In the Great Hall of the Romanian Athenaeum will take place on Sunday, October 25th, 2024, the recital "In memoriam Valentin Gheorghiu". At the suggestion of Roxana Gheorghiu, the maestro's wife, teacher Carmen Manea, close to the Gheorghiu family, spoke about the event. Participants include pianists Roxana and Valentina Gheorghiu, violinists Gabriel and Simina Critoru, cellists Marin and Ștefan Cazacu and pianist Mihai Ritivoiu.

Mrs. Carmen Manea, on Sunday there will be a homage recital dedicated to the memory of Maestro Valentin Gheorghiu. First of all, please tell us who was Valentin Gheorghiu for you and how important do you think it is to organize such an event?

Maestro Gheorghiu has been a permanent presence in the musical life, but also in my own life, because I have been going to his concerts for almost seven decades. So I have followed his exceptional work over the years and have been one of his most frequent listeners and spectators.

The recital "In memoriam" is very fitting, because we all know the importance that Maestro Gheorghiu had in Romanian music, not only as an exceptional pianist, but also as a composer. And, even though he was not a professor at the Conservatory, through his concerts and his performances of the highest artistic level, he offered a masterclass in every concert he gave.

So, the concert on Sunday, October 25th, is absolutely natural and, in addition to that, it also has aesthetic and emotional connotations. If you look at the performers, they are among the best and closest to the master. These are the pianists Roxana and Valentina, the master's wife and daughter, with whom he has collaborated consistently and extensively over the years. After that, the violinist Gabriel Croitoru, who was the master's duo collaborator and with whom he made the Integrala of Beethoven sonatas, for example, in 2012. Maestro Marin Cazacu, the exceptional cellist and manager of the George Enescu Philharmonic. Their children Simina Croitoru and Ștefan Cazacu, already highly regarded youngsters, will also be there. Last but not least, Mihai Ritivoiu, a pianist who is already internationally known and who was one of the few disciples of Maestro Gheorghiu. Of course, those of us who attended the late pianist's concerts consider ourselves disciples, but he benefited from the master's guidance.

The audience will be able to listen to many of the master's beloved works that he played, as well as his own compositions. The program begins with the Andante from the Trio for violin, cello and piano, written by Valentin Gheorghiu on the death of his brother, Ștefan Gheorghiu - great violinist and teacher. Overall, the programme is evocative, with pieces of great depth. For example, Beethoven's Adagio from Trio No. 4 op. 11, followed by Valentin Gheorghiu's Burlesca for violin and piano. It is an exceptional creation that he dedicated to his friend and collaborator Gabriel Croitoru, who will perform it together with pianist Roxana Gheorghiu. After that, another piece with extraordinary connotations is Dvorak's Slavonic Dance in E minor op. 72, this time performed by Roxana and Valentina Gheorghiu, and then follows one of the master's most beautiful creations - Sonata for cello and piano, performed by Ștefan Cazacu and Mihai Ritivoiu. Two other pieces by Valentin Gheorghiu for 4-hands piano from the suite "Childhood Images", performed by pianists Valentina and Roxana Gheorghiu, will be presented. This suite was originally composed for orchestra, but the maestro also transcribed it for 4 hands. Of course, Antonin Dvorak's Trio "Dumky" op. 90 - an admirable chamber piece that we all love and which has been part of the programme of many concerts given by Valentin Gheorghiu, together with Gabriel Croitoru and Marin Cazacu - could not be missing from the program.

At the end of the concert on October 27th, Rahmaninov's Romanza will be performed - a very beautiful and moving work, which the Gheorghiu family pianists have played many times. This time, for sure, there will be the pianists attending, honoring the memory of the maestro, Roxana Gheorghiu, Valentina Gheorghiu and Mihai Ritivoiu.

So this event is a tribute to the concerts of maestro Gheorghiu, which have always remained in the memory of the audience.