romanian
project
The ROMANIAN PROJECT is made of the concerts performed by the Flauto Dolce Ensemble of Cluj (Zoltan Majo, artistic director, Maria Szabo, Agnes Toth
The programme of profane music will be entitled “Music from the Baroque Period in Romania” and presents an interesting contamination of the Hebrew music and of eastern and popular music. They will concentrate on the works of: Gabriel Reilich (1643-1677): Lieder Das Erste – Jesu meine… (Hermannstadt, today Sibiu, Romania, 1677) The organist Gabriel Reilich from Hermannstadt (today Sibiu, Romania) is a composer of a collection of non-liturgical songs, although mainly on religious themes (Geistlich-Musikalischer Blum- und Rosen-Wald, Hermannstadt, 1677), from which collection the Romanian composer Hans Peter Türk realized a modern edition (Editia Muzica, Bucuresti, 1984). Heinrich Albert (1604-1651): Junges Volk…. and Was der und jener sagt (two arias) Many of Heinrich Albert’s songs are found even to our days in the Lutheran song-books in Transylvania. Anonymous (The Manuscript of Szentgyörgy, today Sfantu Gheorghe, Romania, 1757): Transylvanian Dances (arrangement by Zoltan Majo).
The original material most probably belonged to a German collector. It contains dances for violin and bass, whose authors are, among others, Hasse, Vivaldi, Telemann, Locatelli and Veracini. On the blany staffs, at the bottom of the pages, an apparently clumsy hand scribbled the other melodies for one voice either entitled Tantz, or simply not bearing any title. All these tunes clearly reflect Transylvania’s multiculturalism.
The programme of sacred music will be entitled “Sacred Early Music from Romania and its reflection in 20th century compositions” will concentrate on Hassidic (Yiddish) Melodies and Songs from region Maramures (Transylvania). They represent a special chapter of Jewish folklore. They constitute the most original and noble aspect of Jewish folklore. Anonymous (Codex Kajoni, 17th century): Messias iam venit … The most important among these is the well-known Codex Kajoni which includes, among other works, also a Roman Catholic chant which has been somewhat taken over also by the Romanians who had remained faithful to the Eastern rite. In this same codex we can find the following songs and instrumental pieces: Stabat mater dolorosa, Decantabat populus Israel, Cuncta fac nos despicere, Alleluia, Gaudeamus omnes, Salve Regina, etc.
Many of Heinrich Albert’s songs (Heinrich Albert (1604-1651): Lieder ) are found even to our days in the Lutheran song-books in Transylvania. Johann Sartorius (1712-1787): Aria Des Taufers Zeugnis von sich selbst (4. Sonntag im Advent) Aria Des Taufers Frage (3. Sonntag im Advent) (Hermannstadt, today Sibiu, Romania, around 1772) The Transylvanian Saxon (German) evangelic communities often engaged excellent musicians from western Europe. They were also the foundation of good musical relations between Transylvania and the German cities, first of all Leipzig (we can also find former students of Bach among the organists in Hermannstadt) and Jena.
