Search - Enescu, Andreescu, Nro Romania :: Complete Orchestral Works 1

The Enygma of Enescu

CAHANA JOEL | Haifa , Israel | 08/26/2000

(5 out of 5 stars)

"George Enescu is one of the great misteries of classical music. As a child he was so prodigious as to have written 4 study symphonies on the age of 15. His first symphony was writtem when he was almost 17 and reveals a radiant,colourfull yet innovative kind of music for his time.Enescu was discribed by Casalas as the most brilliant and gifted composer since Mozart,but his orchestral works are hardly played or recorded.The wonderfull world of enescu's music,so unjustified neglected by the public, is full of joy,vividness,folk tunes yet innovative and extreme craftmanship of using all kind of musical keys.The Olympia series of CD's dedicated to Enescu orchestral works ranks the best for its performance and sound and The Rumanian State Orchestra under the button of Andereescu do marvellous to all this works.As a last chance for all those who charish Enescu's works and for a bargain price before going out of stock You must hurry and put example of this masterpieces in your collection."

The brilliance of the youthful Enescu

chefdevergue | Spokane, WA United States | 10/09/2003

(5 out of 5 stars)

"The problem for George Enescu was that he had so many irons in the fire! He is remembered by many as being one of the great violin virtuosi of the 20th century, and also for his violin pedagogy. However, he also was equally accomplished as a piano virtuoso & as a conductor. He also happened to be a composer, and might have been remembered as one of the all-time greats had he focused more on composition. His talent was such that he had to try and move in all directions.As a result, his output is relatively small, even though he lived 74 years. Of the three works on this CD, one was written at age 16, one at age 24, and the last at age 68. His first symphony has an opus number of 13; his Overture on Popular Romanian Themes has an opus number of 32, but written over 40 years later! It is a true shame in many ways.Fortunately, what little he did write is of a very high quality. This CD focuses primarily on the works of his youth: two symphonies, both in E flat, both with 3 movements, written about 7 years apart. The 4th study symphony (with no opus #) reflects the heavy influence of Wagner throughout. The Symphony #1 is an amazingly mature work for a 24-year-old. The Wagnerian influence still permeates, but is skillfully blended with many french nuances, no doubt the result of Enescu's years in Paris studying with Massenet. However, this is hardly a derivitave piece: the 3rd movement clearly demonstrates a Balkan sound which would be closely associated with Enescu.The decision to flank these two youthful works around one of Enescu's later compositions was a very good one, and serves to provide contrast between his youthful exuberance and the darker quality of later works, especially this one which was written after WWII (Enescu remained in Romania throughout the war).All of the volumes in the Olympia series reveal the brilliance of Enescu the composer, which we do not totally appreciate. If you know Enescu only for his Romanian Rhapsody, you will appreciate the complexity and subtlety of his other compositions."