EVENIMENTE ISTORICE DIN SECOLUL AL XIX-LEA ROMÂNESC REFLECTATE ÎN MUZICA VREMII
ROMANIAN HISTORICAL EVENTS FROM THE 19TH CENTURY REFLECTED IN CONTEMPORARY MUSIC

Summary/Abstract: Since ancient times, social, historical and cultural events were reflected in art, even in music. There is evidence of the way patriotic music was an echo of the events, a shelter and a moral support for human communities. To better understand the historical echo in music it`s important to know first the prominent historical events to whom they were dedicated. In the present communication I chose to present the reflection in music of some of the historical events in the Romanian Principates of the 19th century. In 1848, Romanian`s intellectuals took part in the bourgeois revolution, with national connotations, initiated in most of the European states; in 1859 – Alexandru Ioan Cuza was chosen to be Prince of Moldova and Wallachia; under his reign several reforms for the modernization of society of both Principates were accomplished; 1866 – Carol of Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen was elected Prince of the Romanian United Principalities; in 1877-1878, Romanian troops took part in the Russo-Turkish War against the Ottoman Empire and won independence; in 1881 – the kingdom of Romania was proclaimed under the reign of King Carol I and Queen Elisabeth. During this period, western style Romanian music was in the begging of it`s formation, and the majority of these musical works which were dedicated to these events have mostly historical connotations. A lot of these are marches composed by military bandmasters or by amateur composers. But among them we can also find compositions with a great artistic value, such as The Hymn of the Union (Imnul Unirii) by Ciprian Porumbescu, Royal Hymn (Imnul Regal) by Eduard Hübsch and Aubade by George Enescu. All these patriotic songs composed in this period use western musical expression, which had seeped in Romanian society, especially among the officials and intellectuals. In the 19th century, patriotic music had a more important role compared to earlier times in shaping the national consciousness of various European ethnic groups.

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