Roumanian Rhapsody Op. 11, No. 1 in A Major Cover Image

Roumanian Rhapsody Op. 11, No. 1 in A Major: Full Orchestra, Conductor Score & Parts

$140.00 USD
$140.00 USD
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Roumanian Rhapsody Op. 11, No. 1 in A Major Cover Image
Roumanian Rhapsody Op. 11, No. 1 in A Major: Full Orchestra, Conductor Score & Parts

Roumanian Rhapsody Op. 11, No. 1 in A Major: Full Orchestra, Conductor Score & Parts

By Georges Enesco

Item: 36-A236302
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Roumanian Rhapsody Op. 11, No. 1 in A Major: Full Orchestra, Full Score

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Description
Romanian composer, violinist, and conductor George Enescu (1881-1955) (Fr. Georges Enesco) wrote the two Roumanian (Romanian) Rhapsodies, Op. 11, in 1901. Much like Liszt's Hungarian Rhapsodies, both works deliver the improvisatory feel that one expects when listening to a "rhapsody," although Enescu's incorporates many Romanian folk elements into his work. With only 33 published works to his name, a low number compared to other composers due to Enescu's career as a performer and his extreme perfectionism, these Roumanian Rhapsodies, particularly No. 1, are his best-known works, a fact that Enescu resented a bit given that he thought his later works more mature. Despite this, most consider the rhapsodies to be deserving of their place in the orchestral repertoire. Both premiered together on March 8, 1903, in Bucharest by the Romanian Athenaeum Orchestra, Enescu conducting. Romanian Rhapsody No. 1 in A Major is the better known of the two. Ebullient in nature, it incorporates several Romanian folk dances. Instrumentation: 3(3rd dPicc).2+EH.2.2: 4.2+2Crnt.3.1: Timp.Perc(3): Hp(2): Str (9-8-7-6-5 in set).

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Additional Details
Series: Kalmus Orchestra Library
Publisher: Keiser Productions, Inc.
UPC: 659359888922
SKU: 36-A236302
Instrumentation: 3(3rd dPicc).2+EH.2.2: 4.2+2Crnt.3.1: Timp.Perc(3): Hp(2): Str (9-8-7-6-5 in set)

More about this title

About the Composer: Georges Enesco

Georges Enesco (1881-1955) was a Romanian composer, violinist, and conductor whose career as a performer often took precedence over composition. Despite publishing only 33 works, his influence on 20th-century music and his role as a cultural ambassador for Romania secured his place among significant European composers. He studied at the Vienna Conservatory and Paris Conservatoire, absorbing Central European and French musical traditions while remaining deeply connected to Romanian folk idioms.

Enesco's perfectionism and demanding concert schedule meant that composition occupied less of his attention than his work as a soloist and conductor. This restraint in output, combined with his insistence on artistic integrity, gave weight to every work he completed. The Romanian Rhapsodies, composed in 1901 and premiered in 1903 under his own baton, became his most celebrated works, a fact he famously viewed with mixed feelings, believing his later compositions demonstrated greater maturity.

Why we love this

This is a work that delivers immediate gratification without sacrificing orchestral sophistication. Enesco captures the improvisatory spirit of folk music while maintaining formal coherence, giving your orchestra a piece that sounds dazzling while remaining manageable for mid-level ensembles. The open-air brilliance and rhythmic vitality make it a natural concert-closer that audiences consistently love.

What to expect

Sunlit and exuberant, Romanian Rhapsody No. 1 springs to life with the energy of village celebrations and folk processions. The writing captures the spontaneity of a virtuoso violinist spinning variations on traditional melodies, with orchestral colors shifting from intimate solos to brilliant tutti moments, all infused with the joy and swagger of Romanian dance rhythms.

Who it's for

Orchestra directors seeking a crowd-pleasing finale that showcases both the virtuosity of their ensemble and the richness of Eastern European musical tradition. This work suits advanced high school orchestras and collegiate ensembles with adequate winds and brass sections to manage the full orchestration.

How to get the most out of it

  • Balance the two harps carefully; they provide harmonic shimmer throughout but can easily overshadow the strings if given too much weight in rehearsal.
  • Treat the opening melodic sections with the rubato and freedom suggested by the rhapsody form, but establish a firm pulse once the folk-dance sections accelerate.
  • Cue the third flute (doubling piccolo) prominently during the brighter passages; that high brilliance is essential to the piece's character.
  • Shape the brass entrances with care; the work calls for transparency rather than heavy volume, even when all four horns and three trombones are sounding.

How to use it

Program this as your concert finale to send audiences out energized and satisfied. It pairs naturally with earlier works in Romantic or early modern idioms, and its display of orchestral color and folk authenticity makes it an excellent choice for concerts exploring non-Western European musical traditions or celebrating cultural heritage themes.

Skills your students will build

  • Balancing transparent orchestration while maintaining forward momentum in fast passages
  • Coordinating extended sections with multiple folk-melody variants across different instrumental choirs
  • Executing sudden dynamic shifts and mood changes characteristic of rhapsodic form
  • Managing the interaction of two harps and sustained string writing in the harmonic fabric

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