George Enescu - Impressions d'Enfance pour violon et piano (2/2)

George Enescu - the father of modern Romanian music, was also one of the greatest violinist of the century, and was also a pianist, organist and cellist! Devoting much of his life to education, he was a teacher of the violinist Menuhin & Grumiaux, as well as the pianist Lipatti. However his music has never gained the popularity it deserves.

Romanticism and modernism, gypsy fiddling and classical techniques converge in moody meanderings, full of voluptuous melodies and harmonic volatility.

Impressions d'Enfance is a rhapsodic work for violin & piano, consisting of small pieces interconnected together. The seductive and impressionistic nature of Enescu's violin music, with touches of exotic Romanian sensuality already gives much pleasure on my first listening. Most material are probably derived from Romanian folk music (e.g. the Berceuse), as in much of Enescu 's music. Many pieces are very descriptive: such as the 'Criket' and 'Bird in the Cage'. This does not mean the music is superficial; it gradually builts up into a restrained but passionate coda, a sort of yearning that is difficult to describe and is brilliantly played by Zadinsky.

01 - Menetrier (Fiddler)
02 - Vieux mendiant (Old Beggar)
03 - Ruisselet au fond du jardin (Brook at the bottom of the Garden)

04 - L'Oiseau en cage et le coucou au mur (The Caged Bird and the Cuckoo Clock on the Wall)
05 - Chanson pour bercer (Lullaby)
06 - Grillon (Cricket)
07 - Lune a travers les vitres (Moonlight Through the Windows)
08 - Vent dans la cheminee (Wind in the Chimney)
09 - Tepete au-dehors, dans la nuit (The Storm Outside at Night)
10 - Lever de soleil (Sunrise)


Violin - Arthur Zadinsky
Piano - Oana Rusu Tomai

Camera Operators - Stephen Dold, Ryan McNamee, Nathan Proudfoot
Sound Design - Jessica Eballer, Adam Tews
Audio Mix - Jessica Eballer
Producers - Nan Avant, Timothy Watkins
Director - Timothy Watkins