JAVS Spring 2001

40

VOL. 17 No.1

jOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN VIOLA SOCIETY

the traditional music of Romania. In an article written in 1921, 4 Golestan wrote that Romanian composers should utilize natural forms and the national spirit in their works, but leave each work in its most natural, untouched state. It was Golestan's intent that his works would echo the sounds one might hear in villages, sung or played by the Romanian people, not just melodies based on the spirit of the people. It is not surprising, then, that he based the Arioso on melodies and dances he might have heard while traveling in the countryside. This work is written in a traditional double form called Candpacurarul apierdut oile (When the shepherd lost his sheep) and Candpacurarul a gasit oile (When the shepherd found his lost sheep). The first section, a parlando section, expresses the shepherd's loss and grief over having lost his sheep. The second section is a dance whereby the shepherd breaks into an expression of the overwhelming joy he feels in recovering the lost sheep. The two sections are played without a break in between. In the Arioso et Allegro de Concert, the first section is based on the Doi'na, a lament. This lament is a type of storytelling poetry, set to music that is particular to the Romanian people. This parlando, storytelling element is crucial to the work. The violist is the storyteller and the pianist represents the music under which the chant-like viola part is able to express the grief of the shepherd, who has lost his sheep. The use of repetitive musical motives and the dramatic tempo changes lend the section an element of recitative, and allow a musical story to emerge.

Example 1. Golestan, Arioso et Allegro de Concert, measures 21-28

'

a Tempo

' ........ ~.~

~

- ~~ .. /""\ # ~.fl.. . 'f- 'f- !iJ aTempo ~

3

3

~~·~# /7.-~t-

'"'

.

:

'*......__,_--9-

l~

-&

Insistendo _,.--...._

Poco poco agitando

3

The second section is a Hora. The Hora is a round dance movement, found throughout Romania. 5 Dancers form a circle, interlocking their hands or arms. The circle then executes a series of steps and motions. A violinist at the village dances of Romania traditionally plays the Hora; thus the viola is a natural choice for this dance, due to the similarity between the two instruments. 6 The tempo for this dance is quite brisk, with a quarter note equaling between 80-116. It is not uncommon for this dance to be found in strange time signatures, such as 7/16 or 4+2+3/16. This may explain some of the uneven accentuated groupings found in this partie-