In the public consciousness, Valentin Gheorghiu, who became a soloist of the Philharmonic in 1950, is the exemplary and universal pianist. The "George Enescu" Philharmonic celebrates him, during the online season, on his 93rd birthday, by broadcasting recordings of concerts given by the maestro, as a soloist, at the Romanian Athenaeum. In order to honor his persevering career, on Friday, March 26^th, 2021, from 19.00, the "George Enescu" Philharmonic will broadcast Concert no. 1, in G minor, for piano and orchestra, op. 25 by Felix Mendelssohn (recording from January 27^th, 2006, conductor Iosif Ion Prunner) and Concerto in D minor for two pianos and orchestra by Francis Poulenc (recording from July 2^nd, 2015, in which Valentin Gheorghiu appears with his wife, pianist Roxana Gheorghiu, conductor Jin Wang).

Concert no. 1 for piano, op. 25 was created by Felix Mendelssohn between 1831-1832. "The ending sounds heroic and boastful, a jure full of youthful vitality, like many other Mendelssohnian creations", appreciates the musicologist Petre Codreanu.

The concerto for two pianos and orchestra was composed by Francis Poulenc in 1932 and performed in the same year by the composer and Jacques Février as soloists in Venice. Regarding the first audition of the Concert, Poulenc remarked: "I confess without any modesty that the first audition was flawless. It was a resounding success, because the work is full of joy and without complications."

Online season 

"George Enescu" Philharmonic

March 26^th, 19.00, Great Hall of the Romanian Athenaeum

Medallion Valentin Gheorghiu

Time schedule

Felix Mendelssohn - Concert no. 1, in G minor, for piano and orchestra, op. 25

Director: Iosif Ion Prunner

(registered on January 27^th, 2006)

Francis Poulenc - Concerto in D minor for two pianos and orchestra

Conductor: Jin Wang

Soloists: Roxana and Valentin Gheorghiu

(registration from July 2^nd, 2015)

The recordings can be listened to on the online channels of the "George Enescu" Philharmonic: website (https://www.fge.org.ro/), on the Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/filarmonica.george. enescu /) and on the YouTube channel (https://bit.ly/2wMctlw).

The media partner of the event is Radio România Muzical.

The concert is broadcast, on Friday evening, on the Facebook page of Radio Romania Muzical (https://www.facebook.com/Radio-Rom%C3%A2nia-Muzical-227784404990).

Valentin Gheorghiu was born in Galaţi, on March 21^st, 1928. He began studying the piano as a child. In 1934 he came to Bucharest and, after being heard by pianist Constanţa Erbiceanu and composer Mihail Jora, he was admitted to the Royal Academy of Music and Dramatic Art in Bucharest, where he studied piano, music theory and harmony with these famous teachers. In 1936 he started with a recital at the Dalles Hall in Bucharest. In the same year, George Enescu listened to him and intervened personally, through letters addressed to the competent forums as well as to professors Noël Gallon and Lazare Lévy from the National Conservatory of Paris, for a scholarship to Paris, where he left in 1937. Back in the country , continues his studies at the Royal Academy of Music in Bucharest, graduating in 1947. He made his debut at the age of 15 with the Bucharest Philharmonic, under the baton of George Georgescu, in Concert no. 1 of Beethoven. Until 1957, he was only allowed to play in the countries of Eastern Europe - the USSR, Czechoslovakia, East Germany, etc. After 1957, he was allowed to appear in the West, giving concerts throughout Europe, the USA, Canada, but also in Israel, Japan, etc. He has collaborated with prestigious conductors, such as: Seiji Ozawa, Rafael Kubelik, John Pritchard, Sir Simon Rattle, Kurt Masur, Antal Dorati, George Georgescu, Cristian Mandeal, Charles Dutoit, Constantin Silvestri, Sergiu Comissiona, Georges Prêtre, Eric Leinsdorf, Armin Jordan, Horia Andreescu, Lawrence Foster, Ferdinand Leitner, Karel Ancerl, Iosif Conta, Emil Simon etc. He has collaborated with orchestras in Dresden, Gewandhaus-Leipzig, Wiener Symphoniker, Orchester Colonne in Paris, Société de Concerts-Paris, Suisse Romande, Bayerischer Rundfunk, Royal Philharmonic in Stockholm and Royal Philharmonic in Madrid, symphony orchestras in Jerusalem, Baltimore, Houston. and so on He recorded for His Masters Voice, Deutsche Gramophon, Supraphon, Electrecord. He was invited as a member of the juries of the most prestigious international piano competitions: "Beethoven" - Vienna, "Tchaikovsky" - Moscow, "Reine Elisabeth" - Brussels, "Chopin" - Warsaw, "Bach" - Leipzig, "Van Cliburn "- USA," M. Long - J. Thibault "- Paris," Paloma O'Shea "- Santander," Leeds "- Great Britain," Arthur Rubinstein "- Tel Aviv," Bayerischer Rundfunk "- Munich," Busoni "- Italy," Maria Callas "- Athens, Geneva etc.

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We wish you a pleasant viewing!