Grigoras Dinicu
Encyclopedia
Grigoraş Ionică Dinicu was a Romania
n composer
and violin
ist or violin virtuoso. He is most famous for his often-played virtuoso violin
showpiece "Hora staccato
" (1906) and for making popular the tune Ciocârlia
, composed by his grandfather Angheluș Dinicu for "nai" (the Romanian pan flute
). It is rumored that Jascha Heifetz
once said that Grigoraş Dinicu was the greatest violinist he had ever heard. In the 1930s he was involved in the political movement of the Romanian Roma and was made honorary president of the "General Union of the Romanian Roma".
, in the neighborhood of the lăutari
. Because his father was busy with his activity as a lăutar, he handled him to "moş Zamfir", an old violinist, who taught him the first songs. He attended the Bucharest Conservatory, where he studied with Kiriac-Georgescu. The most famous of his teachers was Carl Flesch
, the violin pedagogue, with whom he studied in 1902. He received a scholarship at the Vienna Conservatory, but he was not allowed to go there because he was Romani, an episode that he never forgot.
His music is mostly for violin and piano
, though some pieces (such as Hora staccato) have later been arranged for other combinations of instruments (for example, trumpet
and piano, as well as violin and orchestra and a popular arrangement by Russian mandolin
virtuoso Dave Apollon
). Other works of Dinicu's, all in a light, in classical or lăutareasc style, include Hora spiccato, Hora de concert, Hora mărţişorului (Mărţişor, literally "little March", is a major Romanian seasonal holiday on March 1), Hora de la Chiţorani ("Hora from Chiţorani", a town in Prahova
county), Hora Expoziţiei de la Paris ("Hora of the Paris Exposition
"), Improvisation à la Dinicu ("Improvisation in the style of Dinicu"), Orientale à la tzigane ("Orientale in Gypsy style"), and Sârba lui Tanţi ("Tanţi's sârba"; a sârba
is another type of Romanian dance).
He died in Bucharest
of laryngeal cancer.
violinist Stéphane Grappelli
was a great admirer of Dinicu and of the way that the violin was played in the lăutarească music.
Romania
Romania is a country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeastern Europe, on the Lower Danube, within and outside the Carpathian arch, bordering on the Black Sea...
n composer
Composer
A composer is a person who creates music, either by musical notation or oral tradition, for interpretation and performance, or through direct manipulation of sonic material through electronic media...
and violin
Violin
The violin is a string instrument, usually with four strings tuned in perfect fifths. It is the smallest, highest-pitched member of the violin family of string instruments, which includes the viola and cello....
ist or violin virtuoso. He is most famous for his often-played virtuoso violin
Violin
The violin is a string instrument, usually with four strings tuned in perfect fifths. It is the smallest, highest-pitched member of the violin family of string instruments, which includes the viola and cello....
showpiece "Hora staccato
Hora staccato
Hora staccato is a virtuoso violin showpiece by Grigoraş Dinicu. It is a short, fast work in a Romanian hora style, and has become a favorite encore of violinists, especially in the 1932 arrangement by Jascha Heifetz. The piece requires an exceptional command of both upbow and downbow staccato...
" (1906) and for making popular the tune Ciocârlia
Ciocârlia (folk tune)
Ciocârlia is a well-known Romanian lăutaresc tune, composed by the Romani-Romanian naist Angheluş Dinicu in the virtuosic style of the urban lăutaresacă music from late 19th century....
, composed by his grandfather Angheluș Dinicu for "nai" (the Romanian pan flute
Pan flute
The pan flute or pan pipe is an ancient musical instrument based on the principle of the closed tube, consisting usually of five or more pipes of gradually increasing length...
). It is rumored that Jascha Heifetz
Jascha Heifetz
Jascha Heifetz was a violinist, born in Vilnius, then Russian Empire, now Lithuania. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest violinists of all time.- Early life :...
once said that Grigoraş Dinicu was the greatest violinist he had ever heard. In the 1930s he was involved in the political movement of the Romanian Roma and was made honorary president of the "General Union of the Romanian Roma".
Early life and education
He was born in BucharestBucharest
Bucharest is the capital municipality, cultural, industrial, and financial centre of Romania. It is the largest city in Romania, located in the southeast of the country, at , and lies on the banks of the Dâmbovița River....
, in the neighborhood of the lăutari
Lautari
The Romanian word Lăutar denotes a class of traditional musicians. Most often, and by tradition, Lăutari are members of a professional clan of Romani musicians , also called Ţigani lăutari. The term is derived from Lăută the name of a string instrument...
