The Unknown Enescu

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.

For this their fourth album of music for string orchestra, John Wilson and Sinfonia of London present a programme of works by three composers from the Franco-Belgian school of string pedagogy, who were all themselves virtuosic string players. George Enescu studied in Paris and Vienna, spent much of his life in France, and was internationally lauded as a concert violinist and conductor in both Europe and America.

After the great success of its GENUIN debut album, which was highly acclaimed by the press, the Duo Brüggen-Plank is now following suit: The violinist Marie Radauer-Plank and the pianist Henrike Brüggen play works by the Romanian national composer George Enescu, opening up exciting and unknown worlds for us. Enescu covered a long distance from his first salon pieces to his later works. Genuinely unique, he was both modern and influenced by the ancient, exotic rhythms and harmonies of his homeland. The two musicians approach Enescu's colorful soundscapes with verve and musical splendor, refinement, and expansiveness. A folkloristic discovery—and much more!

George Enescu (1881–1955) is one of the great composers, although the world has yet to realise the extent of his achievements. Enescu’s small published œuvre of 33 opus numbers belies the amount of music he produced: he composed prolifically but, as he was both a perfectionist and a busy performer, much of his music is still unknown. This CD reveals solo, chamber and concertante pieces featuring the violin, played by his fellow Romanian Sherban Lupu, who understands Enescu’s idiom like few other musicians.