About the composer, teacher and musicologist Viorel Munteanu
Viorel Munteanu – Composer, Professor, Musicologist (b. May 2, 1944, Reuseni, Suceava)
He studied at the “George Enescu” Conservatory in Iași, graduating successively from the departments of musical pedagogy (1969) and composition (1975), being a disciple of Professor Vasile Spătărelu. In 1980, at the proposal of the Union of Composers and Musicologists of Romania, he benefited from a specialization and documentation scholarship offered by the Italian Government at the “Santa Cecilia” Academy in Rome; he specialized in polyphony and composition with the renowned Italian musician of Romanian origin, Roman Vlad (1981 – 1985). Since then, his interest in the work of Roman Vlad dates back, which he consistently promoted in Romania, both through a doctoral thesis and by editing compositions or translating and caring for his musicological writings.
Viorel Munteanu worked until 1985 at Radio-Television Iași, concurrently beginning his teaching career at the Conservatory. He has been a university professor since 1991 (teaching counterpoint, orchestration, and composition) and a Ph.D. supervisor since 2001, guiding doctoral theses at the National University of Arts “G. Enescu” in Iași and in cotutelle with “Al. I. Cuza” University in Iași, the Pontifical Institute of Sacred Music in Rome – Italy, and the Postdoctoral Studies Institute – National University of Music Bucharest. He was the head of the Music Department at Radio Iași Studio (1982-1985 and 1990 – 1991), served as Dean (1995-96 and 2000 – 2004), and as Rector of the National University of Arts “George Enescu” in Iași (2004 – 2008 and 2008 – 2012, coordinator of the Iași branch of UCMR (2005 – 2022); he is a member of the Board of the Union of Composers and Musicologists of Romania (since 1990).
Works performed in over 500 concerts and international festivals in Romania, South Africa, England, Austria, Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, Switzerland, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, Japan, Moldova, Norway, Portugal, Russia, Slovakia, Spain, Turkey, U.S.A.
Edited compositions of religious music: “Poemul Glasurile Putnei” (for string orchestra and male choir), Ed. Muzicală, 1982, Electrecord Disc – 1990, and CD Thurgauer Jugend Symphonicorchester, Konzerte, Switzerland, 2002; “Glasurile Putnei în două viziuni” (violin, 14 cellos, double bass, male choir, and manuscript score – 1980), CDs, Ed. Doxologia, Iași, 2014; “Muzică sacră,” Ed. Trinitas, 2004; “Triptic psaltic în două versiuni pentru soprană și orchestră de coarde/violină, 14 violoncele și contrabas,” Ed. Doxologia, 2014, score, and CD; “Suita a II-a de Craciun,” Ed. Trinitas, Iași, 2000, and CD – Roton, 2005; version for soloists, mixed choir, and percussion, Ed. Artes, Iași, 2009; “Strop de ler – Vol. 1 și Vol. 2 – colinde pentru coruri pe voci egale/coruri mixte și formații instrumentale,” Ed. Trinitas, 2000, and CD – Roton, 2005, selections; “Suita La Nașterea Domnului,” Ed. Trinitas, 2000, and CD, UCMR-ADA License; “Concerti grossi nr. 1 și 2 (după concertele religioase de G. Musicescu),” Ed. Trinitas, 2004, and CD – Roton, 2005; “Oratoriul Chemări spre mântuire pentru soliști, cor mixt, cor bizantin, cor de copii, recitator și orchestră,” libret by Viorel Munteanu and Pr. dr. Constantin Sturzu, score, and DVD, Ed. Doxologia, 2019.
Edited vocal-symphonic compositions: “Poem-cantată Ștefan cel Mare (Închinare),” CD, Electrecord, 2004, and score, Ed. Artes, 2012; “Poemele luminii (versuri de Lucian Blaga),” CD – Electrecord, 2004, and score, Ed. Artes, 2012; “Rezonanțe II (Omagiu lui Ciprian Porumbescu),” Ed. Muzicală, 1996, and CD – Electrecord, 2004; “Simfonia I Glossa pentru tenor, cor mixt și orchestră (versurile de M. Eminescu),” score and CD – Ed. Național, Bucharest, 2004; “Întoarceri la Blaga, șapte poeme pentru soprană și orchestră,” score – Ed. Muzicală, 2017, and CD – 2019.
Symphonic and chamber compositions (selective): “Poemul Rezonanțe I (Omagiu lui George Enescu),” “Passacaglia,” and “Cvartetul de coarde nr 2,” CD – Electrecord, 2004; “Concerto per archi,” Ed. Artes, 2009, and CD – vol. V, 2019; “Nebănuitele trepte – versuri de Lucian Blaga,” Ed. Artes, 2009, and CD, Vol.VI, Ed. Muzicală, 2019; “Concertul pentru flaut și orchestră de coarde,” score and CD, Ed. Artes, 2009; “Ipostaze pentru clarinet și pian,” “Sonata pentru vioară și pian,” “Invocații pentru clarinet solo,” “Concertino pentru flaut oboi și fagot,” CD – Muzică de cameră, vol IV – Ed. Muzicală, 2011; “Lamento pentru vioară solo,” “Estratto pentru flaut solo,” “Ballata pentru fagot solo” – Ed. Artes, 2014, and CD – vol. VI, 2019.
