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Musical Education in Dimitrie Cantemir's Family

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Musical Education in Dimitrie Cantemir's Family MUSICAL EDUCATION IN DIMITRIE CANTEMIR S FAMILY TRADIŢIA MUZICALĂ ÎN FAMILIA L UI DIMITRIE CANTEMIR Victor GHILAŞ, PhD Art Studies Centre of the Cultural Heritage Institute Science Academy of Moldova, Chişinău Artele frumoase, muzica în primul rând, au ocupat un loc de cinste în viaţa familiei Cantemir. Studiul de faţă încearcă să urmărească tradiţia muzicală a acestei faimoase dinastii, vizibilă pe parcursul a cel puţin trei secole. Primele informaţii cu privire la aptitudinile artistice ale neamului cantemiresc sunt atestate la Constantin Cantemir, domn al Ţării Moldovei (1685-1693) care, în pofida culturii sale modeste, avea toată consideraţia pentru arte, poseda arta improvizaţiei, manifestăndu-se ca interpret, doinind cu multă măiestrie la caval. Fiul său, Dimitrie (1673-1723) a fost un muzician de vast orizont artistic — compozitor de prestigiu, teoretician erudit, instrumentist de excepţie şi pedagog de vocaţie, afirmăndu-se, în primul rând, pe făgaşul muzicii turceştii, dar şi în sânul familiei. Talentul şi predilecţiile muzicale, atmosfera din familia lui D. Cantemir au avut reflexe benefice asupra copiilor săi - Maria, Antioh şi Ecaterina. Astfel, conform unor surse documentare, Maria a practicat la un bun nivel arta vocală şi pe cea instrumentală (poseda clavicordul). Preocupări muzicale serioase a avut şi Ecaterina, care, aidoma surorii sale pe linie paternă, poseda şi ea clavicordul, dragostea pentru muzică fiindu-i altoită, bineînţeles, în familie de tatăl ei. O activitate prolifică în perimetrul artei sunetelor a avut-o fiul mai mic al lui D. Cantemir - Antioh. Concomitent cu studiile muzicale particulare făcute în străinătate, relaţia acestuia cu muzica s-a desfăşurat şi pe alte itinerare. în spectrul preocupărilor lui Antioh s-a aflat nu doar simpla admiraţie pentru această artă (era bine familiarizat cu creaţia lui N. Pörpora, G. B. Pescetti, G. Fr. Händel), ci şi componistica şi lexicologia muzicală, fapt ce relevă intersul sporit pentru domeniid de referinţă. Prezentul demers doreşte să sublinieze faptul că muzica a făcut parte organică din hrana spirituală a familiei Cantemir pe parcursul a câtorva generaţii, servind ca un mijloc puternic de educaţia estetică şi de formare culturală în spiritul iluminismului european. Liberai Arts, music in par- pieces of art under various forms. ticularly, occupied a major place in Musical predilection was highlighted Dimitrie Cantem irs family. The fa- firstly. mous dynasty’s artistic traditions can Constantin Cantemir (1612- be tracked over several (at least 1693), the head of the state of three) generations. The contribution Moldova (1685-1693) was an adept of special D. Cantemir’s descent to of knowledge and science, having spread and promote cultural and ar­ predilection for the arts. His youngest tistic values stimulated the old life son, the biggest Antioh (1670-1724), and artistic emancipation at the na­ twice prince of Moldova (1696-1700, tional and international levels. 1705-1707), made great efforts to Dimitrie Cantemir’s family created support written culture by encourag- ing the edition of books. Educated in The skill of the art interpre­ a special atmosphere Dimitrie tation on caval by Constantin Cantemir continues the tradition of Cantemir had been acquired before his descent. His children were part of his reigning. The most likely that a particular complex education, being happened when he was in direct favoured by family cultural environ­ contact with the traditional environ­ ment and accurate education of the ment of his country. Based on Sul- artistic development. zer's study we can state that Con­ His father had a crucial role stantin Cantemir had an apparent mu­ in the development and the emer­ sical talent, since doina as a type of gence of artistic skills of Dimitrie lyrical musical genres, requires skills Cantemir’s descents. The wise prince and special interpretive art. Indeed, enrolled Greek, German and Russian the creative and interpretive versions teachers, who taught classical and occur simultaneously through the modem languages, history and other improvisation act. The improvisa- disciplines for guiding children. tional music is a way to exploit a Those had beneficial effects on their creative fantasy of a performer, intellectual perspective. which generates rich, various and A special interest for the arts, complex melodic forms. It calls on Maria, the daughter of the greatest both a moment of performer's inspi­ Dimitrie Cantemir, manifested a ration and imagination during his in­ strong interest in painting, architec­ terpretative act. Therefore, Constan­ ture and jewellery. He portrayed his tin Cantemir's musical skills appear brother Antioh, both being