George Enescu (often: Georges Enesco), *1881 in Liveni Virnav, + 1955 in Paris. His hometown was renamed and today bears the name of this most important Romanian musician. Pablo Casals called him “perhaps the greatest musician since Mozart”.
Enescu was a composer, conductor, pianist, violinist and teacher. Among his students were Grumiaux, Gitlis, Ferras, and Menuhin. He was also Dinu Lipatti’s godfather. The 10 CDs in this collection give a wide-ranging impression of the various aspects of his career for the first time. With a live-recording from 1951 it also includes the very last audio documents of this extraordinary artist. At the age of four he already played theviolin, and began composing only a year later. His studies in Vienna were followed byhis concert debut in 1889 and further years of study in Paris – with Massenet and Fauré among others. In 1898 the world premiere of his opus 1, the “Poème roumain”,took place in the Concerts Colonnes. That very year he also conducted for the first time in Bucharest. In the following years he founded and endowed the Enescu Prize For Composition there, conducted the Romanian premiere of Beethoven’s 9th, and opened the Opera Natională with Wagner’s “Lohengrin”. In protest against the communist regime he did not return to Romania after a tour of the USA.
CD 1
■ George Enescu (1881 – 1955)
1. ROMANIAN RHAPSODY NO. 1 IN A
MAJOR, OP. 11 12‘03
Rumänische Rhapsodie Nr. 1, A-Dur,
op. 11
2. ROMANIAN RHAPSODY NO. 2 IN D
MAJOR, OP. 11 10‘54
Rumänische Rhapsodie Nr. 2, D-Dur,
op. 11
Orchestre des Concerts Colonne
conductor / Dirigent George Enescu
recorded / aufgenommen 1936 (?)
■ PIANO SONATA NO. 3 IN D MAJOR,
OP. 25
Klaviersonate Nr. 3, D-Dur, op. 25
3. I. Vivace con brio 5‘06
4. II. Andantino 7‘44
5. III. Allegro con spirito 7‘20
Dinu Lipatti piano
recorded / aufgenommen 1943
■ Ernest Chausson (1855 – 1899)
6. POÈME , OP. 25 15‘58
Yehudi Menuhin violin
Orchestre Symphonique de Paris
conductor / Dirigent George Enescu
recorded / aufgenommen 1933
Total Time 59’20
CD 2
■ Johann Sebastian Bach (1685 –
1750)
DOUBLE CONCERTO FOR TWO
VIOLINS IN D MINOR, BWV 1043
Doppelkonzert für zwei Violinen, d-Moll,
BWV 1043
1. I. Vivace 4‘03
2. II. Largo ma non tanto 6‘29
3. III. Allegro 4‘58
Yehudi Menuhin violin George Enescu
violin
Orchestre Symphonique de Paris
conductor / Dirigent Pierre Monteux
recorded / aufgenommen 1932
■ VIOLIN CONCERTO IN A MINOR,
BWV 1041
Konzert für Violine und Streicher, a-Moll,
BWV 1041
4. I. Allegro 4‘11
5. II. Andante 7‘21
6. III. Allegro assai 4‘37
■ VIOLIN CONCERTO IN E MAJOR,
BWV 1042
Konzert für Violine und Streicher, E-Dur,
BWV 1042
7. I. Allegro 8‘13
8. II. Adagio 6‘53
9. III. Allegro assai 2‘55
Yehudi Menuhin violin
Orchestre Symphonique de Paris
conductor / Dirigent George Enescu
recorded / aufgenommen 1936 (4-6)
1933 (7-9)
Total Time 49’55
CD 3
■ Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756 –
1791)
VIOLIN CONCERTO NO. 3 IN G
MAJOR, K. 216
Konzert für Violine und Orchester Nr. 3.
