George Enescu: The Unknown Enescu, Volume Two
Although Enescu gave opus numbers to only 33 of his works, he left an enormous number of pieces in varying stages of composition, from sketches and draft outlines to isolated movements and some scores that are almost complete. Working with a handful of composers and musicologists – fellow Romanians with specialist knowledge of Enescu’s style – the violinist Sherban Lupu has produced performing editions of a number of previously unknown works, heard here in the context of other Enescu rarities. One of these ‘rescued’ pieces, hiding behind the modest title of Caprice Roumain, is nothing less than a major violin concerto.
Sherban Lupu, violin
Ian Hobson, piano (Track 1), conductor (Tracks 8–11)
Viorela Ciucur, piano (Tracks 3–7)
Sinfonia da Camera (Tracks 8–11)
Listen To This Recording:
- Romanian Rhapsody No. 1 in A major, Op. 11, No. 1 (1901; arr. Marcel Stern, publ. 1957)**
- Impressions Roumaines for solo violin (1925; arr. Lupu, 2008)*
- Sonata Torso (1911)
- Impromptu concertant in G flat major (1903)
- Regrets (1898; compl. Lupu, 2018)*
- Suite No. 1 in G minor, Dans le style ancien, Op. 3: Adagio (1897; arr. Sandu Albu, 1929)*
- Valse lente ‘L’enjoleuse’ (1902)*
- I Ben moderato
- II Tempo di Hora
- III Lento
- IV Allegro molto
Caprice Roumain (1925–49;compl.CornelŢăranu,1994–96)**
*FIRST RECORDING
**LIVE RECORDING
MusicWeb International :
‘This is another valuable disc and far more than merely chippings from the composer’s bench. It traces the young composer back to 1897 and forward to those long-gestating sketches for the Caprice Roumain for which much deconstructing and reconstructing has been necessary given the stylistically divergent material, composed over many years, with which Cornel Ţăranu had to work. These recordings, too, were made over many years, the earliest in 2001 and the most recent in April 2022 when Lupu was joined by pianist Viorela Ciucur. He plays splendidly, as ever, statistically apt and only very occasionally challenged intonationally. Let’s hope there’s more from him and Toccata lined up.’
—Jonathan Woolf, MusicWeb International
MusicWeb International :
‘Sherban Lupu has a thorough grasp of the idiom and can toss off the ornaments, slides and ear-tickling passages at the top of the register with the necessary nonchalance. The occasional roughness is part of the idiom. In most of the piano works he is well accompanied by Viorela Ciucur, while Ian Hobson takes the piano part in the Romanian Rhapsody and conducts the Caprice Roumain. These two are live recordings and date from the early 2000s, while the rest were made in the studio in 2022. The recordings are good and the sleevenote, from which I have borrowed, helpful. Enthusiasts will note the number of premiere recordings and need not hesitate; others will also find this rewarding.’
—Stephen Barber, MusicWeb International
WTJU :
‘Violinist Sherban Lupu is more than the album’s featured soloist. He is a world-renowned Enescu scholar. Lupu has published six volumes of violin music by Enescu. […]
Sherban Lupu’s playing is superb. It’s technically spot-on. And it embodies the Romanian soul Enescu channeled into this music. An outstanding release that adds to our understanding of this talented composer.’
—Ralph Graves, WTJU
Arcana.Fm :
‘Does it all work?
Pretty much. This is a collection which, drawn from various sources and recorded at several locations, is given focus by the commanding presence and unstinting advocacy of Lupu. […]
Is it recommended?
Yes. […] this release, enhanced by detailed notes from Valentina Sandu-Dediu, makes a valuable addition to the Enescu discography.’
—Richard Whitehouse, Arcana.Fm
Fanfare :
‘Its four movements and 23-minute duration make Caprice Roumain the closest we have to an Enescu concerto, and it is fabulous. This work alone would justify the purchase of this disc. Every bit of Enescu’s craft is found here, despite the fact that he left only sketches, and the spirit of the music is very similar to that of the beloved Romanian Rhapsody. Lupu and conductor Hobson have a great deal of fun with it.’
—Fanfare
Art Music Lounge :
Like other Romanian rhapsodies, [Romanian Rhapsody No.1 is] a charming but lightweight piece, with a middle section reminiscent of Fritz Kreisler’s Viennese bonbons, but of course there’s always a place for music like this provided it is well composed, and this one certainly is. It also doesn’t hurt that Lupu has this style in his blood, as Kreisler (but few if any others) had for his music; it is played with life, verve, and infinite gradations of tone color.
Indeed, it is as much Lupu’s strong emotional connection to these scores, as much as the music itself, which lead one to consider this album favorably. The Impressions Roumaines, for instance, is not one of Enescu’s strongest or most original pieces by a long shot, but the way Lupu completed the score and plays it almost convinces you that it’s a masterpiece. […]
All of the music is superbly played by Lupu […].’
—Lynn René Bayley, Art Music Lounge