Constantinescu, Paul

Constantinescu, Paul , eminent Romanian composer and pedagogue; b. Ploieşti, July 13, 1909; d. Bucharest, Dec. 20, 1963. He studied with Castaldi, Jora, Cuclin, and Brǎiloiu 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 noaptefurtunoasǎ, comic opera (1934; rev. 1950; Bucharest, May 19, 1951); Nunta in Carpa\i, choreographic poem (Bucharest, May 5, 1938); Panǎ Lesnea Rusalim, opera (1954–55; Cluj-Napoca, June 26, 1956). ORCH.: Suitǎ roma⌢neascǎ (1930–36; rev. 1942); Jocuri roma⌢neşti (1936); Burlesca for Piano and Orch. (1937; Bucharest Radio, March 7, 1938); Simfonietǎ (1937; Bucharest Radio, March 16, 1938); 2 syms.: No. 1 (1944; Bucharest, May 18, 1947; rev. 1955) and No. 2, Simfonie ploieşteanǎ (Ploieşti, 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); Suitǎ bucovineanǎ (1951); Piano Concerto (1952; Bucharest, May 16, 1953); Juventus, overture (1952); Rapsodie olteneascǎ (1957); Violin Concerto (1957; Brasov, May 21, 1958); Infrǎ&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 ȋn stil bizantin for Violin, Viola, and Cello (1929); Quintet (1932); Violin Sonatina (1933); Sonatinǎ bizantinǎ 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 şi 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