fond of to be obvious, he being presented in a art. Ecaterina, Dimitrie Cantemir’s double hypostasis: as a creator and as daughter, from the second marriage, a performer. Unfortunately these are was a fervent admirer of beautiful the only documents that we have on arts, preferring, particularly, the col­ this matter which could describe the lection of pictures. Other D. degree of his relationship with native Cantemir’s descendants got the taste music of that period - the second half for painting. Music had a special of the XVIIth century. place in family life. Consequently, More is known about we can pursue to the discussion and Dimitrie Cantemir's musical con­ analysis of the role of art in D. cerns, particularly about his occupa­ Cantemir’s family. tions with Turkish music. His proper The information that helps us musical education was started rela­ to investigate this issue is provided tively late, at the age of 18 years, by the work of Franz Joseph Sulzer when his father called him to Iaşi to (? - 1791) The History of the Trans­ Jeremiah Cacavelas - one of the most alpine Dacia (1781). A passage taken outstanding personalities of neohel- from the paper reads (referring to the lenic culture during that period. For life and order of the court of two years (1691-1693) the young Moldova), that Constantin Cantemir prince Dimitrie studies Byzantine used to skilfully interpret on caval and Gregorian music under the di­ traditional songs such as doina [1]. rection of J. Cacavelas. Later, in the This story is significant from several capital of the Ottoman Empire, his points of view. musical knowledge is extended at the Orthodox Patriarchate Academy, mental performing arts. Moreover, he studying such instruments as dealt with music pedagogy. Wishing kemdnce and tanbour with two fa­ to express himself in artistic level, mous music teachers - Kiemane Ah­ Dimitrie Cantemir generalised the med and Tanburi Angel i. Also, in experience of his predecessors that he Constantinople, Dimitrie Cantemir combined with his own knowledge studies the ancient Greek music with and personal practice. Through work Iacomi and Meletie de Arta. Musical and talent he obtained notoriousness education continues in Turkey for the of virtuoso of the tanbour raising period of 15 years, during which he musical culture of his time at excep­ studies the East artistic culture, the tional greatness, a performance for religion of Islam and theoretical and which he is considered one of the practical rules of musical arts from most famous musicians from the the Turko-Persian area. Dimitrie capital of Turkey. As a big performer Cantemir spends nearly 22 years in of the i nstrumental art, he was invited the Islamic Oriental center marked by to give music lessons. The work The the confluence of the XVIIth and History of the Growth and Decay of XVIIIth centuries - a historically the Ottoman or The History o f the prosperous period of Ottoman arts. Ottomam Empire (1714-1716, post­ The sultans were protectors of music. humous) reports that Dimitrie Accepted, cultivated and encouraged Cantemir had six disciples, among by dignitaries and stayed-officials, them: Tastci Oglî, Mehmed Senik, the art of sound is honoured and Bardakci Mehmed Célebi, Ralaki privileged, and those who practice it, Eupragiote (noble Greek from Con­ are especially promoted. Dimitrie stantinople), and two w'ell-known Cantemir also benefited of a favour­ Turkish officials - Davoul Ismail Ef- able spiritual environment of musical fendi (the greatest treasurer of the education. Under such circumstances Empire) and Latif Célebi (treasury he managed to manifest himself en­ cashier) [2]. tirely. He fulfilled his musical talent In his practice, Dimitrie in several areas of music. We refer to Cantemir proceeds from idea of con­ his achievements in the field of mu­ tinuity. The tradition of classical sic theory. He developed the famous Muslim education was teaching the Turkish music treatise, known in the principles of classification of knowl­ Turkish historiography as The Book edge, skills and science from an en­ of the Science of Music through Let­ cyclopaedic perspective. This con­ ters (Kitab-u'ilm-the-musiki'cild vedjh cept was carried by the previous Ori­ it hurufdt or Edvar-Kantemir-oglu; ental thinkers al-Kindi (about 801 - 1695-1700?). Another theoretical m.873?), a 1-Farabi (872 - 950), Ibn treatise on Turkish music - Introduc­ Sina (980 - 1037), Ibn Rusd (1126 - tion to Turkish Music Written in 1198). Moldovian (Introductione in musica Music was one the main turcica idiomati moldavi, 1711-1720) components of the educational proc­ is considered lost. ess. In the Ottoman Empire they Dimitrie Cantemir also had made the most of music as a subject exceptional achievements in the field of study in schools, particularly, its of musical composition and instru­ special
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