Role

:

Composer Conductor Performer

Birth

:

January 7, 1942 in Bucharest, Romania

Death

:

September 25, 2008 in Paris, France

Genre

:

Avant-Garde

 

 

Chamber

 

 

Keyboard

 

Horatiu Radulescu was a Romanian-French composer who was born on January 7, 1942, in Bucharest, Romania. He was the son of a composer and a pianist, and his parents recognized his musical talent at an early age. Radulescu began studying the piano and composition at the age of six, and he later studied at the Bucharest Conservatory, where he was a student of Mihail Jora and Aurel Stroe. In 1969, Radulescu moved to Paris to study with Olivier Messiaen at the Conservatoire de Paris. He also studied with Iannis Xenakis, who had a significant influence on his music. Radulescu's music is characterized by his use of microtonality, which he explored in his compositions through the use of spectral techniques. Radulescu's early works were influenced by the avant-garde music of the 1960s, and he was associated with the spectral music movement, which emerged in France in the 1970s. His music was also influenced by Eastern philosophy and spirituality, and he often used titles and concepts from Eastern religions in his compositions. One of Radulescu's most significant works is his String Quartet No. 1, "Infinite to be cannot be infinite, infinite anti-be could be infinite," which he composed in 1983. The piece is based on the concept of the "enharmonic scale," which is a microtonal scale that uses intervals smaller than a semitone. The quartet is divided into three movements, and each movement explores different aspects of the enharmonic scale. The piece is considered a landmark in the development of spectral music. Radulescu's other notable works include his piano concerto, "The Quest," which he composed in 1989, and his orchestral work, "Clepsydra," which he composed in 1991. "The Quest" is a virtuosic work that explores the relationship between the soloist and the orchestra, while "Clepsydra" is a meditation on time and the cyclical nature of existence. Radulescu was also a prolific composer of chamber music, and he wrote numerous works for solo instruments and small ensembles. His music often requires unconventional playing techniques and extended techniques, such as playing inside the piano or using quarter-tones. In addition to his work as a composer, Radulescu was also a respected musicologist and teacher. He taught at the University of California, San Diego, and the University of Oslo, and he wrote extensively on spectral music and microtonality. Radulescu died on September 25, 2008, in Paris, France, at the age of 66. He left behind a significant body of work that continues to be performed and studied by musicians and scholars around the world. His music remains an important contribution to the development of spectral music and microtonality, and his innovative approach to composition continues to inspire new generations of composers.

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