View of the Hand

Florida State University Libraries

2015 The Modern Romanian Violin School: An Analytical Introduction to Manual De Vioara by Ionel Geanta and George Manoliu Tania Aniela Moldovan

Follow this and additional works at the FSU Digital Library. For more information, please contact [email protected] FLORIDA STATE UNIVERSITY

COLLEGE OF MUSIC

THE MODERN ROMANIAN VIOLIN SCHOOL:

AN ANALYTICAL INTRODUCTION TO MANUAL DE VIOARA BY

IONEL GEANTA AND GEORGE MANOLIU

TANIA ANIELA MOLDOVAN

A Treatise submitted to the College of Music in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Music

Tania Aniela Moldovan defended this treatise on November 6, 2015. The members of the supervisory committee were:

Ben Sung Professor Directing Dissertation

Alice-Ann Darrow University Representative

Bruce Holzman Committee Member

Greg Sauer Committee Member

The Graduate School had verified and approved the above named committee members, and certifies that the treatise has been approved in accordance with university requirements.

I would like to dedicate this treatise to my family for their continuous support through difficult times and unconditional love.

iii

AKNOWLEDGMENTS

I would like to express my profound gratitude and thanks to my professor Ben Sung for his support and guidance in the completion of the treatise. Many thanks to my committee members Professor Bruce Holzman, Professor Gregory Sauer, and Dr. Alice-Ann Darrow for their time, support, and advice.

Special gratitude is extended to Anca Manoliu, daughter of George Manoliu, and Ilarion

Ionescu-Galati, former student of Prof. Manoliu, who assisted me in this long and challenging journey with immeasurable patience and devotion, and helped me shape the present paper.

I owe my greatest acknowledgments to my family, and my violin professor Liliana

Fagarasan, who discovered my talent and helped me follow my dreams.

Finally, I am most thankful for my husband, who has given me unconditional love, supported me every step of the way, and believed in me even when I did not.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

List of Figures ...... vii Abstract ...... viii

1. ARTISTIC DEVELOPMENT IN ROMANIA UNDER THE COMMUNIST REGIME ...... 1

2. GEORGE MANOLIU AND IONEL GEANTA. THEIR LIVES, INFLUENCES, AND CONTRIBUTION TO THE ROMANIAN SCHOOL OF VIOLIN...... 12

3. MANUAL DE VIOARA. A VIOLIN METHOD BY IONEL GEANTA AND GEORGE MANOLIU: THE SIX PRINCIPLES ...... 23

3.1 The Principle of Coordination and Instrumental Education Interweaving with Music Theory Instruction and Artistic Education...... 25 3.2 The Principle of Orientation and Fundamental Science ...... 26 3.3 The Principle of Gradual Progression ...... 29 3.4 The Principle of Proportioning and Selecting the Material ...... 30 3.5 The Principle of Intuition ...... 32 3.6 The Principle of Respecting the Particularities of Age...... 34

4. MANUAL DE VIOARA. ANALYSIS OF STRUCTURE ...... 37

4.1 Volume 1 ...... 38 4.2 Volume 2 ...... 41 4.3 Volume 3 ...... 43 4.4 Volume 4 ...... 47

CONCLUSION ...... 50

APPENDICES ...... 53

A. EXAMPLES OF LESSONS. VOLUME 4 ...... 53 B. ROMANIAN VIOLINISTS WHO LIVED DURING THE COMMUNISM AGE ...... 67

B.1 Eugen Sarbu ...... 67 B.2 Modest Iftinchi ...... 69 B.3 Stefan Ruha ...... 70 B.4 Leonora Geanta ...... 72 B.5 Silvia Marcovici ...... 73

B.6 Mihaela Martin ...... 74 B.7 Serban Lupu ...... 76

C. COPYRIGHT PERMISSION ...... 78

Bibliography ...... 80

Biographical Sketch ...... 84

LIST OF FIGURES

Figure 3.1 Subdivision of the values of the notes ...... 26

Figure 3.2 Placement of the first finger on the G string. View of the hand ...... 28

Figure 3.3 Placement of the first finger on the G string as seen from above ...... 28

Figure 3.4 Placement of the first three fingers on the G string ...... 28

Figure 3.5 Technical exercise for the right hand ...... 30

Figure 3.6 Technical exercise for the right hand with different bow combinations ...... 30

Figure 3.7 Cantec de Leagan, focuses on shifting among two bow changes between the first and third positions...... 32

Figure 3.8 Placement of all fingers on all strings. New note on the E string (B natural) ...... 33

Figure 3.9 New note on the E string (B natural) as written on the staff ...... 34

Figure 3.10 Placement of all fingers on all strings ...... 34

Figure 3.11 Shifts with double-stops ...... 36

Figure 4.1 Placement of the fingers on all strings and analysis of whole and half steps ...... 40

Figure 4.2 Example of a passage in the first position and then in the second position ...... 45

Figure 4.3 Example of the same passage combining the first and second position ...... 46

Figure 4.4 Beginner exercises for vibrato executed through shifting ...... 48

vii

ABSTRACT

This treatise examines the importance of the Manual de Vioara, written by Romanian violinists and professors Ionel Geanta and George Manoliu, and its influence for the Romanian violin school during Communist rule. A particular challenge during this time was the political situation of Romania which greatly affected the music scene, inspiring the authors to develop a violin method that was more accessible to beginner violinists.

This paper provides a historical background of Romania’s situation under Communist rule, and why the development of such a method was necessary and ultimately benefited the violin school. While little information has been written about the authors, the development of the

Romanian violin school, and the impact of the Manual de Vioara, this survey is meant to be used as a guide for understanding the method’s structure, and its potential. Intended to prepare the beginner student for the intermediate level, the four volumes of the Manual de Vioara cover a large variety of violin techniques and music history, information all presented in highly detailed and structured lesson plans. Ultimately, this analysis highlights the impact of the method, one that has shaped many generations of violinists in Romania.

viii

CHAPTER 1

ARTISTIC DEVELOPMENT IN ROMANIAN UNDER THE COMMUNIST REGIME

The history of the Romanian people would have been very different if it were not for the oppression exerted by the Communist Party. The Party took the initiatives designed to reduce

Romania to subservience to the Soviet Union. “It did so through the political system, the trade unions, and the education system. Internally, the aim was to break the existing structures of society and it succeeded. The final action was the forced abdication of King Michael, under the threat of civic war, on 30 December 1947.”1

Nicolae Ceausescu, who became the dictator of the Communist Party in 1965, held various positions in the party before he was proclaimed leader. He joined the party as a teenager in 1929 and went to prison on four separate occasions for his political convictions. One of his first positions, which he was offered in 1939, was as a secretary of a regional committee of the

Union of Communist Youth (UCY).2 Two years later he was promoted to the position of secretary of the UCY’s central committee. In 1939 he was tried in absentia and sentenced to three years in jail, being captured only in 1940. During the Second World War, Ceausescu was held in various prisons and it was here that he met some of the senior members of the Romanian

Communist Party.3

Among these associates, he formed a close relationship with Gheorghe Gheorghiu-Dej, who became the leader of the Communist Party in 1947. Upon release, and due to the different

1 Dennis Deletant, Romania under Communist Rule (Iasi, Romania: The Center for Romanian Studies, 1999), 56-57.

2 Ibid., 104.

3 Ibid.

1 positions and vast experience he accumulated over the years as a member of the party,

Gheorghiu-Dej found Ceausescu’s work very useful.4 Therefore in 1949 Ceausescu became the deputy minister for the Ministry of Agriculture. The following year he was moved to the same position but for the Ministry of Armed Forces; it was this occasion that ensured Ceausescu’s complete control over the armed forces when he later attained dictatorial power.5 In 1965,

Ceausescu was nominated as first minister by the senior members of the Communist Party, a position which helped the relaxation of the terror implemented by Gheorghiu-Dej. As a successor of Gheorghiu-Dej, Ceausescu continued “the policies which earned his predecessor the description of national communist: rapid industrialization, accompanied by an autonomous line in foreign policy.”6 Romania was the first country in Eastern Europe to establish diplomatic relations with West Germany in 1967. In addition, “in pursuing an autonomous foreign policy,

Ceausescu was able not only to offer the West an opportunity to exploit an apparent breach in the

Communist bloc, but also to draw on his people’s dislike for the Soviet overlord.”7

Even though it is thought that Ceausescu’s dictatorship had some economic benefits for the country, it is important to note that his rule had great disadvantages regarding the morale of the Romanian people. In his book entitled Rumania under the Soviet Yoke, Reuben Markham describes the situation as following: “The Communist regime in Rumania claims to have liberated the nation and especially the workers. Actually it had turned the workers into an

4 Deletant, Romania under Communist Rule, 105.

5 Ibid.

6 Ibid., 106.

7 Ibid.

2 instrument of power, by means of which it dominated them and the rest of the nation.”8

Moreover, the country’s economy was built around oppressing in all ways the lives of the

Romanian population. Ceausescu developed two systems on which the growth of the economy occurred: industrial and agricultural.

Romania’s Communist government used workers for political purposes rather than aiding and protecting them. Ceausescu built many factories throughout the country, helping the industrial development. Even though this development offered people the opportunity to work, without doubt they were poorly paid, neglected, and exploited.9 Workers were distributed according to industrial branches including: mining, textiles, metallurgy, food, construction materials, chemicals, paper, and glass.10 The population that moved to work in the industrial system contributed to the expansion and growth of the already established cities, which became influential centers of development for the country. In order to accommodate the migrating population, hundreds of apartment buildings had to be built throughout the city. On the positive side, Ceausescu was able to guarantee everybody a job after graduation, which meant that everyone was assured a work position in the industry. In fact, even if someone was fired, the system would place them in a different job. Unfortunately, the working system created many disadvantages for people, as they would have to endure long shifts and demanding physical work for little pay.

Among the rural population, which included most of the Romanian people, the situation was much more difficult. Peasants inhabited simple “villages where they would dwell in modest

8 Markham, Rumania under the Soviet Yoke, 322.

9 Ibid., 324.

10 Ibid., 323-324.

3 houses and during most of the year eat unappetizing food.”11 With the rural population rapidly growing, the amount of land available for peasants diminished drastically. Due to the poor situation in which many peasants found themselves, they often migrated to the city without their families. Many lived in poor crowded quarters in order to reduce their expenses.12 They hoped to use the money to buy land upon returning to their village. In addition, “the collectivization of agriculture, which was one of the most tragic episodes in the post-bellum history, had catastrophic consequences in multiple areas: socio-economic, demographic, cultural, political, moral, and ecological.”13 As a result of the agrarian reform of 1948, thousands of peasants had been given land, surface equivalent to a total of more than one million hectares. Even though it seemed as someone was paying attention to the rural population, the people soon realized that the agrarian reform “was one of the sinister farces by the communist regime.”14 Consequently, the reform was targeting “completely liquidating the properties held by the peasants, regardless of size, and the transformation of the peasants into a class that was even unhappier than… the slave peasants who worked on the farms of the wealthy Romanians.”15 Over a period of fourteen years, the collectivization managed “the pauperization of the peasants; the depopulation of villages and the aging of rural population; the catastrophic reduction in the size of the livestock; …the compromise and extinction of some traditional farming products (walnuts, fruit trees) and

11 Markham, Rumania under the Soviet Yoke, 326.

12 Ibid.

13 Gheorghe Boldur-Latescu, The Communist Genocide in Romania, trans. Daniel Teodorescu (Nova Science Publishers, Inc., New York), 29.

14 Ibid.

15 Ibid.

4 occupations (sheep farming, silkworm farming; …the creation of parasite class in the villages

(presidents of collectives, …, activists of all sorts, etc.); the destruction of rural traditions…”16

Apart from taking people’s goods and the addition of many restrictions, most importantly, Ceausescu took away the freedom of speech and public opinion. Everyone feared the militia – the security, which would pay unexpected visits to people’s houses and arrest those who dared to question, talk, and have a negative opinion about Ceausescu and the system developed by the Communist Party. Most intellectuals were forced or chose to leave the country.

In certain situations, those who were brave and stayed were thrown in jail because they did not follow the socialist doctrines and were considered a threat to the Party.

Even though musical life developed considerably during those years, this development occurred under certain restrictions. Primarily a rural country, the majority of music in Romania existed and was cultivated by the peasants, being transmitted orally from generation to generation. The conception of refined and educated music has its origins in the nineteenth century and emerged from Romanian folk music, the music of the peasants and fiddle players.17

The development of musical culture was slow but was kept alive by the gypsy fiddlers who worked for the noblemen. As during the nineteenth century relationships with Western Europe became more accessible and traveling was possible, music became more complex and helped professional composers in the process of creating music. Inspired by the popular folk song and music of the romantic period, composers started writing pieces which included the violin, one of

16 Gheorghe Boldur-Latescu, The Communist Genocide in Romania, trans. Daniel Teodorescu (Nova Science Publishers, Inc., New York), 29-30.

