Ion Vidu
Encyclopedia
Ion Vidu was a Romania
n composer
and choral conductor. Under his influence the small town of Lugoj, which up until that time had not had much in the way of artistic institutions, became a well-known center of choral music in Romania.
Vidu was born in Mânerău in the Arad district (now part of western Romania), where he initially studied music at the Arad Conservatory (1880-1881) and later at Caransebeş
in the Banat
region just south of Arad (1885). From 1890 to 1891 he attended the Conservatory of Music and Declamation in Iaşi
(in the historical region
of Moldavia
, very near the northeastern border of modern Romania), studying harmony
and choral conducting with Gavriil Musicescu. He subsequently moved back to Banat, obtaining a post in Lugoj (midway between Caransebeş and Timişoara
) where he stayed for the rest of his life. Almost all of his compositions are for chorus. In 1922 he organized the Banat Choral and Brass Band Society, which at one time included more than 10,000 peasant singers. Like his friends and fellow composers Gavriil Musicescu, Béla Bartók
, and Dimutru Kiriac-Georgescu, he was an avid collector of folk music
. Vidu based most of his music on Romanian folk tunes, although he avoided the modes
characteristic of folk music and primarily used major and minor
tonality
. His first collection of choral music, Severina (1899), became so well known, that many of the original melodies from it are often mistakenly thought to be authentic folk tunes. The patriotic, anti-Habsburg
flavor of his succeeding works also proved to be very popular.
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 choral conductor. Under his influence the small town of Lugoj, which up until that time had not had much in the way of artistic institutions, became a well-known center of choral music in Romania.
Vidu was born in Mânerău in the Arad district (now part of western Romania), where he initially studied music at the Arad Conservatory (1880-1881) and later at Caransebeş
Caransebes
Caransebeş is a city in Caraş-Severin County, part of the Banat region in southwestern Romania. It is located at the confluence of the river Timiş with the river Sebeş, the latter coming from the Ţarcu Mountains. To the west, it is in direct contact with the Banat hills...
in the Banat
Banat
The Banat is a geographical and historical region in Central Europe currently divided between three countries: the eastern part lies in western Romania , the western part in northeastern Serbia , and a small...
region just south of Arad (1885). From 1890 to 1891 he attended the Conservatory of Music and Declamation in Iaşi
Iasi
Iași is the second most populous city and a municipality in Romania. Located in the historical Moldavia region, Iași has traditionally been one of the leading centres of Romanian social, cultural, academic and artistic life...
(in the historical region
Historical region
Historical regions are delimitations of geographic areas for studying and analysing social development of period-specific cultures without any reference to contemporary political, economic or social organisations....
of Moldavia
Moldavia
Moldavia is a geographic and historical region and former principality in Eastern Europe, corresponding to the territory between the Eastern Carpathians and the Dniester river...
, very near the northeastern border of modern Romania), studying harmony
Harmony
In music, harmony is the use of simultaneous pitches , or chords. The study of harmony involves chords and their construction and chord progressions and the principles of connection that govern them. Harmony is often said to refer to the "vertical" aspect of music, as distinguished from melodic...
and choral conducting with Gavriil Musicescu. He subsequently moved back to Banat, obtaining a post in Lugoj (midway between Caransebeş and Timişoara
Timisoara
Timișoara is the capital city of Timiș County, in western Romania. One of the largest Romanian cities, with an estimated population of 311,586 inhabitants , and considered the informal capital city of the historical region of Banat, Timișoara is the main social, economic and cultural center in the...
) where he stayed for the rest of his life. Almost all of his compositions are for chorus. In 1922 he organized the Banat Choral and Brass Band Society, which at one time included more than 10,000 peasant singers. Like his friends and fellow composers Gavriil Musicescu, Béla Bartók
Béla Bartók
Béla Viktor János Bartók was a Hungarian composer and pianist. He is considered one of the most important composers of the 20th century and is regarded, along with Liszt, as Hungary's greatest composer...
, and Dimutru Kiriac-Georgescu, he was an avid collector of folk music
Folk music
Folk music is an English term encompassing both traditional folk music and contemporary folk music. The term originated in the 19th century. Traditional folk music has been defined in several ways: as music transmitted by mouth, as music of the lower classes, and as music with unknown composers....
. Vidu based most of his music on Romanian folk tunes, although he avoided the modes
Musical mode
In the theory of Western music since the ninth century, mode generally refers to a type of scale. This usage, still the most common in recent years, reflects a tradition dating to the middle ages, itself inspired by the theory of ancient Greek music.The word encompasses several additional...
characteristic of folk music and primarily used major and minor
Major and minor
In Western music, the adjectives major and minor can describe a musical composition, movement, section, scale, key, chord, or interval.Major and minor are frequently referred to in the titles of classical compositions, especially in reference to the key of a piece.-Intervals and chords:With regard...
tonality
Tonality
Tonality is a system of music in which specific hierarchical pitch relationships are based on a key "center", or tonic. The term tonalité originated with Alexandre-Étienne Choron and was borrowed by François-Joseph Fétis in 1840...
. His first collection of choral music, Severina (1899), became so well known, that many of the original melodies from it are often mistakenly thought to be authentic folk tunes. The patriotic, anti-Habsburg
Habsburg
The House of Habsburg , also found as Hapsburg, and also known as House of Austria is one of the most important royal houses of Europe and is best known for being an origin of all of the formally elected Holy Roman Emperors between 1438 and 1740, as well as rulers of the Austrian Empire and...
flavor of his succeeding works also proved to be very popular.