abstract: ABSTRACT The bassoon has the ability to play in varying styles across multiple genres with repertoire spanning from the early Baroque era to the present day. Popular and frequently played pieces for the bassoon, such as concerti by Vivaldi, Mozart, and Weber, are frequently performed in recital, yet the rich musical tradition and repertory of Romanian folk music is seldom performed in the recital hall. The main reason for the shortcoming of this style of music in the bassoon repertoire can be attributed to the sheer lack of prominent composers writing original works for the bassoon in Romania compared to Western Europe. The purpose of this project is to add Romanian folk music to the bassoon repertoire by arranging and recording three pieces for bassoon and piano: Romanian Rhapsody No. 1 in A Major and Romanian Rhapsody No. 2 in D Major by George Enescu and the six-movement work Romanian Folk Dances by Béla Bartók. Included in this project is a section covering historical information on the arranged compositions, procedures of the transcription that explain the reasoning to alterations and adjustments from the original score are also incorporated in this document. Lastly, the transcribed scores and recordings of the arrangements are included in this document. / Dissertation/Thesis / Supplemental Recordings - Appendix D / Doctoral Dissertation Music 2020

George Enescu (1881-1955) is the best-known Romanian composer and has been widely lauded for his folk- inspired compositions. While folk music was an important influence in Enescu’s music, it was always balanced by his passion for and intimate understanding of late Romantic compositional techniques. The extent to which he was influenced by the folk music of his homeland is a point of contention amongst some of the leading Enescu scholars. The English-speaking representative, Noel Malcolm believes that the influences in Enescu´s musical language were more diverse than scholars have suggested prior to the 1989 revolution. He believes that the depiction of Enescu as a folkloristic composer has contributed to his marginalisation and relative obscurity. By contrast, scholars such as Boris Kotlyarov and Grigore Constantinescu give greater weight to national characteristics in Enescu’s music. Enescu conceded that some of his early works made direct quotation of Romanian folk melodies, and that such an approach was limited in its possibilities. The composer’s more mature works employ characteristics of folk music and its performance traditions without the use of direct quotation. This critical commentary will observe and comment on the folk influences in Enescu’s compositions as well as noting the influence of Western traditions and techniques. Due reference will be given to the work of Bartók, whose incisive study of Romanian folk music remains one of the most substantial and detailed primary sources today. In order to highlight specific examples of folk influence, as well as other techniques, three of Enescu’s works are targeted for specific study, namely the Romanian Rhapsody, op. 11 no. 1, Sonata for Violin and Piano, op. 25 no. 3 and his Impressions D’Enfance for violin and piano, op. 28. Each work exhibits a tie with the composer’s Romanian origins, but also with 19th and early 20thC composers such as Brahms, Wagner, Debussy and Fauré. This critical commentary highlights the fact that Enescu’s works display folk idioms and techniques developed using late-Romantic techniques.

George Enescu (1881-1955) is the best-known Romanian composer and has been widely lauded for his folk- inspired compositions. While folk music was an important influence in Enescu’s music, it was always balanced by his passion for and intimate understanding of late Romantic compositional techniques. The extent to which he was influenced by the folk music of his homeland is a point of contention amongst some of the leading Enescu scholars. The English-speaking representative, Noel Malcolm believes that the influences in Enescu´s musical language were more diverse than scholars have suggested prior to the 1989 revolution. He believes that the depiction of Enescu as a folkloristic composer has contributed to his marginalisation and relative obscurity. By contrast, scholars such as Boris Kotlyarov and Grigore Constantinescu give greater weight to national characteristics in Enescu’s music. Enescu conceded that some of his early works made direct quotation of Romanian folk melodies, and that such an approach was limited in its possibilities. The composer’s more mature works employ characteristics of folk music and its performance traditions without the use of direct quotation. This critical commentary will observe and comment on the folk influences in Enescu’s compositions as well as noting the influence of Western traditions and techniques. Due reference will be given to the work of Bartók, whose incisive study of Romanian folk music remains one of the most substantial and detailed primary sources today. In order to highlight specific examples of folk influence, as well as other techniques, three of Enescu’s works are targeted for specific study, namely the Romanian Rhapsody, op. 11 no. 1, Sonata for Violin and Piano, op. 25 no. 3 and his Impressions D’Enfance for violin and piano, op. 28. Each work exhibits a tie with the composer’s Romanian origins, but also with 19th and early 20thC composers such as Brahms, Wagner, Debussy and Fauré. This critical commentary highlights the fact that Enescu’s works display folk idioms and techniques developed using late-Romantic techniques.