17 Ion Sarbu, Vioara si Maestrii Ei de la Origini Pana Azi, trans. Tania Aniela Moldovan (Bucuresti: Info Team, 2000), 424.

5 the first instruments to be used in Romania.18 This expansion pushed players to become better musicians, fact which greatly supported the developmental process of violin technique in

Romania. At the same time foreign artists began visiting and performing in Romania.19

All these developments significantly contributed to the establishment of the Romanian school of music education. The first music schools and conservatories came to life in the middle of the nineteenth century in some of the most important cultural centers of Romania such as Iasi,

Timisoara, Cluj-Napoca, Brasov, and unquestionably, Bucharest.20 The growth of musical life in

Romania was highlighted by some of the most talented musicians, including violinists such as

Ciprian Porumbescu, Eduard Caudella, and Robert Klenck, whose legacies are preserved in various methods and compositions for violin, inspired from Romanian folk music.21 Ciprian

Porumbescu’s Balada is one of the most well-known Romanian violin compositions with its memorable melody and intense expression. Eduard Caudella was a multifaceted musical personality, dedicating his life to performing, teaching, composing, and conducting. Some of his most important compositions include a Fantasy for Violin and Piano, a Duet for Violin and

Piano, and two violin concertos, the first one being dedicated to violinist George Enescu.22

Finally, Robert Klenck’s output is significant for the establishment of the first Romanian Method for Violin which includes seven volumes.23 The volumes provide an excellent guide for the

18 Sarbu, Vioara si Maestrii Ei de la Origini Pana Azi, 424.

19 Ibid.

20 Ibid., 425.

21 Ibid., 428-432.

22 Ibid.

23 Roert Klek’s Method for Violin first edition was printed in 1894 and reprinted by Editura Muzicala between 1960-70s. In 2013 GrafoArt Edition Bucharest reprinted the first two volumes of the collection.

6 violinist from the beginning to most advanced etudes, presenting effective, methodical, and musical characteristics.24

With the rapid evolution of musical culture in Romania, in 1920 composers from around the country gathered at the Bucharest Conservatory to discuss the necessity of a musical organization. That year the Society of Romanian Composers came into existence.25 A telegram from Enescu, who was in Paris at that time, agreed on the importance of this society for the

Romanian composers. The foundation of the society was to “help the development of Romanian music production, and offer composers the right to hear and print their works, and protect the interests of our musical creators, in any way possible, here and beyond the borders.”26 Moreover, the role of the Society of Composers was to promote these composers’ works both nationally and internationally, as well as to support any music related matter which could expand their careers.

In addition, the Society put together monthly concerts throughout each season to help promote the new music of Romanian composers. Four years after inception, the Society’s determination was to encourage and promote annually those operas written by Romanian composers, a crucial part in the development of the plan.27 The first president of the Composers Society was composer

George Enescu, who proudly accepted the position and ensured the society’s growth through his dedication, persistence, and support.

24 Sarbu, Vioara si Maestii Ei de la Origini Pana Azi, 432.

25 Vasile Vasile, Societatea Compozitorilor Romani, Moment Crucial in Istoria Muzicii Romanesti si Consecintele asupra Culturii Nationale, tras. Taia Aiela Moldovan Revista Muzica 4 (2010), 41, accessed September 3, 2015.

26 Vasile, Societatea Compozitorilor Romani, Moment Crucial in Istoria Muzicii Romanesti si Consecintele asupra Culturii Nationale, .

27 Ibid., 44.

In the late 1940s, when the communists took over Romania, the Society of Composers transformed into the Union of Composers and later was renamed the Union of Composers and

Musicologists of Romania.

The Union was fashioned on the Soviet model, with various musical sub departments charged with monitoring a range of genres, from opera to light music. From 1949, the President of the Union was Matei Socor (1908–80), a committed communist who had been jailed in 1941 for his political activities. Senior composers of the stature of George Enescu (1881–1955), Mihail Andricu (1894–1974), and Mihail Jora (1891–1971) had successfully pleaded the case for Socor’s release before the authorities.28

In 1952 the Romanian Union exerted its own regulations advising composers to “struggle intransigently against every manifestation of formalism, impressionism, atonality, and cosmopolitanism, against the bowing and scraping before decadent bourgeois art.”29 This set of rules forced the composers to use music as a way to perpetuate peace and support socialism, as a tool for the distribution of the Party’s propaganda. Programmatic music and text-based scores were supported at the expense of abstract music that would alienate the masses. More importantly, vocal and folk music attained particular values for the regime. The Party established choirs in both urban and rural areas which benefited propaganda by gathering people together to sing the praises of the communist cause. Folk music arranged for choirs was also pleasantly accepted by the regime, simply because it was indigenous and supposedly “free” from outside bourgeois influences.30

This is not to say that Ceausescu’s regime did not support the arts and cultural festivities. In fact, the creation of a thoughtful and detailed school system brought Romanian culture to some

28 Joel Crotty, A Preliminary Investigation of Music, Socialist Realism, and the Romanian Experience, 1948-1959: (Re)reading, (Re)listening, and (Re)writing Music History for a Different Audience, Journal of Musicological Research 26 (2007), 155, accessed September 3, 2015, DOI: 10.1080/01411890701354446

29 Ibid., 156.

30 Ibid.

8 of the highest standards in the history of the country. Moreover, for political reasons, Ceausescu also improved and pushed the development of sports in Romania, which brought the country into the sports scene and further raised its influence around the world. During Ceausescu’s dictatorship years, Romania participated in many Olympic competitions and represented the country on the highest steps of the podium. However, the athletes paid a high price for their success. They were subject to some strict rules that the regime implemented in all aspects of life.

Athletes were forced to endure intense, painful, and long hours of practice to get the best results.

Musicians developed in similar circumstances because whoever decided to follow the path of being a musician received a serious education based on strict rules.

“The 1948 educational reform has represented the first major attack against the Romanian culture. The declared objective of the reform was the ‘democratization’ of the educational system and the transition to a system of mass education, based on the Soviet model, which later would be copied indiscriminately.”31 Even though composers and musicians were more restricted after the communist party took over, music schools continued to develop under the communist regime, with more and more children studying music. Inspired and guided by the Russian school of music, the Romanian music schools preferred to offer a music education to children from an early age. In spite of the mass education system, having developed and supported specialized institutions for music was an advantage for future generations of musicians, as all children who desired could benefit from a good music education. However,

The outcomes of this reform were catastrophic: within a few years, the progresses made by the Romanian education after many years of reforms and study of the western system, were simply erased. By trading quality for quantity, the communist leadership was bragging in mid-1950s about having completely eradicated illiteracy in Romania. In reality, this change, like the large majority of

31 Boldur-Latescu, The Communist Genocide in Romania, 29.

communist ‘accomplishments,’ had only superficial effects, both short- and long- term.32

Ceausescu developed a controlled educational system, where teachers had to follow specific manuals and books for their lesson plans. In the music world, and specifically the violin, the situation was somewhat different. Even though other methods had been written in the past, by Eduard Caudella and Robert Klenck, the regime did not implement any method for violin students. Because those methods had been written during the early 1900s, and throughout

Communism the school of violin was going through a period of development, professors realized there was a lack of resources for teaching their students. Due to this necessity and devotion to their students, two professors at the Bucharest Conservatory, Ionel Geanta and George Manoliu decided to collaborate on the creation of what was to become one of the most important contributions in music education and violin teaching in particular in Romania.

As professors of violin at the Ciprian Porumbescu Conservatory in Bucharest, they took the time and energy to shape many generations of violinists, people who to this day remember them as humble and generous men.33 In addition, because of their dedication to their students and future violinists, their teaching philosophies came to life in form of a violin teaching method.

This collaboration opened many doors for them and led to higher professional visibility outside

Romania. They were part of masterclasses around Europe, were jury members in international competitions, and wrote articles in music journals both in Romania and Western Europe.

The comprehensive violin method Manual de Vioara, is structured in four volumes and it took the pedagogues around thirty years to develop. Each volume is very complex and it is

32 Boldur-Latescu, The Communist Genocide in Romania, 29.

33 Anca Manoliu, interview by Tania Aniela Moldovan, July 29, 2015. Anca Manoliu is the daughter of George Manoliu. Even though she is not a musician she talks highly of her father and his impact for violin students, and she recognizes the value of his teaching system.

10 structured to fulfill a variety of needs for the young violinist. Starting from incipient stages, the method is intended both for the student and the teacher. With close guidance from the teacher, the student has many occasions to repeat the same exercise with different variations, as the method is very detail oriented. Moreover, the student is given additional chances to learn and understand the material taught through written explanations found throughout the method.

The development of this meticulous teaching method has been a great help for violin professors in Romania for many years and generations. Therefore its significance to the growth of the Romanian school of violin must be mentioned and promoted to demonstrate its unquestionable value.

CHAPTER 2

GEORGE MANOLIU AND IONEL GEANTA. THEIR LIVES, INFLUENCES, AND

CONTRIBUTION TO THE ROMANIAN SCHOOL OF VIOLIN

From a musical, artistic, and intellectual point of view, most Western Europe started a continuous process of development in music during the 17th century. Music was very much appreciated by noblemen, offering composers and performers the chance to make a living while working in courts.34 Unfortunately, Romania did not have the same opportunities to succeed and prove its ability, mostly because of political issues that made it more difficult for the people.

Even though music was definitely a part of the culture for centuries among peasants, with

Romania being mostly an agricultural country, it was only later in the 19th century that music was educational, became part of the school system, and therefore a self-focused art.35 In addition, the history of the Romanian school of music went through a period of significant development during the 20th century. With the increase of specialized music schools around the country, children had the opportunity to start a career as a classical musician from an early age.36 Here, students had the chance to go through intense programs of learning music theory and harmony, aural skills, music history, and also how to play an instrument. More and more children that were passionate about music now had access to a great education in music.

For the Romanian violin school, the 20th century marked the beginning of a great era and was beneficial for many generations of violinists who raised the music standards to be

34 Sarbu, Vioara si Maestii Ei de la Origini Pana Azi, 424.

35 Ibid.

36 Ibid.

12 comparable to those of Western Europe. Romania became a well-known country in Europe for the talented and hardworking musicians who had the chance to participate in many international competitions and start an international career.37 Many of these artists won numerous prizes and were offered opportunities to study abroad, since now they could apply to music programs all around Europe. This opportunity helped not only the performers in their careers but also the development of music in Romania, as European musicians became more familiar with Romanian culture and musicians.

Along with the development of music schools, more and more violinists chose a teaching career and made a name for themselves. The Romanian violin school was founded by some remarkable violinists who set the grounds and proceeded to successfully develop it.38 Some of the most important figures were: Vasile Filip, Eduard Caudella, Robert Klenck, Gabaret

Avachian, Alexandru Theodorescu, Modest Iftinchi, Stefan Gheorghiu, and Stefan Ruha among others. Even though all of them polished a great number of violinists, they also dedicated their academic life to composing or developing methods. While Modest Iftichi wrote methods which focused on arpeggios, shifts, and the independence of fingers, Vasile Filip was a marvelous composer and most famous for his violin compositions. Some important method contributions offered by Iftinchi are Melodic Shifts in three volumes, Shifts in Double Stops,39 The

Independence of Fingers,40 and The Study of Shifts on the Violin.41 Vasile Filip’s output for solo

37 Sarbu, Vioara si Maestii Ei de la Origini Pana Azi, 459.

38 Ibid., 424-481.

39 Modest Iftinchi, Schimburi de Pozitii in Duble Coarde (Bucuresti: Editura Muzicala a Uniunii Compozitorilor, 1971).

40 Iftinchi, Independenta Degetelor (Buuresti: Coservatorul de Muzia Cipria Poruesu, 1980).

41 Iftinchi, Studiul Schimburilor de Pozitie la Vioara (Buuresti: Coservatorul de Muzia Cipria Poruesu, 1998).

13 violin includes the Romanian Suite for Violin Solo,42 and Six Caprices for Violin Solo,43 and symphonic repertoire such as Concertino for Violin and Orchestra, Poem for Violin and

Orchestra, and Six Symphonic Pictures.44

Two of Romania’s most important pedagogues in the 20th century were George Manoliu and Ionel Geanta, violin professors at the Bucharest Conservatory. Their dedication for teaching touched and blessed many students not only during the course of their careers, but also after their careers ended. Violinists from all around the country went through some great lengths to be able to come and perfect their studies with them. Students would travel for days to take lessons with the two professors. Even though some of the students did not have great financial situations, due to their admiration for being such young talented musicians, the professors would offer free lessons in some cases. Although their names are not mentioned in violin biographies, before they devoted their careers to teaching they were active performers, concertizing throughout Europe along with great performers of the time such as Jacques Thibaud, Joseph Suk, and Joseph

Szigeti.