G-Dur, KV. 216
1. I. Allegro 10‘26
2. II. Adagio 8‘34
3. III. Rondo: Allegro – Andante –
Allegretto – Tempo I 6‘56
■ VIOLIN CONCERTO NO. 4 IN D
MAJOR, K. 218
Konzert für Violine und Orchester Nr. 4,
D-Dur, KV. 218
4. I. Allegro 9‘24
5. II. Andante cantabile 8‘08
6. III. Rondo: Andante grazioso – Allegro
ma non troppo 7‘31
■ VIOLIN CONCERTO NO. 5 IN A
MAJOR, K. 219
Konzert für Violine und Orchester Nr. 5,
A-Dur, KV 219
7. I. Allegro aperto 9‘45
8. II. Adagio 11‘34
9. III. Tempo di Menuetto 8‘29
Jacques Thibaud violin
Orchestre Radio Symphonique de Paris
conductor / Dirigent George Enescu
recorded / aufgenommen Dec. 13, 1951
(Live)
Total Time 80’49
CD 4
■ Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756 –
1791)
VIOLIN CONCERTO NO. 7 IN D MAJOR,
K. 271a
Konzert für Violine und Orchester Nr. 7,
D-Dur, KV. 271a
1. I. Allegro maestoso 10‘42
2. II. Andante 7‘54
3. III. Allegro 7‘44
Yehudi Menuhin violin
Orchestre Symphonique de Paris
conductor / Dirigent George Enescu
recorded / aufgenommen 1932
■ LE NOZZE DI FIGARO
4. Overture / Ouvertüre 5‘29
■ SYMPHONY NO. 40 IN G MINOR, K.
550
Sinfonie Nr. 40, g-Moll, KV. 550
5. I. Molto allegro 5‘33
6. II. Andante 9‘32
7. III. Menuetto 3‘30
8. IV. Allegro assai 4‘54
New York Philharmonic Symphony
Orchestra
conductor / Dirigent George Enescu
recorded / aufgenommen Jan. 31, 1937
(Live)
■ BONUS
VIOLION CONCERTO NO. 3 IN G
MAJOR, K. 216
Konzert für Violine und Orchester Nr. 3,
G-Dur, KV 216
9. I. Allegro 8‘21
10. II. Adagio 8‘16
11. I II. Rondo: Allegro – Andante –
Allegretto – Tempo I 7‘04
Yehudi Menuhin violin
Orchestre Symphonique de Paris
conductor / Dirigent George Enescu
recorded / aufgenommen 1935
Total Time 79’12
CD 5
■ Felix Mendelssohn-Bartholdy (1809 –
1847)
VIOLIN CONCERTO IN E-MINOR, OP.
64
Konzert für Violine und Orchester,
e-Moll, op. 64
1. I. Allegro molto appassionato 11‘46
2. II. Andante 8‘11
3. III. Allegro non troppo – Allegro molto
vivace 6‘19
Yehudi Menuhin violin
Orchestre des Concerts Colonne
conductor / Dirigent George Enescu
recorded / aufgenommen 1938
■ Robert Schumann (1810 – 1856)
SYMPHONY NO. 2 IN C MAJOR, OP.
61
Sinfonie Nr. 2, C-Dur, op. 61
4. I. Sostenuto assai – Allegro ma non
troppo 10‘19
5. II. Scherzo: Allegro vivace 6‘59
6. III. Adagio espressivo 10‘31
7. IV. Allegro molto vivace 10‘16
8. Closing announcement 1‘18
New York Philharmonic Symphony
Orchestra
conductor / Dirigent George Enescu
recorded / aufgenommen Jan. 31, 1937
(Live)
Total Time 65’47
CD 6
■ Antonín Dvořák (1841 – 1904)
VIOLIN CONCERTO IN A MINOR, OP.
53
Konzert für Violine und Orchester,
a-Moll, op. 53
1. I. Allegro ma non troppo 9‘56
2. II. Adagio ma non troppo 9‘44
3. III. Allegro giocoso, ma non troppo
10‘56
Yehudi Menuhin violin Orchestre de
Conservatoire, Paris
conductor / Dirigent George Enescu
recorded / aufgenommen 1936
■ Edouard Lalo (1832 – 1892)
SYMPHONIE ESPAGNOLE
4. I. Allegro man non troppo 7‘29
5. II. Adagio molto 4‘06
6. II. Intermezzo: Allegretto non troppo
6‘11
7. III. Andante 7‘11
8. IV. Rondo: Allegro 7‘49
Yehudi Menuhin violin Orchestre
Symphonique de Paris
conductor / Dirigent George Enescu
recorded / aufgenommen 1933
■ BONUS
George Enescu (1881 – 1955)