George Enescu (1881-1955) is the best-known Romanian composer and has been widely lauded for his folk- inspired compositions. While folk music was an important influence in Enescu’s music, it was always balanced by his passion for and intimate understanding of late Romantic compositional techniques. The extent to which he was influenced by the folk music of his homeland is a point of contention amongst some of the leading Enescu scholars. The English-speaking representative, Noel Malcolm believes that the influences in Enescu´s musical language were more diverse than scholars have suggested prior to the 1989 revolution. He believes that the depiction of Enescu as a folkloristic composer has contributed to his marginalisation and relative obscurity. By contrast, scholars such as Boris Kotlyarov and Grigore Constantinescu give greater weight to national characteristics in Enescu’s music. Enescu conceded that some of his early works made direct quotation of Romanian folk melodies, and that such an approach was limited in its possibilities. The composer’s more mature works employ characteristics of folk music and its performance traditions without the use of direct quotation. This critical commentary will observe and comment on the folk influences in Enescu’s compositions as well as noting the influence of Western traditions and techniques. Due reference will be given to the work of Bartók, whose incisive study of Romanian folk music remains one of the most substantial and detailed primary sources today. In order to highlight specific examples of folk influence, as well as other techniques, three of Enescu’s works are targeted for specific study, namely the Romanian Rhapsody, op. 11 no. 1, Sonata for Violin and Piano, op. 25 no. 3 and his Impressions D’Enfance for violin and piano, op. 28. Each work exhibits a tie with the composer’s Romanian origins, but also with 19th and early 20thC composers such as Brahms, Wagner, Debussy and Fauré. This critical commentary highlights the fact that Enescu’s works display folk idioms and techniques developed using late-Romantic techniques.

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Le point de départ se situe dans l’écoute et l’impression d’improvisation laissée par les œuvres d’Enesco sur nous, en tant qu’auditeur subjectif. Nous plaçons ici l’expérience musicale, et non le seul texte musical au centre de notre interrogation. Par quels moyens et avec quelle terminologie peut-on rendre compte de cette impression d’improvisé dans une oeuvre écrite et, a priori, composée ? Les allures improvisées répondent à cette question et seront considérées comme fiction esthétique dans le sens qu’elles n’existent que pour l’auditeur. Deux catégories se révèlent dans la création d’une perception typique des allures improvisées, en lien avec des procédés d’écriture spécifiques : l’improvisation écrite, comme potentielle improvisation notée, et l’écriture improvisatrice, comme fausse improvisation. L’improvisation écrite se définit comme avatar potentiel de l’improvisation, changement, modification qui implique l’écriture. L’écriture improvisatrice se définit comme une fausse improvisation et par conséquent elle n’est qu’une imitation, par les moyens de la composition, de l’improvisation. / The starting point lies in the act of listening and the impression of improvisation left by Enesco's musical works on us, subjective listeners. We shall place the musical experience - and not just the mere musical text - at the core of our analysis. By what means and through what terminology can the impression of improvisation be accounted for in a written and theoretically composed musical work ? The seemingly improvised airs provide an answer to this question and will be considered as aesthetic fiction, in the sense that they exist only for the listener. Two categories emerge from the creation of a typical perception of the seemingly improvised airs, linked to specific writing techniques : written improvisation - as a potentially noted improvisation, and improvisatory writing - as a false improvisation. Written improvisation is defined as the potential avatar of improvisation, a change, a modification which implies writing. Improvisatory writing is defined as false improvisation ; consequently, it is nothing but an imitation, by means of composition, of improvisation.

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No description available.

In Romanian, the word lăutari refers to highly skilled professional Romani (Gypsy) musicians. By interacting with Romanian culture and tradition, the lăutari settled down in the country and developed a unique musical tradition. Their music is characterized by intricate, elaborate, and refined ornamentation; its execution requires a highly level of technique. George Enescu, regarded as Romania's most influential musician, was affected by lăutari music. He created a unique musical language that recreates Romanian character by using lăutari elements. This dissertation examines how to approach Enescu's Violin Sonata No. 3 and perform it by understanding the characteristics of lăutari music as well as the work's use of such lăutari violin techniques as diverse expressive slides, vibrato, double stops, various ornaments, artificial harmonics, imitation of folk instruments, and a variety of bow strokes. Enescu's Violin Sonata No. 3 is regarded as a challenging work in the violin literature requiring a high level of violin technique. Although the standard violin repertoire is enormous, many violinists are looking to rediscover new and challenging repertoire, distinguish themselves from others, and promote themselves as professional performers. Therefore, this study should help violinists to approach the idiomatic violin writing of Enescu's sonata, especially its lăutari techniques and style.

In the world of chamber music, programmatic suites are more rarely composed and consequently more rarely presented in recital than other musical forms. Perhaps partially for this reason, George Enescu's Impressions d'enfance for violin and piano, his last chamber piece written in the tumultuous year of 1940, has been overlooked for a long time; even the composer himself did not make a recording of this seldom performed piece. This dissertation examines Impressions d'enface in order to explore the relationship between the underlying Romanian folk rhythmic and melodic patterns, to provide an analysis, as well as to serve as a performance guide to assist performers in surmounting the technical challenges and thus create a more effective ensemble. I hope this dissertation will encourage more duos to experiencing the joy of George Enescu's richly fulfilling Impressions d'enfance for themselves.