Violinist George Manoliu was born in 1911 in Bacau, a city in the eastern part of

Romania. He studied violin at the George Enescu Conservatory in Iasi and was at the same time going to school for a Bachelor’s degree from the Law University which he received in 1934.

Between 1935 and 1937, Manoliu studied violin at the Schola Cantorum music academy in Paris under Nestor Lejeune.45 In Paris, Manoliu had the opportunity to work closely with George

42 Vasile Filip, Suita Romaneasca pentru Vioara Solo (Bucuresti: Editura Muzicala a Uniunii Compozitorilor, 1954).

43 Filip, Sase Capricii in Stil Romanesc pentru Vioara Solo (Bucuresti: Editura Muzicala a Uniunii Compozitorilor, 1956).

44 Sarbu, Vioara si Maestii Ei de la Origini Pana Azi, 444.

45 Ibid., 458.

Enescu during several masterclasses he offered at Yvonne Astruc’s Superior Institute. After graduation, Manoliu began his career as a solo violinist with a debut concert in Paris accompanied by Nicolae Caravia, Enescu’s close friends and collaborative pianist.46 Returning to

Romania following his fruitful years in Paris, Manoliu performed a series of concerts and recitals across the country. As a part of his repertoire, George Manoliu had the opportunity to bring back home lesser known works for Romanian audiences and musicians, especially those of French contemporary composers. Some of those works include César Frank’s Violin Sonata, Gabriel

Fauré’s Violin Sonata, and Maurice Ravel’s Violin Sonata. In addition, he also promoted Italian composer Ottorino Respighi’s Violin Sonata.47During his solo career, Manoliu was the permanent soloist of Bucharest Philharmonic and National Radio Orchestra, which gave him the opportunity to perform under great Romanian conductors such as Alfred Alessandrescu, Theodor

Rogalski, and Constantin Bobescu. An active chamber music performer as well, George Manoliu established his own trio and quartet ensembles, performing with notable instrumentalists including violinists Alexandru Radulescu and Radu Paraschivescu, cellists Theodor Lupu and

Serafim Antropov, and pianists Radu Negreanu and Nicolae Marcovici.48

George Manoliu was one of the few Romanian violinists of his generation who had the opportunity to directly assimilate the essential elements of George Enescu’s concept about the art of violin, as well as certain technical procedures meant to provide a faithful interpretation of the music. Some of the most important techniques included fingerings, phrasing, dynamics, tone

46 Sarbu, Vioara si Maestii Ei de la Origini Pana Azi, 457.

47 Ibid.

48 Ibid., 457-458.

15 production, different bow strokes, and rhythms.49 Due to his admiration for Enescu and direct contact through numerous lessons and conversations, Manoliu had the opportunity to continuously expand Enescu’s art through multiple articles published in journals, scientific communications, and daily teaching experience. His hard work and dedication resulted in the publishing of the bilingual book entitled Enescu- poet and thinker of the violin,50 one of the most complex and profound synthesis of Enescu’s art of violin playing. Manoliu played a necessary role in the development of violin and music teaching in Romania. Enescu’s model of violin performance practice was keenly adopted by Manoliu who also incorporated it in his teaching by sharing his experiences with students in music schools and conservatories around the country.

Manoliu’s affection and devotion toward Enescu, is expressed in the beginning of his book which reads: “For those who I guided and those who I further try to enlighten the way, through the big Enescian lesson.”51

George Manoliu’s contribution of such a special work about Enescu, made him well- known outside Romanian borders. Two different works about Enescu which have used

Manoliu’s book as references are George Enescu by Boris Kotlearov52 and Noel Malcolm’s

George Enescu- His Life and Music.53 Written with a lot of respect and admiration for the

Romanian musician, the works mentioned above are considered to be some of the most

49 Sarbu, Vioara si Maestii Ei de la Origini Pana Azi, 458.

50 George Manoliu, George Enescu Poet si Ganditor al Viorii, trans. Tania Moldovan (Bucuresti: Editura Muzicala, 1986).

51 Ibid., 5.

52 Boris Kotlearov, George Enescu (Moscow: 1970).

53 Noel Malcolm, George Enescu. His Life and Music (London: Toccata Press, 1990).

16 important and significant creations regarding Enescu’s heroic life, his creative role in music and universal culture published outside Romania after Enescu’s death in 1955.54

Following the end of his teaching period at the Cernauti Conservatory and a position as the second concertmaster of the National Radio Orchestra, George Manoliu dedicated his career to teaching, which represented an important contribution for the development and organization of music teaching in Romania. He combined instrumental teaching with musical culture and general pedagogy. As a result of his hard work and commitment, Manoliu administrated violin teaching in the most important and influential musical centers in the country, through his position later, as dean of the Bucharest Conservatory (1956-1976).55 It is noted that during this period, especially between 1950s and 1960s, the violin school in Bucharest went through a period of significant development, admitting 25 and 30 students annually at the Bucharest

Conservatory, as well as an important number of students enrolled at both music high-schools in the capital.56 In addition, biennial music festivals as well as the famous “Distant Dialogues” organized by the Romanian National Television established not only a positive musical movement in Romania but also a source for discovering exceptional talents who later won international competitions. One of the most significant competitions founded in Romania in 1958 was the George Enescu International Competition.57 Probably because of financial circumstances during Ceausescu’s dictatorship, the competition was abandoned in 1970, though it resumed twenty-one years later. The “George Enescu” Festival and International competition is still held

54 Sarbu, Vioara si Maestii Ei de la Origini Pana Azi, 458.

55 Ibid.

56 Ibid.

57 Ibid., 459.

17 biennially, offering Romanian audiences a variety of magnificent soloists and musicians from all over the world, during four weeks of astonishing concerts.58

Along with his esteemed friend and colleague, violinist Ionel Geanta, Manoliu will always be remembered for his contribution to the development of one of the most important

Romanian violin methods. The method was the third to be written in Romania after the methods of Eduard Caudella and Robert Klenck, printed during the early 1900s. Geanta and Manoliu’s method Manual de Vioara consists of four accessible volumes, written in a methodical manner that instructs the student from beginner level to a conscious mastery of the instrument. In addition to his contribution and work towards this method, Manoliu edited numerous violin etudes. Among the most significant were 12 Etudes for the Violin by Teodor Burada,59 36 Etudes by Jacques Féréol Mazas,60 as well as Album of Pre-Classical Sonatas of Francesco Maria

Veracini,61 Pietro Locatelli,62 and Georg Friedrich Händel. Along with his edition of Giovanni

Battista Viotti’s Violin Concerto No. 23, Manoliu brought back to life one of George Enescu’s unique works written in 1911, Sonata Torso.63

58 Sarbu, Vioara si Maestii Ei de la Origini Pana Azi, 459.

59 Teodor Burada, 12 Studii pentru Vioara, ed. George Manoliu (Bucuresti: Editura Muzicala a Uniunii Compozitorilor din Republica Socialista Romania, 1964).

60 Jacques Féréol Mazas, 36 Studii pentru Vioara: op. 36, ed. George Manoliu (Bucuresti: Editura Muzicala a Uniunii Compozitorilor din Republica Socialista Romania, 1965).

61 Francesco Maria Veracini, Sonata pentru Vioara si Pian (Mi Minor), ed. George Manoliu (Bucuresti: Editura Muzicala a Uniunii Compozitorilor din Republica Socialista Romania, 1966).

62 Pietro Locatelli, Sonata in Sol Minor: pentru Vioara si Pian, ed. George Manoliu (Bucuresti: Editura Muzicala a Uniunii Compozitorilor din Republica Socialista Romania, 1965).

63 George Enescu, Sonata pentru Pian si Vioara in La Minor: Lucrare Inedita, partea I, ed. George Manoliu (Bucuresti: Editura Muzicala, 1983).

His pedagogical beliefs and dedication to teaching brought him many rewards through his students. Among his most remarkable students were Ilarion Ionescu-Galati, a first prize winner of the George Enescu International Competition in 1991, who currently has a career in conducting; Leonora Geanta, second prize winner of the 1961 International Fritz Kreisler

Competition in Vienna and professor at the Hochschule für Musik in Vienna; and Petru

Munteanu, professor at the Hamburg Academy and judge of many European competitions such as Menuhin Competition, England 1995.64 It is also worth highlighting Petru Csaba, second prize winner of the Paganini Competition in 1975, professor at the Lyon Conservatory and concertmaster of the Lyon Symphony; and Serban Lupu, laureate of the Jacques Thibaud and

Carl Flesch International Competitions in 1974, and Professor Emeritus at University of Illinois for twenty five years.65

As one of the most appreciated violinists and pedagogues of this time, Manoliu was a member of Composers’ Union of Romania and one of the co-founders of the prestigious George

Enescu International Competition. His contribution to the development of violin teaching in

Romania and his authority in violin pedagogy contributed to the establishment of his reputation internationally.66 Therefore, he became a member of the Eugène Ysaye Foundation in Bruxelles and a member of the jury for the Premier Prix offered at the Paris Conservatory. Moreover, he was part of the juries for international competitions such as Henryk Wieniawski, George Enescu, and Pyotr Ilych Tchaikovsky, as well as competitions held in Prague, Vienna, and Sofia among

64 Sarbu. Vioara si Maestii Ei de la Origini Pana Azi, 459.

65 Ibid.

66 Ibid. 460.

19 others.67 George Manoliu is one of the Romanian violinists who fully dedicated his career to the development of the Romanian school of violin, supported talented violinists, and expanded

Enescu’s interpretational model of violin performance through his teaching philosophies. He passed away in 1997 in Bucharest, leaving behind the image of a great personality who loved and cared for the development and future of the Romanian violin school.

Ionel Geanta was born in 1913 in Ramnicu-Valcea, situated in the south part of Romania.

He started studying music and violin with his father who was a musician and folklorist.68 He continued his studies at the Bucharest Conservatory with Cecilia Nitulescu-Lupu and was considered one of her best students. In parallel, he also studied philosophy at the Bucharest

University. Similar to Manoliu, Geanta had many opportunities to study with Enescu, not in

Paris but in Romania where Enescu frequently gave masterclasses. This connection with Enescu was a large inspiration for him both in his career as a performer and pedagogue.69 Geanta had a short solo career after his graduation from the conservatory and performed recitals and concerts under conductors such as George Georgescu and Constantin Silvestri. Because of his respect and appreciation for Enescu, Geanta often performed cadenzas written by him, which educated and taught the listener about the unique Enescian interpretation of violin music.70

Even though he was a great violinist and soloist, Geanta dedicated himself to teaching and ended his solo career soon after graduation. His passion and devotion came from a mixture of aesthetic musical elements among strong pedagogical knowledge and philosophical beliefs

67 Sarbu. Vioara si Maestii Ei de la Origini Pana Azi, 460.

68 Ibid.

69 Ibid.

70 Ibid.

20 acquired during his time as a student.71 In 1949 he became a professor at the Ciprian Porumbescu

Conservatory in Bucharest in addition to his position as the second concertmaster of the George

Enescu Philharmonic. Some other positions he held during his teaching career included the head of the string department at the Ciprian Porumbescu Conservatory, as well as the Dean of the string department at the Pedagogical Institute in Bucharest.72

As previously mentioned, Geanta collaborated with Manoliu in the writing of Manual de

Vioara. Geanta offered his beginner students the chance to study material he edited providing the fundamental principles regarding technique through fingerings, bowings, phrasing, and dynamics. One of the basic philosophies of his teaching consists of the continuous and conscious development of the violinist, as well as the mechanization of these ideas.73 His work and guidance can be seen in his edition of Heinrich Ernst Kayser’s etudes for the violin.74 He offers particular steps in this process and details to help the student execute and practice with different tempo indications, always being aware of phrasing. In addition, a pedagogical process which he highlights is the strong development of a particular left hand technique involving not applying too much pressure with the fingers onto the strings. He believes that the formation and control of such technique must include slow practicing, looking for the psycho- physiological movement of lifting the fingers from the string (no rushed movements of placing and lifting the fingers).75

Throughout the years, during his long teaching career, Ionel Geanta shaped many generations of students. Some of his most prominent students have been Avy Abramovici,

71 Sarbu. Vioara si Maestii Ei de la Origini Pana Azi, 461.

72 Ibid.

73 Ibid.

74 Heinrich Ernst Kayser, Studii pentru Vioara: op. 20, ed. Ionel Geanta (Bucuresti: Editura Muzicala, 1965).

75 Sarbu. Vioara si Maestii Ei de la Origini Pana Azi, 462.

21 professor at Buchmann Music School at the Tel Aviv University and founder of the Jerusalem

Quartet; Petre Lefterescu, former Dean and Professor at the Bucharest Music Academy; and

Constantin Bogdanas, violinist of the Athenaeum Enesco String Quartet in Paris.76 “Ionel Geanta was one of the remarkable pedagogues of the modern Romanian school of violin, who transmitted to his students with pathos something from Enescu’s art, along with warmth, humanism and his sensitive personality, which combined in a harmonious way music with culture.”77 Ionel Geanta passed away in 1980, leaving behind the legacy of a significant and influential musician and pedagogue.

