George Enescu

Roumanian Rhapsody Op. 11, No. 1 in A Major

Romanian composer, violinist, and conductor George Enescu (1881-1955) (Fr. Georges Enesco) wrote the two Roumanian (Romanian) Rhapsodies, Op. 11, in 1901. Much like Liszt's Hungarian Rhapsodies, both works deliver the improvisatory feel that one expects when listening to a "rhapsody," although Enescu's incorporates many Romanian folk elements into his work. With only 33 published works to his name, a low number compared to other composers due to Enescu's career as a performer and his extreme perfectionism, these Roumanian Rhapsodies, particularly No. 1, are his best-known works, a fact that Enescu resented a bit given that he thought his later works more mature. Despite this, most consider the rhapsodies to be deserving of their place in the orchestral repertoire. Both premiered together on March 8, 1903, in Bucharest by the Romanian Athenaeum Orchestra, Enescu conducting.

Romanian Rhapsody No. 1 in A Major is the better known of the two. Ebullient in nature, it incorporates several Romanian folk dances. Instrumentation: 3(3rd dPicc).2+EH.2.2: 4.2+2Crnt.3.1: Timp.Perc(3): Hp(2): Str (9-8-7-6-5 in set).