George Enescu

George Enescu (known in France as Georges Enesco) (August 19 1881, Liveni – May 4 1955, Paris) was a Romanian composer, violinist, pianist, conductor and teacher, preeminent musician of the 20th century, one of the greatest interprets of his time.

He was born in the village of Liveni, Romania, and showed musical talent from early in his childhood. His father presented him to the professor and composer Eduard Caudella , who admitted him at the Conservatoire from Iassy . At the age of seven, he was guided to follow his studies at the Vienna Conservatory . Here he studied with great professors as Joseph Hellmesberger , Robert Fuchs, and Sigismond Bachrich , and graduated before his 13th birthday, earning the silver medal. In his Viennesse concerts young Enescu played Brahms, Sarasate and Mendelssohn-Bartholdy. In 1895 he went to Paris to continue his studies. He studied violin with Armand Marsick , harmony with André Gédalge , and composition with Jules Massenet and Gabriel Fauré.

Many of Enescu's works were influenced by Romanian folk music, his most popular compositions being the Romanian Rhapsodies (1901–1902), the opera Oédipe (1936), and the suites for orchestra. He also wrote five symphonies, a symphonic poem Vox maris, and much chamber music (three sonatas for violin and piano and two for cello and piano, a piano trio, quartets with and without piano, a dixtuor, an octet for strings, a piano quintet, a chamber symphony for twelve solo instruments). Some of his creations were composed in Sinaia, at his villa in Luminis.

In 1923 he made his debut as a conductor in a concert given by the Philadelphia Orchestra in New York. He also conducted the New York Philharmonic between 1937 and 1938.

He lived in Paris and in Romania, but after World War II and the communist occupation of Romania, he remained in Paris.

Filarmonica "George Enescu"- Ateneul Român

He was also a noted violin teacher. Yehudi Menuhin, Christian Ferras, Ivry Gitlis and Arthur Grumiaux were amongst his pupils. He promoted the contemporary Romanian music, playing works of Constantin Silvestri, Mihail Jora , Ionel Perlea and Martian Negrea .

On his passing in 1955, George Enescu was interred in the Père Lachaise Cemetery in Paris.

The symphony orchestra of Bucharest is named in his honor; that city also houses a museum in his memory.

See also

• List of famous conductors
• List of 20th century classical composers

External links

• International Festival and Competition "George Enescu"
• A page on the closely linked lives of Enescu and Chailley