It is certain that Ionel Geanta and George Manoliu have impacted many generations of musicians and created many opportunities for their students’ careers. In a discussion with Ion

Sarbu, the author of the book Vioara si maestrii ei, Manoliu said that the Romanian school of music flourished between 1950-1970 because of the twenty one music high-schools, three conservatoires, and four music universities across the country. In addition, during the 1970s,

Romania was ranked fifth in international prizes in the field of violin performance after USSR,

United States of America, France, and Italy.78 Their contribution to the contemporary Romanian school of violin is still mentioned and remembered not only by their students, but also by many other generations of musicians who had the opportunity to use their Manual de Vioara as guidance and reference.

76 Sarbu. Vioara si Maestii Ei de la Origini Pana Azi, 462.

77 Ibid.

78 Ibid., 459.

CHAPTER 3

MANUAL DE VIOARA. A VIOLIN METHOD BY IONEL GEANTA AND GEORGE

MANOLIU:

THE SIX PRINCIPLES

The artistic education reform which started in Romania in 1949 “aligned Romania’s

Western-oriented educational system with that of the Soviet Union.”79 As a result, the higher educational system provided institutions with modern methods and manuals, appropriate for the rigorous new system of teaching and teaching techniques. This new system created a high demand for beginner materials as well as advanced resources for solo performers everywhere in the country.80 Therefore the need for such materials contributed to the collaboration of the following method.

Ionel Geanta and George Manoliu’s method, Manual de vioara was purposefully written during the reform era and it is considered to be one of the most popular violin methods in

Romania. Printed ten years after the beginning stages of the educational reform, the method was developed based on the professors’ teaching experience. As a contribution to the cultural reform, the communist party and the government created exceptional conditions in all scientific and artistic areas, supporting and helping those areas to flourish.81

79 Randolph L. Braham, Education in Romania: A Decade of Change (Washington: U.S. Government Printing Office, 1972), Abstract.

80 Ionel Geanta and George Manoliu, Manual de Vioara Volume 1, trans. Tania Aniela Moldovan (Bucuresti: Editura Muzicala, 1979), 3.

81 Ibid.

The two pedagogues worked for many years developing a method intended to help both the professor and student in the process of teaching and learning of the violin. The method focuses on beginner players and covers a period of four years of development.82 It is divided into four volumes and it was first printed by Editura Muzicala between 1959 and 1986. In 2014, because of its demand, Editura GrafoArt decided to reprint the method.

In the foreword section of the first volume of the method, the pedagogues offer insight for the professor who will follow their lesson plans based on the method. “We consider it necessary for our colleague, the professor, who will follow and conduct the student’s education, using the present method, to briefly show our preoccupations, objectives, and solutions which conducted the organization and elaboration of this method.”83

For a better understanding of the objectives and solutions of this method, the pedagogues grounded their work on six principles which apply everywhere in the four volumes:

I. Principiul coordonarii si intrepatrunderii educatiei intrumentale cu instructia muzicala

teoretica si cu educatia artistica (The principle of coordination and instrumental

education interweaving with music theory instruction and artistic education).

II. Principiul orientarii si fundamentarii stiintifice (The principle of orientation and

fundamental science).

III. Principiul gradatiei (The principle of gradual progression).

IV. Principiul proportionarii si selectionarii materialului (The principle of proportioning and

selecting the material).

V. Principiul intuitiei (The principle of intuition).

82 Geanta and Manoliu, Manual de Vioara, Volume 1, trans. Tania Aniela Moldovan (Bucuresti: Editura Muzicala, 1979), 7-8.

83 Ibid., 3.

VI. Principiul respectarii particularitatilor de varsta (The principle of respecting

particularities of age).

3.1 The Principle of Coordination and Instrumental Education Interweaving with Music

Theory Instruction and Artistic Education

As its title suggests, the first principle focuses on the coordination and knowledge of instrumental education combined with the study of music theory and artistic education.

Frequently, children who learn to play an instrument do not yet have the theory knowledge required in the developmental process. This represents an obstacle in the progress of the student.

Geanta and Manoliu considered it crucial to provide such information. The method is thoughtfully written and is structured in such a way that the necessary music theory information is deliberately dispersed throughout the four volumes, making it easier for children to relate to physically playing the instrument while having proper knowledge of the theory involved behind the notes they are playing.

Examples that illustrate the first principle and explain how it can be used are found extensively throughout the first few lessons in the manual when first studying the duration of notes. The beginning of Lesson 10 in the first volume of the method is used to describe the values of the quarter, half, and whole notes.84 The lesson starts with an explanation of what a musical note is and it then explains how, compared to writing which uses letters to make up words which have a meaning, music uses notes to express sounds which make up a melody or tune, ultimately music. The method continues with the theoretical explanation of the length of

84 Ionel Geanta and George Manoliu, Manual de Vioara, Volume 1, trans. Tania Aniela Moldovan (Bucuresti: Editura Muzicala, 1979), 30.

25 each of the different symbols and also provides a picture to go along with the description. The method suggests counting as the best example for the values of each note. They provide information such as the quarter note has the value of one beat, the half note two beats, etc., exemplified in figure 3.1.

Fig. 3.1 Subdivision of the values of the notes

3.2 The Principle of Orientation and Fundamental Science

The second principle is The Principle of Orientation and Fundamental Science. This principle focuses on treating the human body in the most natural way. Psychology, physics, and anatomy are some of the fundamentals of instrumental teaching and they all work together to help the violinist’s musicality development.

As an example, one of the most important aspects of this idea is the set-up of the left hand on the strings. According to the authors there are two main directions that have been applied for this problem: theoretical and physical.85 Due to the anatomy of the human body, it is

85 Geanta and Manoliu, Manual de Vioara, Volume 1, 4.

26 known that the second and the third finger naturally fall next to each other on the string, which creates a tone between first and second finger, and a semitone between the second and third finger. The authors state that starting with the C major scale would theoretically be most natural because of the use of all natural notes (as opposed to sharps and flats). However, this would change the natural pattern of fingers and it would create a tone between the second and third finger, especially if the scale is started on the A string.86 In addition, the fall of the first finger on the E string would have to be a half step lower than the natural pattern.

Keeping in mind the natural anatomy of the body and the most basic and easiest physical solutions, the method approaches the placing of the fingers on the string starting with the G string. After providing information about each open string individually, accompanied by proper exercises, the finger to be placed on the fingerboard is the first finger on the G string, the note A.

Therefore, the next two fingers to be placed on the G string will follow in the most natural pattern, B and C. The authors chose this pattern for two reasons: first, because the second and third finger will be placed on the string it will follow the natural shape and pattern, having the second and third fingers next to each other as they are placed on the string. Secondly, none of the three fingered notes of the G string A, B, and C, have any accidentals before them; an important step in such early stages since the child has not yet learned the accidentals at that point.

An example for this approach can be found in the first volume of the Manual, over the course of Lessons 28 and 29 as shown in figures 3.2, 3.3, and 3.4.

86 Geanta and Manoliu, Manual de Vioara, Volume 1, 4-5.

Fig. 3.2 Placement of the first finger on the G string. View of the hand

Fig. 3.3 Placement of the first finger on the G string as seen from above

Fig. 3.4 Placement of the first three fingers on the G string

3.3 The Principle of Gradual Progression

Next, the authors focus their work on The Principle of Gradual Progression. The use of this principle is an essential condition for the child’s development as the material is thoughtfully distributed and presented to the child. Special care is taken particularly in the early stages to allow the grounding of each step. In addition, a second point is represented by proportioning the progress, which concerns maintaining the same level of progress by focusing on solving different problems simultaneously. In direct relationship with the Principle of Fundamental Science mentioned earlier, the principle is concerned with providing information for the child sequentially. Because children do not have distributive awareness, forcing them to face more problems simultaneously can make it more difficult for them to concentrate and retain information.

The Principle of Gradual Progression is one of the most well-known and widely used principles.87 The benefits of following this principle have helped numerous students develop as stronger musicians. One of the examples from the method which follows the Principle of

Gradual Progression is represented in the lessons focused on bow technique. Even though most lessons focus on one bow technique at a time, sometimes more examples are condensed in one lesson. Such an example is provided toward the end of the first volume of the method in Lesson

92.88 Technically speaking, figures 3.5 and 3.6 exemplify an easy exercise provided for the left hand, in order to focus on the different combinations of bowing in the right hand.

87 Geanta and Manoliu, Manual de Vioara, Volume 1, 5.

88 Ibid., 219.

Fig. 3.5 Technical exercise for the right hand

Fig. 3.6 Technical exercise for the right hand with different bow combinations

3.4 The Principle of Proportioning and Selecting the Material

The fourth principle is The Principle of Proportioning and Selecting the Material. The exercises selected in this method have been carefully chosen to suit the child’s needs based on original theoretical, methodical, practical, and anthological material.

Even though Geanta and Manoliu state that this principle has been used before, choosing the anthological material as part of the method established the importance of previous

30 generations. They also communicate that many methods use anthological material, but they find it crucial that the material chosen serves the principles of the method. The repertoire chosen for

Manual de Vioara includes works by well-known composers of the Classical, Romantic, and

Modern periods, such as W.A. Mozart, L. van Beethoven, J. Aubert, F. Schubert, etc.

Additionally, special attention has been given to the Romanian repertoire, as most of the technical exercises have Romanian themes. Geanta and Manoliu chose short Romanian pieces collected by different authors, along with pieces that were written specially for this method by contemporary Romanian composers.

Exposing the student to a variety of styles and periods of music through such vast repertoire is beneficial not only for their knowledge of music history, but also for interpretation of the music. In addition, these short melodies are spread throughout all volumes of the method and each one of them serves a different purpose depending on its place within the method. While some melodies focus on string crossing, others involve shifting or double stops. The following melody presented in figure 3.7 and found in the fourth volume, “Cantec de leagan”, written by the Romanian composer Zeno Vancea, focuses on shifting between two bow changes in the first and third positions.89 The combination of technical materials and the originality of the melody not only make it more interesting for the student to learn, but also expose them to the Romanian violin repertoire.

89 Geanta and Manoliu, Manual de Vioara, Volume 1, 226.

Fig. 3.7 Cantec de Leagan, focuses on shifting among two bow changes between the first and third positions

3.5 The Principle of Intuition

A fifth principle of the method is The Principle of Intuition. Psychologically speaking, one of the easiest ways to remember and learn new things is to analyze information visually.

Moreover, children learn by imitating what they see or hear. To make it effective for children to understand what they need to accomplish, the authors have chosen many pictures, especially in the beginning. In addition, diagrams, fingerboard drawings, and tables can be found throughout the entire method with additional detailed explanations.

One of the best examples in which pictures and diagrams have been used can be seen in the first volume of the method, Lesson 63. The lesson provides information about the placement of the fourth finger on each of the strings. Additionally, it explains how the distance between the

32 third and the fourth fingers will be the same on all four strings when playing natural notes. More importantly, it teaches the student that the fourth finger on strings G, D, and A produces the same pitch as the adjacent string open. The fourth finger on the G string produces the open D string, the fourth finger on the D string produces the open A string and so on. The only finger which creates a new sound (B), however, would be the fourth finger placed on the E string, as shown in figures 3.8, 3.9 and 3.10.90

Fig. 3.8 Placement of all fingers on all strings. New note on the E string (B natural)

90 Geanta and Manoliu, Manual de Vioara, Volume 1, 152-155.

Fig. 3.9 New note on the E string (B natural) as written on the staff

Fig. 3.10 Placement of fingers on all strings

3.6 The Principle of Respecting the Particularities of Age

The sixth and last principle of the method is characterized by Respecting the

Particularities of Age. This principle appears all throughout the method as it is well known that most children (6-8 years old) do not spend too much time practicing at home. In order to compensate for this, every one of the exercises and short melodies focus on one issue at a time, teaching the student the proper skill without them even being aware of it.

