Carmen Petra Basacopol
Carmen Petra Basacopol (born 5 September 1926) is a Romanian composer and music teacher.
Life
Petra-Basacopol was born in Sibiu. She studied at the Bucharest Conservatory of Music between 1949–1956 with Ioan D. Chirescu (music theory), Leon Klepper and Mihail Jora (composition), Paul Constantinescu (harmony) and Tudor Ciortea (musical analysis), Nicolae Buicliu (counterpoint), Theodor Rogalski (orchestration), Ion Vicol și Ion Marian (choir, choral conducting), Adriana Sachelarie și George Breazul (music history), Tiberiu Alexandru și Emilia Comișel (folklor), Silvia Căpățână și Ovidiu Drimba (piano). She attended the improvisation classes at Darmstadt (1968) with György Ligeti, Erhard Karkoschka, Günther Becker, Christoph Caskel, Saschko Gawriloff, Aloys Kontarsky.
Carmen Petra-Basacopol got her PhD at the University of Sorbonne, in Paris. She became teaching assistant at Bucharest Music University in 1962, becoming lecturer (1966–1972) and teacher of musical analysis and harmony later (1976–2003). She was also a teacher of harmony, counterpoint, music history and improvisation in the conservatory of Rabat (Morocco) between 1974 and 1976.
She attended conferences, lectures, scientific communications in Romania and abroad (France, Angola, San Tomé and Principe).
Her music has been performed internationally and she has won a number of honors and awards.
Awards
She won the 4th place of the International Contest in Bucharest (1953), the International Youth Contest in Warsaw (1955), Meritul Cultural Order cls. IV (1969), The Composers Union Award (1974, 1979, 1999, 2003), The Romanian Composers Academy Award (1980), Meritul Cultural Order in knight rank (2004). She was jury member of the Harp Contest in Jerusalem (1979).
Writings
She has published a number of professional articles, studies, music chronicles in papers as Muzica, Contemporanul, Informația Bucureștiului, Revista de Etnografie și Folclor and a book, L'originalité de la musique roumaine: á travers des oeuvres de chambre et de scène d'Enesco, Jora et Constantinesco, Editura Muzicală, București, 1979.
Works
Petra-Basacopol composes for orchestra, opera, chamber ensemble, harp, piano, vocal and ballet performance, often using themes and instruments from folk music. Among the 80 signed opuses, chamber music has a special place. Selected works include:
Theatre music
1970 – Fata și masca op. 32, ballet
1980 – Miorița op. 47, ballet
1983 – Inimă de copil op.52, 2 acts opera for children
1986–1987 – Ciuleandra, op. 54, 2 acts ballet
1988–1990 – Apostol Bologa, op. 58, 2 acts opera
1995–1996 – Cei șapte corbi, op. 73, ballet for children
Vocal-symphonic music
1966 – Crengile op.26, vision for moving choir and orchestra
1966 – Moartea căprioarei, op. 27- ballad for strings orchestra, clarinet, piano, percussion and solo baritone
1967 – Un cântec despre jertfe mari și despre lumină, op.28- cantata
1970 – Pulstio vitae op. 33 for harp, clarinet, xylophone, bells, percussion and moving choir
Symphonic music
1956 – Symphony op. 6
1959 – Symphonic suire Țară de piatră op. 13
1961 – Piano and orchestra concert op. 19
1962 – Symphonic triptic op.20
1963 – Violin and orchestra concertino, op. 21
1965 – Violin and orchestra concert, no.2, op. 25
1975 – Harp, strings orchestra and timpani concert, op.40
1981 – Strings orchestra concert, op. 49
1982 – Cello and orchestra concert, op.51
1994 – Flute and chamber orchestra concert, op.71
1996 – Harp and strings orchestra concert, no.2, Rituale op. 75
Chamber music
1950 – Flute and piano suite, op. 3
1952 – Cello and piano sonata, op. 4
1954 – Violin and piano sonata, op. 5
1957 – Three sketches for oboe and piano, op.8 nr. 2
1957 – Seven songs for soprano and piano, op.8 no. 1
1958 – Three Lieders for the mezzo-soprano and piano op. 9, nr. 1/ Three Lieders for Soprano and Piano Op. 9, nr. 2
1959 – Trio for Violin, cello and piano, op. 11/Lieders for mezzo-soprano and piano op. 12 nr. 1/Seasons op. 12 nr. 2 for soprano and piano
1960 – Images from Valea Crişului op. 16, no. 1 for harp and violin
1961 – Sonata for flute and harp op. 17/Three Lieders for Soprano and Piano Op. 18 no. 1
1963 – Five Lieders for tenor and harp op. 22, nr. 1
1964 – Nostalgia for baritone and English horn op. 23. nr. 1
1964 – Opium Flower Op. 23 nr. 2 for baritone and piano
1965 – Two Lieders for Soprano and Piano Op. 18 no. 2
1968 – Ofrnade op. 29 – two lieders for soprano and piano
1969 – Entertainment for harp, wind quartet, double bass and xylophone, octet op.30
