George Enescu From Paris to Romania

Folio: The Seattle Athenaeum is pleased to welcome Kevin Matheson (violin) and Tim Fuller (piano) for a program celebrating Romanian composer George Enescu.

George Enescu remains a hidden gem of early 20th-century music, despite creating some of its most original works. At just 16, Enescu composed a violin sonata rivaling Brahms. With his Sonata No. 2 in F Minor, he found his unique voice modal melodies, lush harmonies, and shifting moods that move from mercurial to somber to playful. His later Sonata No. 3 “in Romanian Folk Character” evokes the spirit of traditional lautari without quoting actual folk tunes. Rich in ornamentation, unusual violin techniques, and piano textures echoing the cembalom, it blends dreamy reveries, folk rhythms, and night music into an imaginative, deeply expressive journey.

Violinist Kevin Matheson was awarded first prize in the Charleston International Music Competition. He has performed as soloist with Orchestra Manhattan, conducted by Karim Said at…