Significant thought was given to the plan of each lesson, always remembering that the method is intended for young beginning students. . The professor is always of great importance to the student’s progress as he is the only one who can detect, adapt, and fix the mistakes throughout the physical and mental process of learning. Moreover, it is the teacher that shapes the student’s artistic consciousness, and helps him develop as a musician and person. Because the method focuses on the student’s step by step development, each lesson is written in a conversational style and provides many examples and details, making it easier for the student to understand. The advantage of using this process is that it gives the student another opportunity to better understand the material when practicing at home, after presented first in the lesson with the teacher. This practice contributes to the gradual progress of the student with continuous guidance from the teacher. Depending on the difficulty of the technical material taught, in most cases, more than one lesson focuses on the same issue. This structure is thought to give more opportunities and models for the student to work with during their studies.

A great example of where this principle applies can be found in the fourth volume.

Double-stops are one of the last topics covered by the method with extended exercises and different combinations of positions, fingerings, and intervals. By this time in the learning process the child has a vast knowledge of the violin and violin playing. For that reason this part of the material is covered in the last volume of the method. Lesson 64 provides information and multiple exercises for shifts in double-stops between first, second, and third positions (sliding with the same fingers). The first example of the chapter presents an exercise on the G and D strings with shifts in thirds, exemplified in figure 3.11. These are followed by exercises on the other strings with the same and new finger combinations.91

91 Geanta and Manoliu, Manual de Vioara, Volume 4, trans. Tania Aniela Moldovan (Bucuresti: Editura Muzicala, 1986), 200-204.

Fig. 3.11 Shifts with double-stops

In conclusion, the thoughtful development and relevance of the six principles of the method makes the Manual de Vioara one of the most detailed and unique methods of teaching the violin for children. Despite this method having relatively little circulation outside of the borders of Romania, it is a valuable resource for teachers who wish to explore different approaches and ideas in their lessons. The details of the information and exercises could also be used as a reference for both the instructor and student. Used by many generations of students in

Romania, the purpose of this method was to teach violin to all children, and to give a strong foundation to those who would aspire to continue further with the violin.

CHAPTER 4

MANUAL DE VIOARA. ANALYSIS OF STRUCTURE

“Assuring a promising start in instrumental education, seems like a significant task for the music school. Instrumental education must include in the process selecting, discovering, and nurturing talents among population, as well as widening the possibilities of distribution and understanding of music on a large scale.”92 As children start school at the age of seven in

Romania, it is recommended that if the child has any music inclinations, their musical education should start at that age, or as early as possible.93 Assimilation of primary musical ideas, at age seven, in collaboration with the skills of learning the instrument bring difficult and delicate problems. Therefore, Geanta and Manoliu felt the need to take into consideration all possibilities in order to be able to help students in the beginning stages as a violinist. For these reasons, the four volumes of the method contain extensive and detailed information which, if followed step by step, should help the beginner student become a stronger, and more prepared violinist for the intermediate level of playing.94 Each of the volumes offer an encouraging preface with an overall structure of the content for the professor to consider before they use them with the student. An important characteristic of each of the volumes is that new material always intertwines with old material, meant to keep the student engaged and simultaneously refresh his memory. Because of the high demand and constant necessity for improvements, the first two volumes of the method

92 Ionel Geanta and George Manoliu, Manual de Vioara Volume 2, trans. Tania Aniela Moldovan (Bucuresti: Editura Muzicala, 1979), 3.

93 Ibid.

94 Examples of lessons can be found in Appendix A.

37 have been printed in multiple editions, offering room for changes and suggestions from teachers who proudly used the method.

4.1 Volume 1

As previously mentioned, Geanta and Manoliu’s method is intended both for the professor as well as for the student. They insist that the professor is of great importance despite the detailed plans for each of the lessons. The first version of this volume was printed in 1959 and had a multitude of revisions over a period of twenty years. The most complete, and the last one to be printed during their life time- the sixth edition, appeared in 1979 and is divided into 96 lessons, each having as primary focus a different technical or musical problem. Organized in a progressive order, the first few lessons focus on general music information, and offer detailed information not only about the violin, but also about all musical instruments. Specific details about the proper bow hold, basic strokes, and correct violin hold cover the next chapters, followed by seven different lessons which place a strong emphasis on the right hand, with specific exercises focusing on different bow techniques. Especially throughout the first volume, narrative text accompanies the musical information for a better understanding and guidance for the student. The details are meant to offer appropriate explanation and make the material easier to assimilate. While specific information is provided about the violin and its technique, the authors found it appropriate to teach music theory at the same time, as this is crucial for beginner students. Therefore, many of the lessons found in the beginning emphasize the staff, the notes on the staff, duration of notes, bar lines, the repeat sign, etc. The theory material is then put into practice as it relates to the violin for a better understanding, covering more than one problem at a

38 time. After the basic bow strokes are mastered by the student the next six lessons bring new ideas which involve bow technique. Consequently, the lessons focus on playing in different parts of the bow, using different lengths, different combinations of rhythms using the entire bow, as well as the signs used to indicate those specific strokes.

The first section of this volume works with the right hand only, but the authors consider it crucial that the professor and student follow each lesson plan in the progressive order they are presented. Only after the student masters the basic techniques of the right hand does the method teach the placement of the left hand fingers on the strings. It is worth mentioning that the authors opted to teach the placement of the fingers first on the G string. Here, the notes played by the natural pattern of the fingers, with a half step between second and third finger, need no chromatic alterations. In addition, this is important because it ensures from the beginning rounded fingers placed on the string, as well as the appropriate position of the elbow under the violin. Following a similar pattern in the structure of the method, a sequence of exercises with the first three fingers on the G string are meant to give the student the opportunity to become comfortable with the shape of the entire hand placed in that specific position. To practice this, the next chapters offer exercises for the three fingers on the G string in combination with the other open strings.

The next lessons focus on the placement of the fingers on the D string, as it is assumed that the student became familiar enough with the G string.

As a result, the authors introduce the idea of a scale for the first time, since the student has now learned the notes and proper placement of fingers on the two lower strings to play a G

Major scale. To combine new information with previously learned techniques, the pedagogues focus the next chapter on legato exercises on two strings. In succeeding lessons, the authors introduce the placement of the fingers on the A string with specific exercises on the A string

39 only, combined with previous lessons on the G and D strings. The authors introduce the E string last, as the placement of fingers here differs from the other strings. It is only in the last quarter of the volume where the placement of the fourth finger is introduced on each of the strings. The pedagogues consider it crucial that when the student reaches this level, he will be comfortable enough with the position of the other fingers to have an easy transition to the fourth finger. In addition, they explain how the placement of the fourth finger on the G, D, and A strings represents the sound of the adjacent open string, the E string being the only exception, as shown in figure 4.1. Proper exercises accompany this section as well, establishing a better foundation for the student. The next large section of the volume introduces all the intervals supplemented by proper explanation on how to calculate specific intervals, their names, and also different exercises that teach the proper distances between the fingers on all strings of the violin.

Fig. 4.1 Placement of the fingers on all strings and analysis of whole and half steps

Finally, the last section of the first volume introduces the C Major scale, a few technique problems for the right hand, and a series of melodies and songs for recreational purposes. As students assimilate information at different speeds, it is not required but recommended that the first volume to be covered during the first year of the student’s studies. The pedagogues hope that, at the end of the school year and after having their lessons guided by the first volume of the method, the student will have a solid grasp of the issues and difficulties of playing the violin, as well as a better understanding of musical terms, techniques, and practice suggestions.

Consequently, each of the following volumes is meant to prepare the student during each academic year.

4.2 Volume 2

Along with the improvements made in the first volume, the second volume also went under a series of changes. The first edition was first printed in 1961-62 and the fifth and last one in 1977. As described by the authors, this volume is constructed as a bridge between the previous and following volumes, strengthening the first steps of learning the violin and fitting in the new educational system developed in 1949. This volume consists of 75 lessons and each lesson individually contains explanation of new terms through examples, technique exercises, melodic etudes, as well as recreational pieces such as duets, trios, piano accompaniment, etc.95

Characteristic of the entire volume are the challenges presented in varying forms which support, as the authors describe it, the principle of thorough and lasting assimilation of material. This is

95 Geanta Manoliu, Manual de Vioara Volume 2, 4.

41 established by the technique and melodic exercises, which are meant to help with the student’s thoughtful participation as well as with memorization.

One of the most important features of this volume is the primary focus on scales and tonalities. While the previous volume offers a variety of information on different topics specifically geared for beginning students, the lessons in this volume each concentrate on a specific tonality. A short recapitulation of the C Major scale is presented in the beginning to refresh the student’s memory, followed by the introduction of the G Major scale. The authors explain that although one might expect to teach the A minor scale next after the C Major scale, the purpose here is the logical introduction of the first sharp, “as a necessity of organization for the proper succession of tones and semitones between the two tetrachords.”96 This volume adds piano parts to accompany the violin melodies, an important step for the intuition principle on which the volumes are based. In addition, many short pieces in the volume offer the student a general survey of music history as well as an introduction to the music of his country. As mentioned in the first volume, the professor’s presence is essential in guiding the student’s progress, monitoring the ease with which the student uses proper bow strokes and articulation, and also, developing the student’s sound production.

Following the six chapters which focus on the G major scale in different combinations of etudes, duets, arpeggios, and different rhythmic patterns, new material is introduced. To keep the student engaged, the authors introduce terms such as syncopation, double-stops, string crossing, new note values, and various rhythms. Exercises also accompany the new content to provide a solid education for the student. Following these lessons, the authors introduce the minor scale for the first time. As expected, the A and E minor tonalities are introduced first, to follow their

96 Geanta Manoliu, Manual de Vioara Volume 2, 4.

42 relative major scales. F Major and D minor are taught next, being the first tonalities with a flat in the key signature. Moving to tonalities with two sharps, the authors introduce the D major and b minor, along with lessons about time signatures, as well as different variations of exercises and melodies. The second volume of the method concludes with the B flat Major and g minor tonalities. In addition, lessons including alla breve time signature and pizzicato are intertwined with the old material. Following the pattern presented in the first volume, the end of the method provides a series of short melodies to summarize the material learned throughout the volume.

The complex and detailed approach of this volume is not meant to overwhelm the student, but to help build a strong musical sense of the instrument through simple and clear presentation.

4.3 Volume 3

Printed in 1964, the third volume of the method continues the reinforcement of the first position of the violin, familiarizing the student with new musical and technical knowledge, moving later to the study of second position. Unlike the previous volumes, which were printed in six and five editions respectively, the third volume was only published in one edition. The third volume has 57 lessons and continues the succession of scale lessons up to those with four sharps and flats. The other tonalities are mentioned in a less complex form as they approach technical aspects which cannot be approached by the student at this stage. The authors explain that even though the student needs to know all tonalities, it is not required to play them at this point, as these present difficult intonation issues for the student. Even though it is still advised that the material needs to be followed in a progressive way, it is the responsibility of the professor to

43 control the speed at which the material should be taught.97 It is at this stage in the student’s development that differences in the learning process can be noticed. The professor must also continuously follow the student’s improvement and efficiency, and correct mistakes which are being made.

The purpose of this volume is to help the student develop a sense for intervals, tonalities, solfege, and consequently memorization. More importantly, a great focus is put on teaching the different positions on the violin. As many methods define positions by shifting from semitone to semitone, Geanta and Manoliu argue that in this circumstance the hand follows a random movement as fingers move in semitones on some of the strings and in tones on others. According to their method, positions are defined by the distance of the first finger in direct relation with the nut. Therefore, in second position the first finger is placed at an interval of either a major or minor third from the open string, contributing to the development of sensitivity to intonation of the student.

While the second volume contains a review chapter connected to the first volume, the beginning of this volume already presents new information, while still connected with previous material. The last tonality taught in the previous volume was the B-flat major scale, which means that following the order of increasing sharps and flats, the first lesson of this volume is A major.

