Folk elements in the Romanian violin repertoire of the 20th century composers Vasile Filip, Paul Constantinescu and Sigismund Toduţă

This recording project features five twentieth-century Romanian folk-inspired pieces for violin. This document aims to help these pieces achieve wider recognition outside of Romania’s borders, expand the representation of Romanian musical traditions and add to the violin repertoire. It is my hope that the publishing of this recording project will lead to more interest and desire to perform and research Romanian folk-inspired music. Furthermore, the project highlights the specific Romanian folk elements utilized in each of the compositions by looking at rhythm and melody and how the composers drew on the folk elements through their works, promoting their national identity. The pieces included in this project are Suita Românească for solo violin and Caprice No.3 for solo violin by Vasile Filip, Sonatina for violin and piano by Paul Constantinescu, Sonata No.1 for violin and piano and Sonatina for violin and piano by Sigismund Toduţă.

This project will be a resource for scholars, performers and teachers for understanding the folk elements represented through these pieces. This document not only provides insightful background information about the composers and their works but also offers practical technical guidance for future performers of these works. Complementing this document are professional recordings of each of the five pieces performed by the author, which serve as valuable references for aspiring performers.