1971 – Two Lieders for bass and harp op. 22 nr. 2/Propas op. 34 – three Lieders for soprano, flute and piano
1972 – Elegy for violin and piano op. 35
1972 – Moments for trumpet and piano op. 36
1974 – Trio for flute, clarinet and bassoon op. 39
1976 – Cântece haiducești for Baritone and Piano Op. 41. nr.1
1977 – Acuarele argheziene op. 91. nr. 2, two Lieders for the soprano and the lion
1978 – Craiul munților quartet op. 43 for flute, violin, cello and piano/Moroccan poems op.42 – three Lieders for mezzo-soprano and wind quartet
1979 – Variations on a Macedonian-Romanian theme op. 44 for harp and cello
1980 – Tablouri dacice op. 46, trio for pan flute, vibraphone and cello
1984 – Cântecele vieții op. 53-cycle 5 lieders for soprano and piano
1987 – Trio Op. 57 for flute, harp and clarinet/Sângele pământului op. 55 – three Lieders for bass and piano
1991– Ecouri op. 63 for 2 harps
1991 – Triptych for pan flute, and harp op.64
1992 – Entertainment op. 67 for wind quintet
1993– Imne op. 65 for soprano and piano/File de acatist for voice and flute/Low voice and piano Lieders. 70
1994 – Musica per cinque op. 72 for flute, harp, violin, viola and cello
1996 – Songs of Exile Op. 74; seven songs for soprano and piano
1998 – Triptych op. 79 for soprano and piano
1999 – Character pieces, op. 80 for oboe and piano
1999 – Lamaneto Op. 82 for 2 flutes and percussion
2000 – Dramatic Sonata Op. 83 for cello and piano/Psalms of David op.84 – five Lieders for soprano and piano/Meșterul Manole op.85 – five Lieders for soprano and piano
2001 – Viziuni dansante op. 86 for violin and piano/Naive paintings op. 91 for instrumental ensemble
2002 – Serenada op. 92 for 4 cellos/Fantasy Op. 94 for horn in F and piano/Măiastra op. 95 for instrumental ensemble/Hymn II op.93 – four Lieders for soprano and piano/Îngerul a strigat op. 96 – three Lieders for soprano and piano
2003 – Legandă op. 97 for violin and organ/ Elegie op. 96 for harp and clarinet/ Duo Opus op.100 for violin and viola/ Cântece imaginare op.99 for soprano and piano/ Diptic bucovian op.101/ Cântece naive pentru Nichita op.102/Mărturisiri op.104 for mezzo-soprano and piano
2004 – Piccolo sonata op. 105 for flute, contralto flute in G and pian/Variațiuni pe o temă elegiacă op.106 for 2 harps/Tristeți bacoviene op. 107 for low voice and piano
Choral music
1960 – Fetelor, surorilor, op. 16 nr. 2 – female choir
1979 – Seasons, op. 45 nr.2 – 2 voice children choir
1980 – Salutul păcii, op.48 nr. 2 – 2 voice female choir
1992 – Psalmii op. 66 mixt choir
2001 – Sacred sings, mist a cappella choir
Instrumental music
1949 – Rondo for piano op.2
1956 – 24 Imagini pitorești for piano op. 7
1958 – Solo harp suite op. 10
1973 – Solo flute improvisation op. 37
1978 – Cinci miniaturi pentru copii, op. 45 nr.1 pentru pian
1980 – Odă op. 48 nr. 1 pentru contrabas solo
1981 – Solo Cello Suite op. 50
1987 – Incantațiile pământului op. 56 pentru harpă solo
1990 – Imagini europene op 59 pentru harpă solo/Preludiu, Interludiu, Postludiu, op. 60 pentru orgă
1992 – The jungle book, op. 61; șapte piese pentru copii și pentru harpă solo
1993 – Mica sirenă op. 69 pentru harpă solo
1997 – Trei dansuri op 76 pentru harpă solo
1998 – 7 viziuni ale Profetului Ezechiel op. 78 pentru orgă
2001 – Improvizații op. 87 pentru pian/Incantații op. 88 pentru corn solo/Fantezii op. 89 pentru fagot solo
Discography
Mansi Barberis, Carmen Petra-Basacopol, Liana Alexandra Șaptefrați, Irina Odăgescu-Țuțuianu, Cvartettino pentru coarde în stil neoclasic, Sonata pentru flaut și harpă, „Colaje” Pentru cvintet de alămuri, Sonata pentru vioară și pian, LP, Electrecord, ST-ECE 01545
Concert pentru harpă și orchestră, LP, Electrecord, ECE 01862
Concert pentru violoncel și orchestră Op. 51, Orchestra simfonică a Filarmonicii „George Enescu”, dirijor Cristian Mandeal, soloist Marin Cazacu; Ciuleandra – balet Op. 54, Orchestra simfonică a Radioteleviziunii Române, dirijor Modest Cichirdan, LP, Electrecord, ST-ECE 03736
Damase, Inghelbrecht, Lauber, Petra-Basacopol, Takemitsu, ... Muzică pentru Flaut și Harpă ..., BIS-CD-650, 1998
Elena Moșuc, Notre Amour, ... Zorile-si mâna cerbii de foc ..., CD, Arte Nova, 2002
References
- Viorel Cosma, Muzicieni români. Lexicon biobibliografic, Editura Muzicală, București, 2004, p. 353.
- Șerban Marcu, Repetitivitate și fantezie în „Primăvara”, poem pentru soprană, clarinet și pian de Carmen Petra-Basacopol, în revista Studia Musica, Universitatea Babeș-Bolyai, nr. 1 / 2013