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Romania-mania continues

May 30, 2007 at 12:24 AM

Thanks to ArkivMusik.

Bunã ziua,

Well, my long-suffering comrades and colleagues, my eBay odyssey in search of old Enescu recordings completely sank this morning, as I was repeatedly outbid by some guy in Korea. But just a few minutes ago, thanks primarily to Anne's suggestion, I went on to ArkivMusik.com and found the same recording re-issued on a CD, which I promptly bought. A review is forthcoming, but probably not for a while--the CD is back-ordered IN ROMANIA, so for all practical purposes it might as well have fallen into a black hole. (Politically correct disclaimer: I love the Romanians. Really, I do.)

Honestly though, that's probably just as well--my graduation recital is tomorrow and my time is better spent practicing than dissolving into a delirious puddle of goo before the Mighty and Awesome Genius of George Enescu, God of Music. Did you guys know that he was equally good at piano, violin, conducting and composing? Or that apparently he knew 120 Bach cantatas by heart? OK...I'm going to shut up now. This concludes my most incoherent blog to date...

La revedere,
Maria the (temporary) Romanian

Email the guy to see if he has more, and make a deal on the lot.

Ziua bunã

My older friend in highschool:
"Unga-bunga means 'hello' but bunga-unga doesn't mean 'bye.'"
Me:
"What does it mean? What does it mean? What does it mean?"

Are you tired of Hungary?

Is it going to be All Romania, All The Time now?

Good luck on your recital? What are you playing?

That does sound a bit mean. I am just kidding.

But not about your recital...Have Fun!

I knew you'd say that, Anna. ;-) Don't worry, I'm not really a traitor--this is just a passing obsession. I'll be back to goulash, Takács and csárdás (not to mention bellowing about retaking our half of Transylvania from those dastardly...erm, Romanians) in no time.

My recital program:
Wieniawski Polonaise op. 4
Debussy sonata
Brahms sonata #3 in D minor
Bartok/Szigeti "Hungarian Folk Songs" (see? not the Romanian ones!)
Sarasate, "Zigeunerweisen."

Good luck! You will do great.
I have Enescu playing the Bach Solo Sonatas and Partitas. he was an old man at the time. It is sometimes a little rough violinistically but it is all there. The program notes that came with this said that he coached the Amadeus Quartet early in their career and could play all the Beethoven quartets on the piano from memory.