To make it more interesting for the student and suggest diversity, the authors find it appropriate to introduce new technique related topics, such as martelé and staccato. Exercises and short melodies containing these difficulties accompany the information presented. The authors also introduce the chromatic scale and double-stops, since the student is already familiar with a number of scales to experiment with. Following the introduction of f-sharp minor, the addition of

97 Geanta and Manoliu, Manual de Vioara, Volume 3, 4-7.

44 a third flat to the key signature presents the lessons of E-flat major and c minor scales. The authors introduce all tonalities, only briefly mentioning those with six and seven flats and sharps since the student will rarely use those at this stage.

More importantly, this volume introduces the concept of positions, focusing here only on second position. To make sure that the student becomes familiar and confident in second position, all scales which have been already discussed and studied in the first position are now taught in the second position. To conclude learning the first two positions, the last quarter of the volume puts a strong focus on shifting. The last twelve lessons focus on this topic, as the student must have a clear understanding of the process. The authors dedicate a considerable amount of time to describing what shifting means, how it should be approached, and why it is important.

Accompanying the written description, pictures and musical examples make the information easier to understand for the inexperienced student. Figure 4.2 below provides a musical example which is initially played in first position, and then in second position. The authors claim that playing a passage in a fixed position is not always the easiest option.

Fig. 4.2 Example of a passage in the first position and then in the second position

Therefore, in specific passages shifting is necessary for better phrasing, or simply for an easier technical answer to challenges such as string crossing. Such a solution is presented in the figure

4.3, exemplifying the same passage as previously mentioned using both first and second positions, which the student should be familiar with at this point. Because shifting is such a vital and complex issue for any violinist, when first taught it requires special attention and patience from both the professor and student. For that reason the remaining lessons of this volume focus on different problems that involve shifting.

Fig. 4.3 Example of the same passage combining the first and second position.

The first lesson of this series teaches shifting in combination with the open strings.

Offering clear details of the process, the lesson presents different combinations of fingerings, strings, and bowings. The lessons that follow emphasize shifting through sliding with the same finger, between the first and second positions. Over the course of three lessons, the student familiarizes himself with this issue, and, in addition to the technical exercises, has the chance to play a series of short pieces involving shifting with the same finger. Shifting through articulation and substitution are the next major lessons, followed by shifting on different strings and different bows. The end of this volume includes a recapitulation lesson, meant to reinforce the technical problems involving shifting and how they should be solved. Even though very complex, this

46 volume presents some of the most important content, as violin playing would not be possible without a solid knowledge about all tonalities, shifting, and its associated problems.

4.4 Volume 4

A continuation of the third volume, the fourth and final volume of the method was printed in 1986. Based on the same lesson plan structure as the previous volumes, the overall layout is most similar to the third volume. Without any special review lessons, the authors introduce third position. As the previous volume focuses on teaching all tonalities in the second position, the fourth volume presents all tonalities in third position. Therefore, the next twenty lessons of the method center only on that problem, making it a smooth transition from the previous volume, as the student is already familiar with the layout of each lesson and with this form of teaching. A lesson involving double-stops in third position is presented next, as the authors still want to keep lessons engaging for the student. As students become more knowledgeable and familiar with third position, the authors reintroduce shifting exercises, however, this time the shifting exercises involve first and third positions only. Similar to the third volume, shifting through sliding is presented first, followed by shifting through articulation, substitution, and on different strings. The authors introduce lessons involving shifting between the second and third position along with a variety of technical exercises taught in previous chapters. To sum up all the information including shifting, a series of chapters are dedicated to exercises using all tonalities, in combination with all three positions. The end of the volume features more technical exercises involving half position, the appoggiatura and other ornaments, and trills. More important is the introduction of vibrato. The authors did not mention vibrato

47 earlier because they consider it crucial for the student to acquire a solid knowledge of positions and technical matters before introducing such a complex and delicate issue as vibrato, which is acquired over many years of practicing. The chapter dedicated to vibrato presents step by step the movements of the left hand. The authors include a series of exercises for vibrato and suggest that the movement of the left hand should be a combination of arm, wrist, and finger vibrato.

Moreover, they believe that shifting would be the best beginning movement. Certain exercises need to be properly executed to help the student understand and memorize the movement of the hand. An example of such an exercise is provided in figure 4.4.

Fig. 4.4 Beginner exercises for vibrato executed through shifting.

The final lesson of this volume presents no new information, but a multitude of pieces utilizing the three positions the student learned over the course of this method. In those pages constructed both for educational and recreational purposes, the student is offered the chance to put into practice and experiment with all the techniques which he has been working in the preceding lessons.

Overall, all four volumes of the Manual de Vioara offer to both the student and the professor some of the most helpful and valuable information found in a violin method. The multitude of pieces studied throughout all the volumes, give students the chance not only to perform a vast repertoire, but also to introduce him to the music history and some of the most important composers. After the completion of these volumes the student will have a better understanding of what playing the violin involves. Also, he will have mastered a valuable foundation of skills and knowledge for the rest of his career as student and musician.

CONCLUSION

By creating such a complex and unique method for the violin, Ionel Geanta and George

Manoliu, became two of the most appreciated and respected pedagogues of the Romanian violin school. The impact of this method is still seen today, and even after more than fifty years since the method was first published, professors and students guide their lessons using the Manual de

Vioara.

Based on the six principles, the method searches to help the beginner student become a knowledgeable and skilled musician. The six principles are found throughout the four volumes of the method and emphasize: the principle of coordination and instrumental education interweaving with music theory instruction and artistic education, the principle of orientation and fundamental science, the principle of gradual progression, the principle of proportioning and selecting the material, the principle of intuition, and the principle of respecting particularities of age.

The method was created to guide both the violin professors and the beginner students from the music schools around the country. Recommended for students of age seven to eleven, each of the four lengthy volumes is organized in a progressive order and offers a unique combination of written instructions, musical examples, illustrations, exercises, and theory.

Ionel Geanta and George Manoliu thoughtfully developed a distinctive method and

“believed that for a method to get results, it needs to begin with the principle of gradual progress of learning technique, to be a guidance for the professor, and exciting and optimistic for the student.”98 Some of the unique characteristics of their method include starting of the left hand on

98 Ioana Voicu-Arnatoiu, email message to author, October 9, 2015.

50 the G string, in order to accommodate a more natural position of the fingers on the string, but also the position of the elbow under the violin. In addition, unlike most methods which teach third position after the first position, Geanta and Manoliu choose a progressive order, teaching the second position before the third position.

Ionel Geanta and George Manoliu’s Manual de Vioara is one of the most important violin methods written in Romania, and was and still is extensively used in music schools around the country. Even though outside Romania very few are familiar with or ever have access to the method, its widespread use and significance are worth studying. Written during a time when

Romanian culture was affected, influenced, and constricted by the Communist rule, the development of such a method represents a treasure for the violin school.

Written over a period of twenty years, the four volumes of the method are some of the most comprehensive materials written for the beginner violinist. Influential professors and personalities during the Communist era, Geanta and Manoliu’s work and dedication to students is still appreciated and discussed as part of the history of violin study in Romania. They devoted their time to teaching students not only directly, at the Bucharest Conservatory, but also indirectly, through their method which contains over 1200 pages. The extended analysis, its principles and technical approaches, are meant to offer a better understanding of this unique method and its potential as pedagogical resource for future generations of students and instructors.

Throughout history, the modern Romanian violin school had many influences, and even though it was greatly influenced by the Russian school because of the Communist dictatorship, its present form extends beyond it. George Enescu, as one of the most well-known and loved

Romanian composers, was a major inspiration not only for the two pedagogues who had the

51 chance to study with him, but also for many generations of violinists, who learned and shaped their playing philosophies after Enescu’s. In addition, Geanta and Manoliu’s teaching philosophies and legacy, which came in form of the Manual de Vioara, are some of the most important and outstanding contributions to the modern Romanian violin school. They are considered two of the most significant violinists and pedagogues Romania ever had.

APPENDIX A

EXAMPLES OF LESSONS. VOLUME 4

For a better understanding of the structure of the method, this Appendix provides the layout of three different lessons, taken from separate parts of the fourth volume of the method.

The first two lessons presented (Lesson 1 and 2) both teach the third position, while the third lesson (Lesson 69) teaches the turn.

Lesson one found on page 55 starts with a written part, explaining that the third position is situated at an interval of a perfect fourth from the open strings, and in relation with the second position, the first finger shifts to the note previously played with the second finger. In addition, as many students consider third position easier to learn than the second position, the authors assure that the reason it might feel that way is simply because he already had the chance to practice fixed second position and shifting between the first two positions over the course of the first two volumes. Therefore, not only the left hand is more comfortable with the shifting movement, but also the student’s ear is accustomed with the pitches. Three diagrams which show the distances and patterns of the fingers in each of the first three positions are provided here associated with the principle of intuition.

The next part of this lesson presents first an exercise in which the student can practice shifting between the open string and each finger in the third and first positions, few other exercises solely in the third position, and an etude by Franz Wohlfahrt in third position only. The lesson ends with a duet for two violins by Charles de Bériot, usually played by the student and the professor, which focuses on the same subject. Lesson 2 presented on page 59, is a continuation of the previous lesson, as it provides more exercises, etudes, and melodies in the

53 third position only. The addition in this lesson is the fact that everything is based around the C

Major tonality.

The last lesson found on page 62 of the Appendix, focusing on the turn, starts with teaching the multiple versions of a turn, depending on its placement (above a note or between notes), rhythm of the main notes which include the turn, the type of turn (starting on the main note or on the note above), and alterations which might be part of the turn; all descriptions are accompanied by musical examples. As the authors explain that most turns involve five notes, a definition and execution models of the quintuplet supplement the information, as the student has not been taught this rhythm before. This section is followed by exercises which involve quintuplets and a series of etudes involving different types of turns. Similar to the previous lessons, the end of lesson 69 provides a duet for the student and professor by the French violinist

Delphin Alard.

The structure of each lesson is thoughtfully organized to include as much information as possible. Starting with comprehensive descriptions of each subject, the authors’ goal is to provide useful and effective lesson plans. The exercises are meant not only to reinforce the material taught but also to develop and put into practice the technique described. By choosing this meticulous type of structure, the authors believe that at the end of each lesson the student will comprehend faster the material taught, and have a broad understanding both as a violinist and musician.

APPENDIX B

ROMANIAN VIOLINISTS WHO LIVED DURING THE COMMUNIST AGE

Even though Romania was very much shaken by the sudden and drastic changes in dictatorship, with certain restrictions the arts and music grew slowly. The continuous transformation that occurred had both positive and negative outcomes. On one hand music schools were established, but at the same time the teaching system had been greatly manipulated.

Books and manuals were printed under the close observation and guidance of Ceausescu. He manipulated the system by choosing very carefully what materials and information were taught to children. Although the oppression became more intense, it is due to the influential and intellectual composers and musicians at that time that the music scene in Romania did not stop flourishing. Some of the most important and representative violinists of the Romanian school are

Eugen Sarbu (1950-), Modest Iftinchi (1930-2003), Stefan Ruha (1931-2004), Leonora Geanta

(1940-), Silvia Marcivici (1952-), Mihaela Martin (1958-), Serban Lupu (1952-), et cetera.

B.1 Eugen Sarbu

Born in 1950, in the southern part of Romania, Eugen Sarbu is one of the best representatives of the Romanian school of music. He started playing the violin at the age of five studying with his father. Being captivated by the violin and developing perfect pitch, his rapid progress raised interests for many professors in his town who offered to teach him. At the age of six he successfully performed his first recital, and soon after became a student in Brasov, one of the major schools of music in Romania. Two years later he had his first appearance as a soloist

67 with the Galati Philharmonic performing the Jean-Baptiste Accolay Violin Concerto. Soon, he became “one of the most exciting Romanian violinists,”99 as the Romanian magazine Luceafarul described him, a status that gave him the opportunity to tour and perform with all the major orchestras in Romania. Over the course of the next 10 years he had the opportunity to work with some of the most well-known violinists of the time as they frequently visited Romania. Some of those great violinist were Yehudi Menuhin, Isaac Stern, Christian Ferras, Leonid Kogan, Henryk

Szeryng, and David Oistrach. In 1970 his participation in the 5th edition of the George Enesco

International Competition brought him the prize for the best interpretation of Enescu’s Violin

Sonata no.3 “in a Romanian folk character.”100 Later that year, Yehudi Menuhin’s generosity brought Eugen Sarbu to the United States, making him the first young Romanian violinist to study at Curtis Institute in Philadelphia. He completed his graduate studies at the Julliard School of Music with a Master of Music degree under Ivan Galamian’s tutelage.

One important chapter which contributed to Eugen Sarbu’s career evolution as a soloist was his participation in more than twenty competitions both in the United States and Europe.

