Revisiting George Enescu’s 1921 Bucharest Recital Series: a performance-based investigation with recordings and exegesis

Abstract

George Enescu (1881-1955) was considered by many to be one of the greatest musicians of the twentieth century. Violinist, pianist, conductor, composer and teacher, he was an influential figure in musical institutions throughout Europe and the USA. An advocate for contemporary music, he performed a twelve-concert series of thirty-six classical and contemporary violin sonatas in Bucharest in 1921 with pianist Alfred Alessandrescu. This performance-led doctoral project presents for the first time recordings of selected works from the series, illuminated by research into the musical context and influences. The choice of works themselves and the order chosen by Enescu at this time are examined in the belief that the series constitutes a summation of the violin and its repertoire during the early twentieth century, as seen by one of the instrument’s most celebrated practitioners. The primary outcome of this project is a collection of four CDs of recorded performances, supported by an explanatory exegesis.