an even more nuanced and heartfelt performance. I think the French words are the ones that Enescu originally set though.


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## Vaneyes

I'm a big Foster fan for *Enescu*. :tiphat:








View attachment 66944


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## Vaneyes

*Enescu*: Symphony 4.

http://www.classicalsource.com/db_control/db_features.php?id=14483

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Symphony_No._4_(Enescu)

http://musicweb-international.com/classrev/2015/Aug/Enescu_sy4_7779662.htm

https://www.microsoft.com/en-ca/sto...-4-chamber-symphony-op-33-nuages/8d6kgwx56147


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## Tchaikov6

Cantabile and Presto for flute and piano is really blowing me away.

Also enjoying the Romanian Rhapsodies.


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## starthrower

science said:


> Let's bump this. I want more Enescu recommendations!
> 
> What should I hear?


Symphony No.3, and the opera Oedipe contain beautiful music.


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## cougarjuno

If wanting to start with one of Enescu's simpler yet incredibly beautiful compositions -- try the Ballad for Violin and Orchestra


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## Josquin13

The Romanian pianist Radu Lupu is masterful in the music of Enescu. I attended the following 2002 concert at Carnegie Hall & recall being transfixed by Lupu's performance of Enescu's Piano Sonata No. 1, Op. 24 (a work I'd never heard before). I remember the audience was completely silent during his performance, more so than I'd ever heard before (or since) at Carnegie Hall. The Enescu sonata, Schubert's Piano Sonata D. 958, and a Debussy encore were the highlights of my evening, & I was pleasantly surprised to see this wonderful concert now posted on You Tube--though of course a bootleg tape can never replace an actual live concert, or adequately show what a beautiful piano touch Lupu has live, or how effortlessly he can project to the back of the hall without ever pounding on the keys too forcefully (in contrast to many pianists of the younger generation today). It's a pity Lupu has never recorded any of Enescu's music (to my knowledge).

The Enescu Sonata begins at the 24:15 minute mark:


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## cougarjuno

The piano suites are also wonderful -- Enescu's take on the baroque form. The Dixtour for winds and String octet are challenging chamber pieces. 

For his orchestral works his Suite #3 Villageoise is absolutely charming -- a beautiful work that has been overshadowed by his symphonies and the Romanian Rhapsodies and IMO much more satisfying than the Rhapsodies.


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## Pugg

Vaneyes said:


> I'm a big Foster fan for *Enescu*. :tiphat:
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> View attachment 66944


If you only knew how much some of us missing you dear Vaneyes.


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## Vasks

Pugg said:


> If you only knew how much some of us missing you dear Vaneyes.


Yes, I have not seen any of his posts in a long time. He always posted plenty about the college football season every year, but nothing this past entire fall season.


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## tdc

I picture Vaneyes on a yacht somewhere, one that has mini-golf and is filled with beautiful women, and he is listening to lots of Bruckner, Mahler and Enescu, just to name a few.


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## EnescuCvartet

Atabey said:


> Greatest musical mind of the 20th century? George Enescu?
> You can not be serious.


I second the opinion. Genius composer.


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## Larkenfield

I grew up loving his _Romanian Rhapsodies_:


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## Joachim Raff

Enescu: Piano Concerto D Minor (Fragment)

Luiza Borac (piano)
National Radio Orchestra Bucharest
Rossen Gergov

A new release but includes his Piano Concerto (unfinished) - live recording


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## Bulldog

Larkenfield said:


> I grew up loving his _Romanian Rhapsodies_:


Never liked those pieces, but I do like his symphonies, solo piano works and chamber music.


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