Search - George Enescu, Gennady Rozhdestvensky, BBC Philharmonic Orchestra :: Enescu: Symphony No. 1; Suite No. 3 'Villageoise'

All of Enescu's symphonies are French in style--that is to say they have three movements instead of four, and with a motto theme that recurs across the various movements. The First is a vital and enthusiastic work, ebulliently scored for a large orchestra. It's practically unknown--for no apparent reason other than the fact that it doesn't sound like one of the ever-popular Romanian Rhapsodies. The Third Suite is a very late piece, one of Enescu's last. In it, he indulges himself in feelings of youthful nostalgia and illustrates village scenes from his childhood in Romania. It's music of great poetry and depth, and listening to it is almost like eavesdropping on a private memory. These performances are excellent, as is the sound. --David Hurwitz