After his participation in the Carl Flesh Competition in London, the Daily Telegraph newspaper described Sarbu as the “Romanian destined for greatness,”101 for his memorable interpretation full of vitality of the Brahms Violin Concerto. Over the years, Eugen Sarbu had the opportunity to perform on all five continents not only as a soloist, but also in chamber music settings. Some of the most important performances include the Metropolitan Museum for the 250th anniversary of the death of Giuseppe Guarnieri del Gesu and at Carnegie Hall with the American Symphony

99 Sarbu, Vioara si Maestrii Ei de la Origini Pana Azi, 488.

100 Ibid., 490.

101 Ibid.

Orchestra. He recorded for the French label Auvidis, as well as for EMI. In addition, he was a committee member in competitions in the United States (North Carolina), the Niccolò Paganini

Competition in Italy, and the George Enescu International Competition in Romania. As part of one of the generations who developed as a musician in the Communist era, Eugen Sarbu is one of the most appreciated Romanian violinists.

B.2 Modest Iftinchi

Another name which is worth mentioning and contributed to the Romanian violin school is Modest Iftinchi. Born in 1930, he had an inclination for the violin at an early age. He studied at the Bucharest Conservatory, where he also became a professor and the coordinator of the string department. He is most well-known for his pedagogical contribution with a number of valuable technical methods, such as Shifts which can be found in three volumes, Shifts in Double

Stops, The Independence of Fingers, The Study of Arpeggios on the Violin, Arpeggios and

Melodic Formulas in set Positions, and also the Progressive Combinations of Systems.102 These methods are characterized by a scientific fundament and an efficient psycho-pedagogical approach for the development of the violinist. His success with his pedagogical approach has contributed to the development of a number of violinists such as Silvia Marcovici, Gabriel

Croitoru, and Florin Croitoru, making him one of the most important pedagogues in Romania.

102 Sarbu, Vioara si Maestii Ei de la Origini Pana Azi, 482.

B.3 Stefan Ruha

Romanian born violinist Stefan Ruha started playing the violin at a very young age. His outstanding young talent was discovered by his father. His first steps towards music and playing the violin were under the guidance of Rozalia Orosz, former disciple of the reputed János Hubay in Budapest. The trajectory of the violin school that shaped him emerged from Budapest and followed a line of performers descending from the legendary Joseph Joachim, since in Cluj-

Napoca he pursued his violin studies with Paula Kouba and later with Francisc Balog.

Since 1947, when he came to Cluj-Napoca, Ruha balanced his life between his studies and earning a living while playing the violin. While a student of the Gheorghe Dima Music Academy and a violinist of the Hungarian Opera Orchestra, he managed to build a huge repertoire, and saw the first major success of his solo career as early as 1953, when he won the first prize in his first international competition, the World Youth Festival of Bucharest. His participation in some of the most prestigious competitions in1958 and 1959 opened up new prospects for the young violinist on his journey towards both national and international recognition. In March 1958 Ruha received the third prize in the P.I. Tchaikovsky Competition in Moscow, the first prize of George

Enescu Competition in September 1958 in Bucharest, and the second prize of Marguerite Long –

Jacques Thibaud Competition in Paris, in June 1959. Even before his participation in the competitions, while a concertmaster of Cluj-Napoca Philharmonic, Ruha balanced a rich soloistic career nationally and internationally. His name would quickly become famous and in

1962 he received the Honoured artist diploma from the Cluj Philhamonic Orchestra.103

103 Mirela Capata, Fenomenul Stefan Ruha, Virtuoz si Simbol at Artei Violoistie a “eolului XX, http://www.amgd.ro/upload/files/MIRELA%20CAPATA%20REZUMAT.doc (accessed September 1, 2015), 6.

A devoted chamber musician, Ruha founded the Philharmonic Quartet in 1964, together with concertmaster Vasile Horváth, violist Vasile Fülöp, and cellist Iacob Dula. The ensemble performed many recitals both in Romania and abroad, culminating with a successful performance at the famous Carnegie Hall in New York City in 1995.104

His artistic portfolio, fuelled by his reputation as a soloist with a vast repertoire and wide availability, included thousands of concerts, where he often performed as a guest along with great orchestras and world-famous musical personalities. Throughout his solo career, Ştefan

Ruha held an uninterrupted series of concerts and recitals, harmoniously intermingled with a remarkable teaching activity, at the violin department of Gheorghe Dima Music Academy in

Cluj-Napoca. In addition, he was part of many masterclasses, being frequently invited to teach at the Tibor Varga Music Academy in Sion Switzerland.105

Among some of his most prominent students it is worth mentioning Andrei Agoston who won the first prize in the Fritz Kreisler Competition in Vienna, and whose career as a soloist carries him on stages both nationally and internationally. In addition, another remarkable student in Stefan Ruha is Rudolf Fatyol who received the second prize in the Michelangela Abbado

Competition in Italy, and presently is the artistic director and soloist of Satu-Mare Philharmonic.

Ştefan Ruha’s art of violin managed to conquer both a public of music lovers, and the most exacting music critics. His joy of playing and making music, his ease in approaching the most difficult passages of virtuosity, and the nobility and sensuality of his cantilenas touched the

104 Capata, Fenomenul Stefan Ruha, Virtuoz si Simbol at Artei Violonistice a Secolului XX, 6.

105 Ibid.

71 audience. His amazing memory and strength enabled him to perform up to three concerts on the same evening, often followed by the insistently urged encores of the music-loving audiences.106

B.4 Leonora Geanta

Leonora Geanta was born in 1950, to a family of musicians as the daughter of Ionel

Geanta, violinist and professor at the Bucharest Conservatory, and Cecilia Geanta, also violin professor. She started violin lessons at the age of five, having her father as mentor, and later she studied at the Bucharest Conservatory with George Manoliu.107 Her participation and success in numerous competitions, such as first prize in the George Enescu Competition and second prize in the Fritz Kreisler Competition in Vienna, offered her an opportunity and scholarship to study at the Vienna Music Academy, and later in Venice under the tutelage of Remy Principe.

As an active concert violinist, she had the opportunity to entertain audiences in Austria,

Italy, Germany, Switzerland, Holland, and Taiwan among others. Her sensitivity for music and a flawless technique were influenced by the socio-cultural and the family’s musical environment in which she grew up and developed as a musician. Following her studies at the Music Academy in

Vienna, Leonora Geanta became Wolfgang Schneiderhann’s assistant, and presently she is a full professor at the same institution.108

106 Sarbu, Vioara si Maestii Ei de la Origini Pana Azi, 480.

107 Ibid., 488.

108 Ibid.

B.5 Silvia Marcovici

Another woman who made history in the world of violinists both in Romania and overseas is Silvia Marcovici. Born in 1952 in Bacau, her talent for violin was discovered at a very early age. She was a laureate of many National School Festivals and Music Institutes in

Bucharest in 1960, 1962, and 1964. In order to support the development of her musical talents, her family moved to Bucharest with her where she attended the George Enescu Music School and took private lessons from the renowned pedagogue Stefan Gheorghiu. Later she became his student at the Ciprian Porumbescu Conservatory.109

Of particular note, among the competitions she participated in, she received second prize at the Jacques Thibaud International Competition in 1969, where the first prize was not offered to any of the competitors, making her the second Romanian violinist to win the competition, along with Stefan Ruha. In addition, in 1970 she was the winner of the George Enescu

International Competition in Bucharest, the competition being the last edition which took place in Romania. Her international career started in 1969 at the age of 15 with her debut concert with the Hague Symphony. In 1972 she was invited to perform as soloist with the London Symphony, in a special concert conducted by Leopold Stokowski in celebration of his 90th birthday, performing the Alexander Glazunov Violin Concerto. Later, Marcovici was offered to record the concerto with the London Symphony for Decca Records under Stokowski’s baton. Back in

Romania, along with pianist Valentin Gheorghiu, she recorded eight of Beethoven’s Violin

Sonatas for Piano and Violin for Electrecord Records.

109 Sarbu, Vioara si Maestii Ei de la Origini Pana Azi, 492.

Her remarkable technique, elegance, tone clarity, and sensitive musical phrasing offered

Marcovici the opportunity to perform on some of the most important stages in the world. She performed with the New York Philharmonic under Zubin Mehta, Philadelphia Orchestra under

Eugene Ormandy, Washington National Orchestra under Mstilav Rostropovich, and the Chicago

Symphony under Andre Previn among others. American violinist Ruth Ray appreciated

Marcovici for “her ease of expressive and pure sound.”110 Moreover, The Strad Magazine describes her performance of Bartok’s Second Violin Concerto with the Vancouver Symphony as follows: “Marcovici’s expressive tone and zealous interpretation were ideally suited to this concerto- her affinity was made clear from the opening bars.”111 Marcovici continues to participate in International festivals such as Ravinia, Meadowbrook, and Saratoga, and teaches violin at the Saarbrücken Conservatory and at the Tibor Varga Festival in Sion, Switzerland.

B.6 Mihaela Martin

“The Romanian-born Mihaela Martin has achieved a reputation as one of the most outstanding virtuoso violinists of the generation”, the International Violin Competition of

Indianapolis describes her.112 Martin started taking lessons with her father at the age of five, and later went to study with Stefan Gheorghiu, a pupil of David Oistrakh and George Enescu. At the age of twelve she performed her debut concert, playing Felix Mendelssohn Violin Concerto at the Romanian Ateneum. Soon she meet Silvia Marcovici, at that time already a laureate of the

110 Sarbu, Vioara si Maestii Ei de la Origini Pana Azi, 493.

111 Barbara McDougall, Coerts: “ilvia Marovii The Strad 106 (1995): 424.

112 Mihaela Marti, Iteratioal Violi Copetitio of Idiaapolis, aessed August , , https://www.violin.org/mihaela-martin.

George Enescu and Jacques Thibaud competitions, and the two of them maintained a close relationship of cordiality and mutual admiration, which would help Martin on her future career path.

Shortly after, Martin established a well-deserved reputation in the musical circles through her participation and winner of numerous international competitions. One of her first prizes was in the Blasgow International Competition. Others to follow were first prize in the Bordeaux

International Competition in 1977, first prize in the Tibor Varga International Competition in

1978, second prize in the Pyotr Ilych Tchaikovski International Competition in 1978, second prize in the Montreal International Competition in 1979, and finally, first prize and the gold medal in the International Violin Competition of Indianapolis in 1982, a pivotal step in her career.113

Martin had the opportunity to perform with the BBC Symphony Orchestra, Royal

Philharmonic, Orchestre Symphonique de Montréal, and Salzburg Mozarteum under such conductors as Kurt Masur, Charles Dutoit, and Neeme Järvi. As a devoted chamber musician,

Mihaela Martin participates in many festivals, performing with a variety of partners such as

Martha Argerich, Elisabeth Leonskaya, Leon Fleicher, Yuri Bashmet, and Nobuko Imai. In addition, in 2002 she founded the Michelangelo String Quartet along with violinist Stephan

Picard, violist Nobuko Imai, and cellist Frans Helmerson.114

Her success in the Indianapolis Competition brought Martin a multitude of performing engagements. Her debut concert at Carnegie Hall in 1982 was described by New York Times as

113 Sarbu, Vioara si Maestii Ei de la Origini Pana Azi, 494.

114 Martin, accessed August 3, 2015, https://www.violin.org/mihaela-martin.

“the most exciting debut of the year.”115 In addition, she performed recitals at the Library of

Congress in Washington D.C. and recorded with pianist Paul Ostrovsky for Vox Cum Laude.

