Stephǎnescu, George

Stephǎnescu, George, noted Romanian conductor, teacher, and composer; b. Bucharest, Dec. 13, 1843; d. there, April 25, 1925. He studied harmony and piano with Wachmann at the Bucharest Cons. (1864–67), then pursued his training at the Paris Cons. (1867–71), where he studied harmony with Reber, composition with Auber and Thomas, piano with Marmontel, and singing with Delle Sedie. Returning to Bucharest, he taught singing and opera at the Cons. (1872–1904); was a conductor of the Romanian Opera at the National Theater (from 1877), for which he wrote several works in an effort to produce native scores for the stage; also was active as a music critic. Stephänescu was one of the foremost figures in Romanian musical life of his era. He composed the first Romanian sym. (1869). His output reflects his interest in Romanian folk tunes, although he did not directly quote from such sources.

Works

DRAMATIC: Opera: Petra (1902). Operetta: Peste Dunäre (Across the Danube; 1880); Scaiul bärbasor (Men’s Burr; 1885); Cometa (1900). Musical Fairy Tale: Sînziana si Pepelea (1880). ORCH .: Symphonic Poems: In munti (In the Mountains; 1888); In cring (In the Meadow; 1889); Inlre fiori (1890); In alte timpuri (In Old Times; 1895); Mila (1902). Other: Sym. (1869); Uverta nationala (1876). CHAMBER : Cello Sonata (1863); Octet (1866); Septet (1870); String Quartet (1870); also a piano sonata (1863). VOCAL: Choruses and songs.

Bibliography

G. Stephänescu, G. S.: Viata în imagini (G. S.: Life in Pictures; Bucharest, 1962).

—Nicolas Slonimsky/Laura Kuhn/Dennis McIntire