Music CD details

Sherban Lupu

'Sherban Lupu and the Peasant Virtuosos of Romania'

(EDC568)

Musicians:


Sherban Lupu - violin
with:
Ioan Paul (Budeşti, Maramureş) - violin
Ioan Pop (Hoteni, Maramureş) voice, zongora, cetera, contra, pipe, doba
Constantin Lupu (Botoşani) - violin
Gheorghe Meti (Negreşti-Oaş) - ceteră
Emil Mihaiu (Gherla) - ceteră
(The other musicians are permanent collaborators of the aforementioned violinists.)

'Romanian fiddle music played with verve....
... Lupu has the spirit, dash and verve that is right for this music, and which is so often lacking when classical musicians venture into traditional repertoire.... Lupu explores regional music across the country, so there's a variety of styles and textures on display... highly recommended as an introduction to the wild world of Romanian fiddling.'
Simon Broughton - Songlines Magazine

50 page booklet in Romanian and English giving details on the music and musicians.

Violinist Sherban Lupu is the music professor for the University of Illinois, USA. In 2001 he was awarded a lifetime achievement award by the Romanian Cultural Foundation for his efforts to promote Romanian culture and music.

Extract from CD notes:
'This CD contains the testimony of a touching experience: a very talented violinist, the product of elite classical education, generates an encounter – and a contest, if you wish – with various bands of Romanian folk instrument players. On their grounds. And not only does he hold out – not for one moment is he put in a delicate situation; moreover, despite the diversity of the cultural areas they tackle, or maybe because of that, he achieves an ideal synthesis in the field of folk dance and, fragmentarily, of the lyrical song.

The violinist’s name is Sherban Lupu. He lives in the United States of America where he is teaching at the University of Illinois and leads a very busy concert and academic life, but he has never severed the profound ties to his native land. In fact, he has constantly strengthened them, by performing Romanian musical pieces, especially the repertoire of George Enescu’s violin compositions...

A great deal may be said about the contents of this CD; the experience is fascinating, but I will have to limit myself to these lines. This kind of competition had taken place before as well, for instance between Yehudi Menuhin and the charming jazz violinist Stéphane Grapelli. In our case, the stylistic area is broader, and the results perhaps more conclusive. The first thing to be noticed is the excellent choice (with Speranţa Rădulescu’s assistance) of pieces and partners; the pieces are as beautiful as they are representative for the respective regions...

...As far as the violin is concerned: Sherban Lupu plays very accurately (with perfect intonation), whereas his folk partners always keep traces of delightful intonation “impurities”; Sherban Lupu always uses the classical trill (from the finger), whereas his folk counterparts do not shun the trill produced by intense vibrato (with the finger remaining firm); finally, in quick movements, Sherban Lupu is predisposed to spiccato, while the others, practically, seldom renounce playing „on the string”.

...It was natural for a slight preference for some folk styles to turn up. In our case, I feel I am not mistaken if I affirm that it is to the Moldavian repertoire that Sherban Lupu comes closest, perhaps as a result of his in-depth study of Enescu’s astounding 3rd Sonata, as well as of the problems encountered during the restoration of Caprice roumain. It may be just a subjective impression. At any rate, the assimilation of folk styles is impressive, irrespective of the researched region.

...There are three lyrical songs on the record (tracks 23-25), and, as they are very good, one may be surprised at not finding more. Even so, they are a welcome respite in the midst of 28 dance tunes.

There are pieces played mainly in unison by our violinist and the folk band leader, or primaş (tracks 1-5, 8-13, 16-17). In other pieces, they often play in octaves, with Sherban Lupu invariably opting for the upper register. Finally, the most instructive moments occur when the two virtuosos alternate (tracks 12, 18, 20 and 22). Here it is the easiest to notice both the immense degree of closeness and the small differences – luckily irreconcilable. Be that as it may, Sherban Lupu’s lively dialogue with the groups of folk instrumentalists is striking; in some pieces, he appears as the only primaş (tracks 6-7, 14, 19, 21, 23-31), and the joint effort shows perfect integration in the spirit of each piece, on the one hand, and the preservation of, or even the emphasis on, a superior idea, that of a fundamental unity of the prospected repertoire, on the other.

... Sherban Lupu’s performance remains astonishing; an almost perfect adjustment to the mental (and, as a result, artistic) structures specific to very talented primaşi and instrument players selected from different regions of Romania. In this challenging way, he stimulates reflection on the unity – at a higher level – of the entire musical folklore of the country.'
Pascal Bentoiu

GBP 9.97

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Sherban Lupu

'Sherban Lupu and the Peasant Virtuosos of Romania'

(EDC568)

This symbol  indicates an mp3 sound clip for that track. Click on the symbol and wait for the clip to start. For more information click here. Tracks

1. Suite of „De învârtit” Dances from Poieni (Poieni village, Maramureş) (5'10") 2. Suite of „De învârtit” Dances from Iza and Mara (Maramureş) (5'57") 3. Polka (Bihor) (1'04") 4. Pe picior (Bihor) (1'27") 5. Nemţeanu’s Hora (Săveni, Botoşani) (2'15") 6. Toader Ţintă’s Boyar Hora (Cristineşti, Botoşani) (1'41") 7. Perişan’s Boyar Bora (Ichimeni, Botoşani) (3'15") 8. Retuned Strings Hora (Botoşani) (1'30") 9. Retuned Strings Sârba (Botoşani) (1'57") 10. Sârba from Havîrna (Darabani, Botoşani) (2'45") 11. Hora „Pe hang” (Albeşti, Botoşani) (2'19") 12. Sârba „Pe hang” (Albeşti, Botoşani) (1'50") 13. Ţărăneasca (Babiceni, Botoşani) (1'49") 14. „De jucat” Dance (Turţ, Oaş) (0'57") 15. Suite of two „De ţîpurit” Dances (Moişeni, Oaş) (3'46") 16. De început (central Transylvania) (2'44") 17. Suite of „Pe doi paşi” Dances (central Transylvania) 3'53") 18. Young Men’s Dance (Fecioreşte) (I) (Soporu de Câmpie, Cluj) (1'46") 19. Young Men’s Dance (Fecioreşte) (II) (Soporu de Câmpie, Cluj) (1'18") 20. Hărţagul (I) (Soporu de Câmpie, Cluj) (2'17") 21. Hărţagul (II) (Soporu de Câmpie, Cluj) (2'47") 22. Hărţagul (III) (Soporu de Câmpie, Cluj) (1'23") 23. Grandfather Lupu’s Doina (southern Transylvania) (2'35") 24. Lyrical Song' Sweet Forest (Chişîndia, Arad) (3'09") 25. Lyrical Song' When I Lived At My Mother’s (Cerişor, Hunedoara) (2'51") 26. Hora (I) (Ştirbei, Olt) (1'28") 27. Sârba (Ştirbei, Olt) (1'27") 28. Hora (II) (Ştirbei, Olt) (1'29") 29. Măcelăreasa (Nicolae Bălcescu, Teleorman) (3'44") 30. De tare (Nereju, Vrancea) (1'53") 31. Căluşul (Fierbinţi, Ilfov) (1'14")

Duration (73'40")

Our mp3 samples are approximately 30 seconds long and of low(ish) quality for a fast download (file size app 300KB)

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