Martin is a frequent jury member at important international competitions such as Indianapolis in

USA, Tchaikovsky in Russia, Queen Elisabeth in Belgium, and Enescu in Romania. Currently she is a professor at University of Music in Cologne and at the Haute Ecole de Musique in

Geneva, being an inspiration for many generations of violinists both in Romania and abroad.116

B.7 Serban Lupu

Last but not least, Serban Lupu is another significant figure for the Romanian violin school of music. Born in Brasov in 1952, he studied at the Bucharest Music School and later at the Ciprian Porumbescu Conservatory as a pupil of George Manoliu. Later he studied at Guilhall

School of Music in London with Yfrah Neaman and participated in masterclasses with Yehudi

Menihin, Henryk Szeryng, and Nathan Milstein. He was a laureate of a number of international competitions such as the Jacques Thibaud and Carl Flesch competitions. In 1976 he moved to the United States where he was a pupil of Dorothy Delay in New York and Joseph Gingold at the

Indiana University in Bloomington.117

Lupu has a vast repertoire of predominantly romantic and contemporary pieces, and specializes in music of his native country, especially George Enescu’s repertoire. He shows special attachment for Enescu’s Third Violin Sonata “In Popular Romanian Character” and

115 Sarbu, Vioara si Maestii Ei de la Origini Pana Azi, 494.

116 Martin, accesses August 3, 2015, https://www.kronbergacademy.de/cms/english/sp/faculty/mihaela- martin.html.

117 Sarbu, Vioara s Maestrii Ei de la Origini Pana Azi, 497.

Impressions from childhood.118 He performed with major orchestras in Europe and the United

States, such as BBC Orchestra, London Mozart Players, English Chamber Orchestra, and

Indianapolis Chamber orchestra where he acted as concertmaster and artistic director. He also participated in international music festivals like Aldeburg in England and Gstaad in Switzerland, in addition to being the artistic director of the Gubbio Festival in Italy. Serban Lupu’s recordings of Enescu, Bartok, Wieniawski, Ernst, Stravinsky, and Ginastera can be heard on labels such as

Arabesque, ASV, and Continuum. His passion for performing the music of Romanian composers gained Serban Lupu the opportunity to collaborate with the Romanian composer Teodor

Grigoriu, who wrote a violin concerto for him. Trinity Concerto for Violin and Orchestra-

Byzantium after Byzantium was recorded in 1993 by Toccata Classics Label. Lupu has been teaching at the University of Illinois for twenty five years before retiring in 2011.119

In 2000 Serban Lupu received a lifetime achievement award from the Romanian Cultural

Foundation for his efforts to promote Romanian culture and music internationally, and in May

2002 he was given the prestigious Arnold Beckman Award from the Research Board of the

University of Illinois towards the recording of the complete works for violin and piano by Bela

Bartok. In 2005, in association with the Romanian Cultural Institute, Serban Lupu published six volumes of previously unknown works for violin by George Enescu, all of them discovered, edited and arranged by Lupu himself. Later that year, Lupu was nominated as the Director of the

George Enescu Society of the United States.120

118 Sarbu, Vioara si Maestii Ei de la Origini Pana Azi, 497.

119 www.sherbanlupu.com

120 Theodor Grigoriu, liner notes, http://www.toccataclassics.com/liner_notes/TOCC0131-cd-notes.pdf.

APPENDIX C

BIBLIOGRAPHY

BOOKS

Bartholomew, Andrew. “The Politics of Propaganda and Repression in Ceausescu’s Romania.” Bachelor’s thesis, Florida Atlantic University, Jupiter, 2011.

Boldur-Latescu, Gheorghe. The Communist Genocide in Romania. Translated by Daniel Teodorescu. New York: Nova Science Publishers, Inc., 2005.

Brancusi, Petre. Istoria Muzicii Romanesti. Bucutesti, Editura Muzicala a Uniunii Compozitorilor din Republica Socialista Romania, 1969.

Campeanu, Pavel. Ceausescu. The Countdown. Translated by Sorana Corneanu. New York: Columbia University Press, 2003.

Candea, Virgil. An Outline of Romanian History. Translated by Florin Ionescu. Bucharest: Meridiane Publishing House, 1977.

Deletant, Dennis. Romania under Communist Rule. Iasi, Romania: The Center for Romanian Studies, 1999.

Geanta, Ionel and George Manoliu. Manual de Vioara. Volume 1. Bucuresti: Editura Musicala, 1979.

———. Manual de Vioara. Volume 2. Bucuresti: Editura Musicala, 1977.

———. Manual de Vioara. Volume 3. Bucuresti: Editura Musicala, 1983.

———. Manual de Vioara. Volume 4. Bucuresti: Editura Musicala, 1986.

King, Robert R. A History of the Romanian Communist Party. Stanford: Hoover Institution Press, 1980.

Klepper, Nicolae. Romania. An Illustrated History. New York: Hippocrene Books, Inc. 2002.

Manoliu, George. George Enescu. Poet si Ganditor al Viorii. Bucuresti: Editura Muzicala, 1986.

Markham, Reuben H. Rumania under the Soviet Yoke. Boston: Meador Publishing Company, 1949.

Molnar, Haya Leah. Under a Red Sky. Memoir of a Childhood in Communist Romania. New York: Frances Foster Books, 2010.

Montias, John Michael. Economic Development in Communist Rumania. Cambridge: Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 1967.

Musat, Mircea and Ion Ardeleanu. Progress and Revolution in Modern Romania. A Chronological History of the Romanian Working-class and Communist Movement 1983- 1980. Bucharest: Editura Stiintifica si Enciclopedica, 1981.

Nelson, Daniel N. Romanian Politics in the Ceausescu Era. New York: Gordon and Breach Science Publishers, 1988.

Sarbu, Ion. Vioara si Maestrii. Ei de la Origini Pana Azi. Bucuresti: Info Team, 2000.

JOURNAL ARTICLES

Chirot, Daniel. “Social Change in Communist Romania.” Social Forces 57, no. 2 (December, 1978): 457-499. Accessed August 20, 2015. http://www.jstor.org/stable/2577678

Crotty, Joel. “A Preliminary Investigation of Music, Socialist Realism, and the Romanian Experience, 1948-1959: (Re)reading, (Re)listening, and (Re)writing Music History for a Different Audience.” Journal or Musicological Research 26 (2007): 151-176. Doi: 10.1080/01411890701354446.

Ienei, Aurora. “Personalities of the Romanian Interpretative School. Florica Musicescu.” Muzica: Revista Uniunii Compozitorilor din R.P.R. si a Comitetului de Stat pentru Cultura si Arta 30 (1980): 15-19, accessed February 2, 2015.

Manoliu, George. “Meanings of an Artistic Event: The First Audition, in Paris, of the Concert in D for Violin and Orchestra, K.V. 271-A (the 7th) by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart.” George Enescu si Muzica Secolului XX: Simpozionul Interntional de Muzicologie “George Enescu” 1991 (1998): 92-94.

Manoliu, George. “Musical Sources-Ramnicu Valcea.” Muzica: Revista Uniunii Compozitorilor din R.P.R. si a Comitetului de Stat pentru Cultura si Arta 30 (1980): 53-54, accessed September 16, 2015.

Manoliu. George. “The Romanian School of the Violin: The Present Outlook.” Muzica: Revista Uniunii Compozitorilor din R.P.R. si a Comitetului de Stat pentru Cultura si Arta 24, no. 7 (1974): 43- 46, accessed February 18, 2015.

Manoliu, George. “Thoughts of the Interpreter.” Muzica: Revista Uniunii Compozitorilor in R.P.R. si a Comitetului de Stat pentru Cultura si Arta 23, no. 12 (1973): 9, accessed October 7, 2015.

McDougall, Barbara. “Concerts: Silvia Marcovici.” Review of December 5, 1994, Vancover Symphony Orchestra in Orpheum Theatre, Vancover, The Strad 106, no. 1260 (April, 1995): 424.

Paladi, Irina. “George Enescu: Poet and thinker of the Violin.” Nuova Rivista Musicale Italiana 24 (1991): 531-532. Accessed September 10, 2015.

Radulescu, Speranta. “Traditional Musics and Ethnomusicology: Under Political Pressure: The Romanian Case.” Anthropology Today 13, No. 6 (Dec., 1997): 8-12. Accessed February 9, 2015. http://www.jstor.org/stable/2783376.

Vasile, Vasile. “Societatea Compozitorilor Romani, Moment Crucial in Istoria Muzicii Romanesti si Consecintele Asupra Culturii Nationale.” Revista Muzica 4 (2010): 41-89.

ONLINE RESOURCES

Capata, Mirela. “Fenomenul Stefan Ruha, Virtuoz si Simbol al Artei Violonistice a Secolului XX.” http://www.amgd.ro/upload/files/MIRELA%20CAPATA%20REZUMAT.doc (accessed September 1, 2015).

Grigoriu, Theodor. Byzantium after Byzantium. Sherban Lupu, Violin. Ian Hobson, Conductor. Toccata Classics TOCC 0131, 2013. One Compact Disc. Liner notes by Viorel Cosma.

International Violin Competition of Indianapolis. “Mihaela Martin.” International Violin Competition of Indianapolis. 2001-2015. https://www.violin.org/mihaela-martin (accessed August 30, 2015).

Lupu, Sherban. “Bio.” Sherban Lupu: Violinist. 3002-2012. http://www.sherbanlupu.com/bio/index.html (accessed August 30, 2015).

When Propaganda Ruled: Nicolae Ceausescu, King of Communism. Films on Demand, 2001. Accessed November 12, 2015. http://digital.films.com/PortalPlaylists.aspx?aid=1274&xtid=32672.

REFERENCED WORKS

Burada, Teodor. 12 Studii pentru Vioara, ed. George Manoliu (Bucuresti: Editura Muzicala a Uniunii Compozitorilor din Republica Socialista Romania, 1964).

Enescu, George. Sonata pentru Pian si Vioara in La Minor: Lucrare Inedita, partea I, ed. George Manoliu (Bucuresti: Editura Muzicala, 1983).

Filip, Vasile. Sase Capricii in Stil Romanesc pentru Vioara Solo (Bucuresti: Editura Muzicala a Uniunii Compozitorilor, 1956).

Filip, Vasile. Suita Romaneasca pentru Vioara Solo (Bucuresti: Editura Muzicala a Uniunii Compozitorilor, 1954).

Iftinchi, Modest. Independenta Degetelor (Bucuresti: Conservatorul de Muzica “Ciprian Porumbescu,” 1980).

Iftinchi, Modest. Schimburi de Pozitii in Duble Coarde (Bucuresti: Editura Muzicala a Uniunii Compozitorilor, 1971).

Iftinchi, Modest. Studiul Schimburilor de Pozitie la Vioara (Bucuresti: Conservatorul de Muzica “Ciprian Porumbescu,” 1998).

Kayser, Heinrich E. Studii pentru Vioara: op. 20, ed. Ionel Geanta (Bucuresti: Editura Muzicala, 1965).

Klenck, Robest. Method for Violin (Bucuresti: Editura Muzicala, 1960-1970).

Kotlearov, Boris. George Enescu (Moscow: 1970).

Locatelli, Pietro. Sonata in Sol Minor: pentru Vioara si Pian, ed. George Manoliu (Bucuresti: Editura Muzicala a Uniunii Compozitorilor din Republica Socialista Romania, 1965).

Malcolm, Noel. George Enescu. His Life and Music (London: Toccata Press, 1990).

Mazas, Jacques F. 36 Studii pentru Vioara: op. 36, ed. George Manoliu (Bucuresti: Editura Muzicala a Uniunii Compozitorilor din Republica Socialista Romania, 1965).

Veracini, Francesco M. Sonata pentru Vioara si Pian (Mi Minor), ed. George Manoliu (Bucuresti: Editura Muzicala a Uniunii Compozitorilor din Republica Socialista Romania, 1966).

INTERVIEWS

Ionescu-Galati, Ilarion. Interview by the author. Phone interview. Tallahassee, July 3, 2015.

Manoliu, Anca. Interview by the author. Phone interview. Tallahassee, July 29, 2015.

BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH

A native of Romania, violinist Tania Aniela Moldovan started playing the violin at age six and her musical training at age seven with Prof. Liliana Fagarasan. Born in a family of artists where painting and music were part of the daily life, they bought a violin and decided to have their older daughter play the violin. Ms. Moldovan participated in prestigious competitions in

Romania and won several awards. She toured in France and Greece with several orchestras.

After studying with Prof. Adrian Cardan at Sigismund Toduta Music High School, Mrs.

Moldovan attended the Gheorghe Dima Music Conservatory in Cluj-Napoca for one year where she studied with Prof. Titus Flueras. In 2006 Ms. Moldovan was awarded a full scholarship at

Bowling Green State University, where she earned both a Bachelor and a Master of Music in

Violin Performance under the guidance of Professor Vasile Beluska. As a graduate student at

Bowling Green State University, Ms. Moldovan was part of the Graduate String Quartet and served as concert master of the Philharmonia Orchestra and Camerata di Bocce chamber orchestra. Since 2013, Ms. Moldovan is pursuing a Doctor of Music Degree in Violin

Performance at Florida State University, where she is a graduate teaching assistant, studying under Professor Eliot Chapo and Dr. Benjamin Sung.

Ms. Moldovan is an active orchestra player and solo performer. She frequently performs with the Pensacola Symphony, Valdosta Symphony, and Tallahassee Symphony among others.

She performed in recitals both in the United States and in her native country of Romania. She also performs with her husband, guitarist Silviu Ciulei, in Duo Silvania. In her free time, Ms.

Moldovan makes beautifully handcrafted jewelries, takes pictures, and admires nature’s imperfections.