. Because his father was busy with his activity as a lăutar, he handled him to "moş Zamfir", an old violinist, who taught him the first songs. He attended the Bucharest Conservatory, where he studied with Kiriac-Georgescu. The most famous of his teachers was Carl Flesch
Carl Flesch
Carl Flesch was a violinist and teacher.Carl Flesch was born in Moson in Hungary in 1873. He began playing the violin at seven years of age. At 10, he was taken to Vienna, and began to study with Jakob Grün. At 17, he left for Paris, and joined the Paris Conservatoire...
, the violin pedagogue, with whom he studied in 1902. He received a scholarship at the Vienna Conservatory, but he was not allowed to go there because he was Romani, an episode that he never forgot.
Career
After graduation he played violin with the Orchestra of the Ministry of Public Instruction, and also performed as a soloist. Hora staccato dates from the beginning of this period; he wrote it as a graduation exercise. For forty years, from 1906 until 1946, he directed popular music concerts. He also toured abroad as a soloist and conductor, and he also played a great deal of light music in nightclubs, hotels, restaurants, and cafés in Bucharest and throughout Western Europe.His music is mostly for violin and piano
Piano
The piano is a musical instrument played by means of a keyboard. It is one of the most popular instruments in the world. Widely used in classical and jazz music for solo performances, ensemble use, chamber music and accompaniment, the piano is also very popular as an aid to composing and rehearsal...
, though some pieces (such as Hora staccato) have later been arranged for other combinations of instruments (for example, trumpet
Trumpet
The trumpet is the musical instrument with the highest register in the brass family. Trumpets are among the oldest musical instruments, dating back to at least 1500 BCE. They are played by blowing air through closed lips, producing a "buzzing" sound which starts a standing wave vibration in the air...
and piano, as well as violin and orchestra and a popular arrangement by Russian mandolin
Mandolin
A mandolin is a musical instrument in the lute family . It descends from the mandore, a soprano member of the lute family. The mandolin soundboard comes in many shapes—but generally round or teardrop-shaped, sometimes with scrolls or other projections. A mandolin may have f-holes, or a single...
virtuoso Dave Apollon
Dave Apollon
Dave Apollon was a Russian mandolin player.Today Dave Apollon is regarded as one of the most innovative and influential mandolinists of the Twentieth Century, whose more notable recordings/performances include Two Guitars, Hora staccato by Grigoraş Dinicu and Zigeunerweisen aka "Gypsy Airs" by...
). Other works of Dinicu's, all in a light, in classical or lăutareasc style, include Hora spiccato, Hora de concert, Hora mărţişorului (Mărţişor, literally "little March", is a major Romanian seasonal holiday on March 1), Hora de la Chiţorani ("Hora from Chiţorani", a town in Prahova
Prahova County
Prahova is a county of Romania, in the historical region Muntenia, with the capital city at Ploieşti.-Demographics:In 2002, it had a population of 829,945 and the population density was 176/km². It is Romania's most populated county, having a population density double than the country's mean...
county), Hora Expoziţiei de la Paris ("Hora of the Paris Exposition
Paris Exposition
Paris Exposition or Paris Exhibition can refer to*The French Industrial Exposition of 1844-World's fair:* Exposition Universelle , The Paris Exposition of 1855* Exposition Universelle , The Paris Exposition of 1867...
"), Improvisation à la Dinicu ("Improvisation in the style of Dinicu"), Orientale à la tzigane ("Orientale in Gypsy style"), and Sârba lui Tanţi ("Tanţi's sârba"; a sârba
Sârba
A Sârba or Sîrba is a Romanian dance normally played in 2/2 or 2/4 time. It can be danced in a circle, line, or couple formations and was historically popular not only among Romanians, but also Ukrainians, Hungarians, East European Jews, and the Poles of the Tatra Mountains...
is another type of Romanian dance).
He died in Bucharest
Bucharest
Bucharest is the capital municipality, cultural, industrial, and financial centre of Romania. It is the largest city in Romania, located in the southeast of the country, at , and lies on the banks of the Dâmbovița River....
of laryngeal cancer.
Miscellanea
The jazz manoucheGypsy jazz
Gypsy jazz is an idiom often said to have been started by guitarist Jean "Django" Reinhardt in the 1930s. Because its origins are largely in France it is often called by the French name, "Jazz manouche," or alternatively, "manouche jazz," even in English language sources...
violinist Stéphane Grappelli
Stéphane Grappelli
Stéphane Grappelli was a French jazz violinist who founded the Quintette du Hot Club de France with guitarist Django Reinhardt in 1934. It was one of the first all-string jazz bands....
was a great admirer of Dinicu and of the way that the violin was played in the lăutarească music.