Lieder (lyrics by L. Blaga and G. Popa) and choral works edited and printed on CDs.
Recent works published by the Music Publishing House (2023): “Dorelegia” (flute, oboe, and bassoon); “«Făurăria» lui Brâncuși” (violin and piano); “Patru madrigale dramatice” (soloists, mixed choir, and orchestra – lyrics by L. Blaga and M. Eminescu); “Simfonia a II-a din ciclul Umbre și geneze”; “Simfonia a III-a Ofrandă lui Brâncuși” (soloists S.T., narrator, mixed choir, and orchestra, Scenario and libretto by Viorel Munteanu, Media column by Andrei Cozlac; “Cvartetul de carde nr. 3.”
Musicology (selective): “Stilul palestrinian,” Ed. Conservatorul „G. Enescu”, Iași, 1980; “Introducere în opera lui Roman Vlad,” Fundația „Sfânta Apollonia”, Iași, 1994; “Roman Vlad, Recitind «Sărbătoarea primăverii» de Igor Stravinski și Roman Vlad,” “Istoria dodecafoniei” (translations from Italian, edited and added editions, studies, notes, and comments), Editura Național, Bucharest, 1998; “Roman Vlad – modernitate și tradiție,” Editura Muzicală, Bucharest, 2001; “Restitutio Roman Vlad” (vol. 1 – 5, critical editions), Editura Artes, Iași, 2009; “Catalogul manuscriselor de muzică sacră din Moldova – secolele XI – XX (vol. I și II, CD-uri I și II),” Ed. Artes, Iași, 2010; “Roman Vlad – A trăi muzica” (edited and added edition), Ed. Artes, Iași, 2014; 32 specialized studies in print.
Radio cycles (selective): “Muzica și muzicienii noștri” (1971 – 1977), “Istoria muzicii românești de la origini până in zilele noastre” (1984-1985); “Musica aeterna: Antologie J. Haydn” (1992-1993) and “L. v. Beethoven – Integrala muzicii de cameră” (1993-1994).
Awards (selective): Romanian Academy Award (1981, “Glasurile Putnei”); Certification at the International Composition Competition – Ancona, Italy (1986, “Concertino și Invocații”); International Chamber Music Competition in Martigny (Switzerland, 1987) – selection in the mandatory repertoire of the work “Concertino pentru flaut, oboi și fagot”; UCMR Creation Award for the years 2001, 2006, 2013, 2018, and 2022; Pogor Prize of the Municipality of Iași (2011); Gala Awards in Education – University Professor of the Year 2009 (3rd Prize) – Dinu Patriciu Foundation; Medal of Honor from the National University of Music, Bucharest (2011); Moldovan Cross – Moldova and Bucovina Metropolis (2014); Iași Values – Romania Values, Award of the Municipality of Iași (2020); Honorary Doctorate Titles: “Ovidius” University of Constanța (2006), “Valahia” University of Târgoviște (2009), “Ștefan cel Mare” University of Suceava (2011), “Gheorghe Dima” Academy of Music in Cluj (2014), and the Academy of Music, Fine Arts, and Theater in Chișinău – Republic of Moldova (2015).
On the composer’s work (selective): “In Honorem Viorel Munteanu,” Valahia University Press, Târgoviște, 2009 – coordinators: Prof. univ. dr. Ion Cucui and Assoc. prof. dr. Laura Monica Gorghiu; “Viorel Munteanu – Portrete în timp,” coordinator, Assoc. prof. dr. Diana-Beatrice Andron, Performantica Publishing House, 2019; “Rezonanțe. Retrospecții Viorel Munteanu – vol. 1, 2, 3 (with attached DVDs),” Junimea Publishing House, Iași, 2019, under the care of Prof. univ. dr. Gheorghe Duțică.
Television films: “Vasile Arhire – Cu și despre Viorel Munteanu (Televiziunea mea),” TVR Iași, 2008; “Glasurile Putnei,” TVR Iași 2013, directed by Violeta Gorgos, cinematography by Cristian Sbîngu, awarded at the International Film, Diaporama, and Photography Festival “Toamna la Voroneț,” the 33rd edition, 2013; “Concert cameral Viorel Munteanu 70,” directed by Violeta Gorgos, producer Cătălin Sava – TVR Program 2 and TVR Iași, Sala “Eduard Caudella” – Casa Balș, May 17, 2014: I. “Metafore în sunet pe versuri de Lucian Blaga,” recitation by Ion Caramitru; Lieder and instrumental pieces performed by: Georgeta Stoleriu – soprano; Verona Maier – piano; Trio “Syrinx”: Dorel Baicu – flute, Dorin Gliga – oboe, Pavel Ionescu – bassoon, Daniel Paicu – clarinet; Gabriel Croitoru – violin; II. “Muzică sacră: Glasurile Putnei și Triptic psaltic”; Soloists: soprano Elena Moșuc (Switzerland), violinist Gabriel Croitoru; Conductor Radu Postăvaru; Violoncellissimo Orchestra conducted by Marin Cazacu; “Ghici cine vine la cina?” TVR Iași, producer Vasile Arhire, directed by Violeta Gorgos, 2018.