Marcel Mihalovici

Marcel Mihalovici (Bucharest, 22 October 1898 – Paris, 12 August 1985) was a French composer born in Romania. He was discovered by George Enescu in Bucharest. He moved to Paris in 1919 (at age 21) to study under Vincent d'Indy. His works include his Sonata number 1 for violin and piano, Mélusine opera (1920, libretto by Yvan Goll), his 1st string quartet (1923), 2nd string quartet (1931), Sonata number 2 for violin and piano (1941), Sonata for violin and cello (1944), Phèdre Opera (1949), Étude in two parts for piano and instrumental ensemble (1951) and Esercizio per archi (1960). Many of his piano works were first performed by his wife, the concert pianist Monique Haas.

Mihalovici was the original composer for the music of Samuel Beckett's radio play Cascando (1962). His Fifth Symphony features a soprano singing a setting of a Beckett poem, and he used Krapp's Last Tape as the basis for a small opera, Krapp, ou, La dernière bande. His memories of their friendship are recounted in the collected work Beckett at Sixty A Festschrift by John Calder, Calder and Boyars (1967).

A strong proponent of neoclassicism, during his career Mihalovici embraced a variety of contemporary styles, with a harmonic language ranging from chromaticism to serialism. Romanian folk music influenced his unconventional use of rhythmic variation and instrumental colour.

List of Works (by opus number) (Works with "op. ??" are placed at the point in the list where they are presumed to have been composed)

op. 6 – Three Nocturnes; piano op. 11 – Sonatine; piano op. 12 – Dialogues; clarinet and piano op. 13 – Sonatine; oboe or violin and piano op. 18 – Chansons et Jeux (Romanian Poems); voice and piano op. 19 – Impromptu Pieces; piano op. ?? – Sonata no. 1; violin and piano op. ?? – String Quartet no. 1 op. 23 – Karagueuz; puppet ballet for orchestra or 4-hand piano op. 25 - Trois romances de Victor Hugo, piano and voice, published 1932 op. 26 – Fantaisie for orchestra (performed at the 1930 ISCM Festival in Liège) op. 27 – The Intransigent Pluto, or, Orpheus in the Underworld; opera in one act op. 28 – Chindia; radio-orchestra op. 29 – Four Caprices; piano op. 30 – Trio 'Serenade'; violin, viola, and cello op. 31 – String Quartet no. 2 op. 32 – Chanson, Pastorale, Rumanian Dance; piano op. 33 – Concerto (Quasi una Fantasia); violin and orchestra op. 35 – Sonata; clarinet trio (E-flat, A, and bass clarinet in B-flat) op. 37 – Five Bagatelles; piano op. 38 – Divertissement; small orchestra op. 40 – Rhapsody Concertante; orchestra op. 42 – Prelude and Invention; string orchestra op. 44 – Toccata; piano and orchestra (or 2 pianos) op. 45 – Sonata no. 2; violin and piano op. 46 – Ricarcari, Variations; piano op. 47 – Sonata; viola and piano op. ?? – Sequences; orchestra op. 50 – Sonata; violin and cello op. 51 – Counter-Rhymes, 3 songs; voice and piano op. 52 – String Quartet no. 3 op. 54 – Variations; horns and strings op. 58 – Phèdre; opera in five scenes op. 59 – Sonata; solo violin op. 60 – Sonata; solo cello op. 61 – Ritournelles; orchestra op. 62 – Four Pastorales; piano op. 63 – Three Nocturnes; piano op. 64 – Etude in Two Parties; piano, winds, brass, celeste, and percussion op. 65 – Sinfonia giocosa (Symphony no. 1); orchestra op. 66 – Sinfonia partita (Symphony no. 2); string orchestra op. 67 – Two Poems by Agrippa D'Aubigne; SATB chorus op. 68 – Memorial (Five Motets); chorus op. ?? – Symphonies for Present Times; orchestra op. 70 – The Homecoming; opera in one act op. 71 – Trio; oboe, clarinet, and bassoon op. 72 – Elegy; orchestra op. 73 – Scenes from Thésée (Ballet); orchestra op. 74 – Alternamenti (Ballet); orchestra op. 75 – Evening Songs, Four Poems by Yvan Goll; voice and piano op. 76 – Tragic Overture; orchestra op. ?? – Sonata; bassoon and piano op. 78 – Sonata; B-flat clarinet and piano op. ?? – Scherzo-Waltz; B-flat trumpet and piano op. ?? – Meditation; C or B-flat trumpet and piano op. ?? – Novelette; bassoon and piano op. ?? – Episode; Horn in F and piano op. 80 – Exercise; string orchestra op. 81 – Krapp's Last Tape (Beckett); opera op. 82 – Sinfonia variata (Symphony no. 3); orchestra op. 83 – Improvisations; percussion and piano op. 84 – The Twins; opera in three acts op. 87 – Musique Nocturne; clarinet and chamber orchestra op. 88 – Sinfonia Cantata (Symphony no. 4); baritone, mixed chorus, and orchestra op. 89 – Aubade; string orchestra op. 90 – Sonata; piano op. 92 – Dialogues; clarinet and piano op. 93 – Périples; small orchestra op. 94 – Symphony no. 5 (in memory of Hans Rosbaud) op. 95 – Pretexts; oboe, bass clarinet, piano, percussion, and strings op. 96 – Variantes; F horn and piano op. 97 – Cantus Firmus; two pianos op. 98 – Rondo; orchestra op. 99 – Serioso; bass saxhorn and piano op. 100 – Cantilène; mezzo-soprano and chamber orchestra op. 101 – Recit; solo clarinet op. 102 – Melopeia; oboe solo op. 103 – Chant Premier (Sonata); tenor saxophone and orchestra op. 104 – Texts; viola and piano op. 105 – Passacaglia for One Hand; piano op. 106 – Follia, Paraphrases; orchestra op. 107 – Délié (Cantata); soprano and orchestra (or piano) op. 108 – Sonata-Danse; cello and piano op. 109 – Malinconia (Cantata); soprano, bass, string quartet, and orchestra op. 110 – Sonata; viola solo op. 111 – String Quartet no. 4 op. 112 – Mirror of Songs; flute and piano op. 113 – Torse (Meditation); violin solo op. 114 – Elegy no. 2; violin and piano