Paul Constantinescu was a remarkable Romanian composer, recognized for his contributions to Romanian music and his distinctive folklore-inspired style. However, his illustrious career was overshadowed by a series of political controversies and intense surveillance by the authorities of the time.

The musician of Jewish origin was born in Ploiești, where he began his musical education, and, unlike the previous generation, who shaped their musical personality through studies abroad, Constantinescu was trained under the guidance of prominent teachers in the country, managing to draw inspiration from local culture right from the beginning of his creative career. Thus, Paul Constantinescu attended the Bucharest Conservatory between 1929 and 1933, having as mentors Mihail Jora (harmony, composition, counterpoint), Constantin Brăiloiu (music history) and Dimitrie Cuclin (musical aesthetics). Between 1933 and 1935, he deepened his musical knowledge in Vienna, studying with Franz Schmidt and Joseph Marx (composition).

At a young age, Constantinescu gained recognition through award-winning works and collaborations with renowned personalities. At just 22, he was awarded the George Enescu Composition Competition, and at 23 he became a member of the Society of Romanian Composers. He debuted at the Romanian Opera in Bucharest with the work “A stormy night”, receiving acclaim for his musical adaptation of Caragiale’s opera.

He activated as a professor of harmony, counterpoint and composition at the Academy of Religious Music, then at the School of Military Music and at the Bucharest Conservatory. Paul Constantinescu had a diversified career as a violinist, conductor, composer and teacher, teaching harmony at the Bucharest Conservatory for 18 years. He had a constant interest in folklore and Byzantine music, evolving from a passionate researcher to an innovator in the musical field.

Constantinescu also stood out as an artistic talent with obvious abilities in literature (poetry), fine arts (drawing, caricature) and cinematography (filming technique), being for a time an advisor at the Ministry of National Propaganda in Bucharest and at the Romanian Broadcasting Corporation, institutions to which he was also an advisor.

Despite his success, Constantinescu was the target of anti-Semitic attacks published in the Legionnaire newspapers. These attacks culminated in political pressure that led to his dismissal from the Radio Society, under the unfounded accusation of belonging to the Legionnaire Movement. The accusations were repeated after the installation of the communist regime, when he was pursued by the Securitate. Although the investigations did not confirm the allegations, they deeply affected the composer’s career and personal life. Documents from the period show that the authorities continued to consider him a suspect, even after the investigations revealed no compromising activity.

Even with all these difficulties, Constantinescu continued to compose valuable works, including the ballet “Wedding in the Carpathians”, the oratorios “Passion of the Lord” and “Nativity of the Lord”, as well as film music. The last three important works in the biography of composer Paul Constantinescu, which are essential for Romanian music, are: the Concerto for harp and orchestra from 1960, the Ploiești Symphony dedicated to his hometown, completed in 1961, and the Triple Concerto for violin, cello, piano and orchestra, composed in 1963. He was recognized with numerous awards and distinctions, including the Order of the Crown of Romania and the State Prize, and was also posthumously honored with the title of Honorary Citizen of the Municipality of Ploiești.

Paul Constantinescu remains an emblematic figure of Romanian music, whose career was influenced by the turbulent political context of the time. Despite the adversities, his creations continued to inspire and be appreciated for the integration of traditional elements into an innovative musical form, confirming his place in Romania’s cultural history.

The musical substance of the Sonatina for Violin and Piano (1933) is inspired by urban folk music, being, chronologically, after Enescu, the second attempt to bring the style of the original folk melody into the sonata genre. The first part presents a theme of fiddle origin on the violin, this section being supported by the sonority of the piano which is distinguished by imitating the sound of the cymbalon that emphasizes the dancing character, to which are interspersed contrasting sections reminiscent of the melody of a folk doina (slow popular Romanian chant). The second movement, with strong introspective valences, at times with a Byzantine character, leads one to think of vocal sonorities similar to a lament. The third part, a contrast in itself to the previous ones, is also distinguished by its essence, bringing on one hand themes that evoke a game of the instrumental folk genre; on the other hand interspersed themes that recall a popular carol with a vocal idiom.