Ioan Ivanovici

Ion Ivanovici (alternatively: Jovan Ivanović, Iosif Ivanovici, Josef Ivanovich) (1845 – ) was a Romanian military band conductor and composer of Banat Serbian origin, best remembered today for his waltz Waves of the Danube.

Biography

Ivanovici was born in Temesvár, Kingdom of Hungary, Austrian Empire (today Timișoara, Romania). His interest in music began after he learned to play a flute given to him when he was a child.

Ivanovici moved to and lived most of his life in Galați in the Kingdom of Romania. Reaching the rank of officer in the Romanian army, his interest in military music culminates during his appointment as general inspector of military music in 1900. In 1901 he settled in Bucharest where he died a year later.

Although today Ivanovici is chiefly remembered for his waltz "Waves of the Danube" ("Donauwellen" in German, "Flots du Danube", in French), in his lifetime he composed over 300 works (many of them lost today). Other notable compositions are Carol I March, dedicated to King Carol of Romania, "Carmen Sylva" waltz, dedicated to Queen Elisabeth of Romania, and "Romanian heart" waltz op 51 ("Inimă română" in Romanian, "Cordialité roumaine" in French).

His works were published by over sixty publishing houses throughout the world. In 1889, Ivanovici won the coveted march prize to mark the World Exhibition in Paris, out of 116 entries.

His great-grandson Andrei Ivanovitch is a successful international classical pianist.

Compositions Alexandru Marș (Roi de Serbie Marche) Souvenir Moskau (Souvenir from Moscow) Waltz Erzherzog Carl Ludwig March, Op. 129 La Serenade The Daughter of the Boatman, or Schiffers Tochterlein (La Fille du Marin) Seufzer Waltz (Sigh Waltz) Sinaia Waltz Szerenade Zigeuneren (Gypsy Serenade) Carmen Sylva Waltz from 1892 Mariana Polka Romania's Heart Waltz, Op. 51 Incognito Waltz Abschied von Focșani March (Farewell to Focsani March) Vision de l'Orient Waltz (Vision of the East), Op. 147 Meteor Waltz Im Mondenglanz Waltz (Moonglow Waltz), Op. 122 Magic of the Mountains Waltz Liebes Klange Polka (Love of Music Polka) Storm Galopp Wild Flowers Waltz Abendtraume Polka-Mazurka (Evening Dream Polka-Mazurka) Agatha Waltz Der Liebesbote Waltz (Messenger of Love Waltz), Op. 136 Easy, like a Dream, also known as Legere, comme un reve in French and Leicht, wie der Traum in German Poker Polka, Op. 123 Am Hofe der Czarin Waltz (In the Courts of the Princess Waltz), Op. 124 Die Ballkönigin Waltz (King of the Ball Waltz), Op. 127 Goldene Stunden Waltz (Golden Hours Waltz), Op. 128 from 1893 Céline Polka-Mazurka, Op. 130 Natalia Waltz, Op. 134 Beim Pfanderspiel Polka, Op. 137 Bluthenzauber Waltz, Op. 149 Lieb' um Liebe Waltz (Love for Love Waltz), Op. 155 Alina Waltz Amalia Waltz Life in Cyprus Souvenir de Brăila Quadrille Aurel Waltz Cleopatra Waltz Elena Polka-Mazurka Farmecul Peleșului Fata pescarului Frumoasa româncă Waltz Frumoșii ochi albaștri Song (The Beautiful Blue Eyes) Hora micilor dorobanți Herzliebchen Waltz Kalinderu March La balul curții Mazurka (The Mazurka of the Court's Ball) Luceafărul Waltz ("Luceafăr" is the popular name of the Venus star in Romanian) Military March Marșul Carol L'Odalisque Polka-Mazurka Pe Dunăre Mazurka (On the Danube Mazurka) Plăcerea balului Mazurka (The Pleasure of the Ball Mazurka) Porumbeii albi (The White Doves) Die Konigin des Morgens or The Queen of the Morning Rosina Polka from 1902 Sârba moților ("Sârba" is a traditional dance, "moți" are peasants of Maramureș region) Suvenire Quadrille Maus Polka or Mouse Polka Tatiana Waltz Roses from the Orient Waltz Viața la București Waltz (Life in Bucharest Waltz) Visuri de aur Waltz (Golden Dreams Waltz) Zâna Dunării (The Fairy of The Danube) Anniversary Waltz Bavarian Ländler Kaiserreise or Voyage Imperial March La Bella Roumaine Waltz from 1901 Danube Waves