Ciprian Porumbescu was born in 1853 in Şipotele, into a modest family, to Emilia (Porumbescu) and the priest Iraclie Golembiovski: he initially used the surname Golembiovski and then began to publish under the pseudonym Porumbescu, which eventually became his official name.
Due to poverty, Ciprian was unable to enjoy a complete musical education; his music studies were in Suceava, then in Cernăuţi and, finally, in Vienna under the guidance of Anton Bruckner with a scholarship. During this period he attended Eusebius Mandyczewski , a Bukovinian composer and great friend of Johannes Brahms, who wanted him as an executor of his will: with Mandyczewski Ciprian perfected himself and, at the same time, began studying theology with the Orthodox priests of Cernăuţi.
At a very young age he composed the 'Collection of social songs for Romanian students', twenty including unison songs and choral pieces, among which: 'Tricolor Song' and 'Hymn to the Union', the first work of this genre in Romanian music. Among his most popular works: the 'Romanian Rhapsody for orchestra', the 'Ballad for violin and orchestra', the two-act operetta 'The New King', the music of one of the hymns of Romania 'The Three Colors' (He was a communist) and the patriotic song 'On our flag is written Union', whose music is today used by Albania for its own national anthem.
Porumbescu was arrested for his nationalist political activity and, due to the hardships of imprisonment, died at age 29 of tuberculosis in Stupca, a village that is now called 'Ciprian Porumbescu' in his honor.
I propose to you the Ballad, one of his most interesting compositions, which has an absolutely breathtaking effect on me: sadness and misfortune loom over us and block our heart and our breath.
Forgive us if we are in pure sadness, but we will make up for it with the next post!