Otescu, Ion (Nonna)

Otescu, Ion (Nonna), Romanian conductor, teacher, and composer; b. Bucharest, Dec. 15, 1888; d. there, March 25, 1940. He was a student of Kiriac (theory) and Castaidi (composition) at the Bucharest Cons. (1903–07), and then completed his training in composition in Paris with d’Indy at the Schola Can-torum and with Widor at the Cons. (1908–11). Returning to Budapest, he was a teacher of harmony and composition (1913–40) and director (1918–40) of the Cons. He also was a conductor of the National Theater (1921–39) and the Bucharest Phil, (from 1927). In 1920 he helped to organize the Soc. of Romanian Composers, serving as its vice-chairman until his death. In 1913 he won the Enesco Prize and in 1928 the National Prize for composition. Otescu’s music followed along traditional lines with infusions of folk and French elements.

Works

dramatic:Buby, musical comedy (1903); II-eana Cosinzeana, ballet (1918; to a libretto by Queen Marie of Romania); Rubinul miraculos, ballet (1919); Iderim, opera (1920); De la Matei cetire, opera buffa (1926–38; completed by A. Stroe; Cluj, Dec. 27, 1966). orch.:Le temple de Gnid, symphonic poem (1908; Bucharest, March 2, 1914); Overture (1908); Narcisse, symphonic poem (Bucharest, Dec. 9, 1912); Cuvente din betrani, symphonic sketch (1912; Bucharest, April 5, 1913); Impresiuni de iarnã, symphonic tableau (1913; Bucharest, March 2, 1914); Vrãjile Armidei, symphonic poem for Violin and Orch. (1915; Bucharest, Nov. 20, 1922); Scherzo (1923; Bucharest, Nov. 19, 1939). other: Chamber music; songs.

—Nicolas Slonimsky/Laura Kuhn/Dennis McIntire