9. ROMANIAN RHAPSODY NO. 1, OP.
11 11‘35
Rumänische Rhapsodie Nr. 1, op. 11
RCA Victor Symphony Orchestra
conductor / Dirigent Leopold Stokowski
recorded / aufgenommen 1960 Total
Time 75’09
CD 7
■ Ludwig van Beethoven (1770 – 1827)
PIANO CONCERTO NO. 5 IN E-FLAT
MAJOR, OP. 73, „EMPEROR“
Konzert für Klavier und Orchester Nr. 5,
Es-Dur, op. 73
1. I. Allegro 19‘15
2. II. Adagio un poco mosso 8‘34
3. III. Rondo: Allegro – Più allegro 9‘49
Rudolf Serkin piano
New York Philharmonic Symphony
Orchestra
conductor / Dirigent George Enescu
recorded / aufgenommen Febr. 10, 1938
(Live)
■ Pablo de Sarasate (1844 – 1908)
4. GIPSY AIRS / Zigeunerweisen 7‘29
(Transcription: Enescu)
■ George Enescu (1881 – 1955)
5. ADAGIO OP. 3 NO. 3 4‘06
George Enescu piano
recorded / aufgenommen 1928 (4) 1924
(5)
Welte perforated piano rolls
Total Time 49’24
CD 8
■ Johann Sebastian Bach (1685 – 1750)
VIOLIN SONATA NO. 1 IN G MINOR,
BWV 1001
Violinsonate Nr. 1, g-Moll, BWV 1001
1. I. Adagio 4‘26
2. II. Allegro 5‘07
3. III. Siciliano 2‘45
4. IV. Presto 3‘58
■ VIOLIN PARTITA NO. 1 IN B MINOR,
BWV 1002
Partita für Violine Nr. 1, h-Moll, BWV
1002
5. I. Allemande 3‘49
6. II. Double 2‘24
7. III. Courante 3‘13
8. IV. Double 3‘22
9. V. Sarabande 2‘49
10. VI. Double 1‘55
11. VII. Bourree 3‘16
12. VIII. Double 2‘50
■ VIOLIN SONATA NO. 2 IN A MINOR,
BWV 1003
Violinsonate Nr. 2, a-Moll, BWV 1003
13. I. Grave – II. Fuga 10‘44
14. III. Andante 5‘39
15. IV. Allegro 5‘11
George Enescu violin recorded /
aufgenommen 1949
Total Time 61’29
CD 9
■ Johann Sebastian Bach (1685 –
1750)
VIOLIN PARTITA NO. 2 IN D MINOR,
BWV 1004
Partita für Violine Nr. 2, d-Moll, BWV
1004
1. I. Allemande 3‘39
2. II. Courante 2‘35
3. III. Sarabande 3‘05
4. IV. Gigue 4‘14
5. V. Chaccone 13‘47
■ VIOLIN SONATA NO. 3 IN C MAJOR,
BWV 1005
Violinsonate Nr. 3, C-Dur, BWV 1005
6. I. Adagio 4‘06
7. II. Fuga 10‘23
8. III. Largo 3‘33
9. IV. Allegro assai 5‘00
■ VIOLIN PARTITA NO. 3 IN E MAJOR,
BWV 1006
Partita für Violine Nr. 3, E-Dur, BWV
1006
10. I. Preludio 3‘38
11. II. Loure 3‘20
12. III. Gavotte en Rondeau 2‘46
13. IV. Menuet I – Menuet II 3‘39
14. V. Bourree 1‘40
15. VI. Gigue 1‘52
George Enescu violin recorded /
aufgenommen 1949
Total Time 67’20
CD 10
■ Johann Sebastian Bach (1685 –
1750)
MASS IN B MINOR, BWV 232
H-Moll-Messe, BWV 232
Chorus Excerpts
I. Kyrie
1. Kyrie eleison 10‘59
II. Gloria
2. Gloria in excelsis Deo 8‘25
III. Credo
3. Credo in unum Deum 2‘47
4. Patrem omnipotentem 2‘36
5. Cruzifixus etiam pro nobis 9‘32
Et resurrexit tertia die
IV. Sanctus
6. Sanctus, sanctus, sanctus 5‘57
7. Osanna in excelsis 3‘20
V. Agnus Dei
8. Dona nobis pacem 3‘54
BBC Chorus chorus master Leslie
Woodgate
The Boyd Neel Orchestra leader
Maurice Clare
conductor / Dirigent George Enescu
Excerpts from the live performance of
the complete Mass
recorded / aufgenommen in the Concert
Hall, Broadcasting House,
London W1 July 17, 1951
Total Time 47’41