A Compositional and Performer’s Analysis of Dinu Lipatti’s Fugue, Romantic Sonata, and Nocturnes

Abstract

The purpose of this document is to provide a reference for the single movement solo piano compositions by Dinu Lipatti that explores their overlooked significance to the piano repertoire through a compositional and performer’s analysis. Dinu Lipatti is primarily known for his career as an outstanding concert pianist, and yet it is typically overlooked that he formally studied composition in Romania with Mihail Jora, and in France with Paul Dukas and Nadia Boulanger at the Paris Conservatory. This analysis is intended to provide a reference for Lipatti’s single movement solo piano compositions in English, the first of its kind, for performers, researchers, and teachers alike who wish to examine these viable and underappreciated works. Dinu Lipatti’s piano compositions essentially fall into nine categories: childhood compositions, school compositions, solo piano, two pianos, transcriptions, chamber music, vocal music, concerti, and cadenzas. The first chapter includes an introduction that provides a contextual overview of Lipatti as a composer amidst his more predominant fame as a concert pianist. This is followed by the purpose of study, need for study, procedures, limitations, organization of study, and related literature. A more complete biographical sketch comprises the second chapter and provides further insight into the life and career of Dinu Lipatti. Chapter three consists of an overview of all of Lipatti’s compositions. Chapters four through seven contain compositional and performer’s analyses of the selected solo piano works, demonstrating their significance to the repertoire. The chapters are divided by composition and include the Fugue in E Minor, Romantic Sonata, Nocturne in A Minor (on a Moldovan Theme), and Nocturne in F-Sharp Minor. The study finishes with a reflection section, followed by the bibliography. Four appendices include Grigore Bărgăuanu’s list of compositions by Dinu Lipatti, Daniel Milan’s amended list of compositions by Dinu Lipatti that includes works not mentioned in Bărgăuanu’s list, a complete listing of compositions by category, and a full discography of the works analyzed. This research should be a useful resource for English speakers hoping to gain significant insight into the solo piano compositions of Dinu Lipatti.