Dimitrie Cuclin - who he?

[Dax]

A friend of mine posted this in another forum a few weeks ago:-

Googling around last night, I chanced upon a reference to a Romanian composer whose name was completely unfamiliar to me... Dimitrie Cuclin. That reference made mention of the fact that he'd written 20 large-scale symphonies, the longest of which is a reported six hours....!

That piqued my interest in finding out a bit more, but I can find very little about him.  Born 1885 in Galati in Romania, died 1978 from complications over illnesses he'd contracted in Communist work-camps in the 50s, he seemed to be something of a renaissance man – composer, poet, philosopher (the latter seemingly as major a part of his output as his music!), translator (he translated Ovid into Romanian, it seems)... Musical studies under Widor and d'Indy amongst others, orchestral violinist under Enescu. Quite a large body of work, seemingly – including those 20 symphonies (from 1910 to 1972), six operas, plenty of lieder, loads of chamber and instrumental music (inc. ten suites for solo violin). There's quite an extensive Wikipedia page on him (though not really that much on his music, to be honest), Grove has a small piece too... And I've seen one (apparently self-consciously flippant) remark that describes him as a Romanian Langgaard. He's obviously not an unknown figure in Romania – an arts school in his home town of Galati is named after him.

And yet, I've never come across his name, and extensive searching last night led to, well, the scant information above! I can't find anything of his on YouTube, and I can only find evidence of one piece of his ever having been recorded (his 1950 eleventh symphony, issued on vinyl in 1966). Anyone from these here parts ever come across any of this composer's work???

Anybody here come across any of his music?

[lescamil]

I have a recording of his 11th symphony in A flat minor (!), but honestly, I haven't gotten around to listening to it closely yet. I'll try and listen to it soon and post a review here, possibly.

What forum was that posted at? I am curious to know.

[Dax]

r3ok which is at

http://www.r3ok.com/

and here's the relevant thread

http://www.r3ok.com/index.php/topic,2253.0.html

[Scarpia]

Born 1885 in Galati in Romania, died 1978 from complications over illnesses he'd contracted in Communist work-camps in the 50s

Huh?  He was 93, and they blame his death on "illnesses he'd contracted in Communist work-camps?"  Maybe we should all go to Communist work-camps so we can have such ill-health.   

[calyptorhynchus]

I listened to his Symphony No.11 on Youtube today. It's a very attractive work, the first and last movements and the scherzo are lively and folky, and the slow movement somewhat Brucknerian.

I'm going to listen to other of his works on Youtube (he seems to have not a single work in the current recording catalogue  ).

[calyptorhynchus]

I have listened to the Symphony No.9, which is also very good, mainly pastoral, but with dramatic moments. The Scherzo is longer than the other movements, which is a surprise, but the material is interesting enough for this to work. The finale is a movement of happy polyphony like the finale of Mahler's Fifth.

The Piano Concerto is truly awful, as bad as Rachmaninov's PCs 

Symphonies 13, 16, 20 to go. I don't think there's anything else out there from Cuclin.

[kyjo]

Very intriguing! According to Wikipedia, his 12th Symphony lasts six hours long

[calyptorhynchus]

Symphonies 13, 16 and 20 are entertaining, but not as good as 9 and 11.

[Ashen Pathfinder]

Is there a score or even a listing of instrumentation for the 12th? Like does it include an organ & such?

[Roy Bland]

A friend of mine posted this in another forum a few weeks ago:-

Anybody here come across any of his music?

IMHO his symphonies would deserve a complete recording he was arrested under communism

[Florestan]

Very intriguing! According to Wikipedia, his 12th Symphony lasts six hours long

IMHO his symphonies would deserve a complete recording

Good luck finding, firstly, a conductor and an orchestra willing, and able, to rehearse and perform a 6-hour long symphony, and secondly a market for such a recording.

Although, I wonder: if this symphony has never been performed, let alone recorded, how do they know it lasts 6 hours?