Constantinescu, Paul

Constantinescu, Paul , eminent Romanian composer and pedagogue; b. Ploie?ti, July 13, 1909; d. Bucharest, Dec. 20, 1963. He studied with Castaldi, Jora, Cuclin, and Br?iloiu at the Bucharest Cons. (1928–33) and with Schmidt and Marx in Vienna (1934–35). Returning to Bucharest, he taught at the academy for religious music (1937–41) and then was a prof. of composition at the Cons, from 1941 until his death. In 1932 he received the Enesco prize and in 1956 the Romanian Academy prize. Constantiescu made use of folk and liturgical elements in his works, developing a style marked by an assured command of form and modal harmony. He did much to chart the course for the post-Enesco generation of Romanian nationalist composers.

Works

DRAMATIC O noaptefurtunoas?, comic opera (1934; rev. 1950; Bucharest, May 19, 1951); Nunta in Carpa\i, choreographic poem (Bucharest, May 5, 1938); Pan? Lesnea Rusalim, opera (1954–55; Cluj-Napoca, June 26, 1956). ORCH.: Suit? roma?neasc? (1930–36; rev. 1942); Jocuri roma?ne?ti (1936); Burlesca for Piano and Orch. (1937; Bucharest Radio, March 7, 1938); Simfoniet? (1937; Bucharest Radio, March 16, 1938); 2 syms.: No. 1 (1944; Bucharest, May 18, 1947; rev. 1955) and No. 2, Simfonie ploie?tean? (Ploie?ti, Sept. 29, 1961); Variatuni libere asupra unei melodii bizantine din sec. XIII for Cello and Orch. (1946; rev. 1951); Concerto for Strings (1947; rev. 1955; Bucharest, Feb. 16, 1956); Rapsodia II (1949; Bucharest, Oct. 15, 1950); Balada haiduceasca for Cello and Orch. (1950; Bucharest, Dec. 23, 1951); Suit? bucovinean? (1951); Piano Concerto (1952; Bucharest, May 16, 1953); Juventus, overture (1952); Rapsodie olteneasc? (1957); Violin Concerto (1957; Brasov, May 21, 1958); Infr?&lire, choreographic rhapsody (Bucharest, Aug. 20, 1959); Harp Concerto (1960; Bucharest, May 4, 1961); Triple Concerto for Violin, Cello, Piano, and Orch. (Bucharest, Dec. 28, 1963). CHAMBERS Studii ?n stil bizantin for Violin, Viola, and Cello (1929); Quintet (1932); Violin Sonatina (1933); Sonatin? bizantin? for Solo Cello or Viola (1940); Cintec vechi pe 2 melodii din Anton Pann for Cello and Piano (1952); piano pieces. VOCAL: Isarlik for Soprano and Orch. (1936); Ryga Crypto ?i Lapona Enigel for Soli, Reciter, and Orch. (1936; rev. 1951; Bucharest, June 1, 1966); Byzantinisches Passions und Osteroratorium for Soli, Chorus, and Orch. (1943; Bucharest, March 3, 1946; rev. 1948); Byzantinisches Weihnachtoratorium for Soli, Chorus, and Orch. (Bucharest, Dec. 21, 1947); Uli\a noastrd, 7 songs for Baritone and orch. (1960); other songs.

Bibliography

V. Tomescu, P. C. (Bucharest, 1967).

—Nicolas Slonimsky/Laura Kuhn/Dennis McIntire