Constantin Silvestri's name has remained in the memory of some especially honed music lovers as a conductor who left a few memorable recordings, such as Litszt’s Piano Concertos recorded with the Philharmonia Orchestra and pianist Samson François. It was at this time that Silvestri left his native Romania for Paris and began to work a lot in England: in Bournemouth, first of all, where he took over the direction of the symphony orchestra from 1961 until his death in 1969, and in London, where he recorded numerous records for EMI, including the last three symphonies of Tchaikovsky and a whole varied symphonic repertoire. He became a British citizen in 1967.
An excellent pianist and brilliant improviser, Constantin Silvestri was also a prolific composer, leaving an abundant catalogue of works for orchestra, chamber and vocal music. Encouraged by his compatriot George Enescu, Silvestri had the pleasure of conducting the Romanian premiere of his mentor's masterpiece, the opera Oedipe.
After devoting several albums to Enescu's piano music, the Romanian pianist Luiza Borac turns her attention to Constantin Silvestri's music. The complete set reveals a very personal world, a sort of secret garden where the composer unveils his most intimate thoughts with a great sense of colour and unbridled imagination, particularly in his two Jeux d’enfants, continuing a tradition that goes from Schumann to Ravel to Mussorgsky. Suites, sonatas and popular dances are spread out until the conducting took precedence over composing, around 1955. © François Hudry/Qobuz