Georges Enesco

Georges Enesco , Rom. George Enescu, 1881-1955, Romanian violinist, composer, and conductor; studied at the Vienna Conservatory and in Paris with Massenet , Fauré , and others. Enesco made many worldwide concert tours as both violinist and conductor, including appearances with the New York Philharmonic-Symphony Orchestra (1936-39). He composed three symphonies; chamber music; an opera, Oedipe (Paris, 1936); and other orchestral music, notably two popular Romanian Rhapsodies. Yehudi Menuhin was one of his pupils.

Enescu, George [ Enesco, Georges] (b Liveni-Virnav, Romania, 1881; d Paris, 1955). Romanian composer, violinist, and conductor. First public recital as violinist at age 7 in Bǎile Slǎnic, now Slǎnic Moldova. Concert of his works in Paris 1897. Frequent appearances as cond. until 1951—début Bucharest 1898—and as sonata recitalist with Cortot. Amer. début NY 1923. His vn. pupils incl. Menuhin, Grumiaux, and Gitlis. His comps. use Romanian folk-idioms and are also influenced by late romanticism. They incl.: Œdipe (4-act opera, 1921–32); Sym. No.1 (1905), No.2 (1912–14), No.3, with ch. and pf. solo (1916–21), No.4 (1934), No.5, ten., ch., orch. (1941); Symphonie concertante, vc., orch. (1901); 2 Romanian Rhapsodies (1901); 3 vn. sonatas (1897, 1899, 1926); 2 vc. sonatas (1898, 1935); str. octet (1900); 2 pf. sonatas (1924, 1933–5); 2 pf. quintets (1895, 1940); 2 str. qts. (1916–20, 1950–3); 2 pf. qts. (1909, 1943–4); Chamber symphony, 12 instr. (1954); and songs.