Archaismes by Sigismund Toduță – stylistic interferences, conducting interpretations

Abstract

Sigismund Toduță (1908 – 1991) is one of the most brilliant representatives of the Romanian musical culture in the second half of the 20th century. The complex personality of the musician was noted as a universal pedagogue, composer, and musicologist. The originality and authenticity of the composer are manifested by an expression specific to the Romanian national spirit. Thus, to enrich his thematic compositional language, he knew to deeply and discreetly deepen the ageless layers of the Romanian folk song, whose melodic and rhythmic motifs and nuclei were inspiring models of his creative thinking. In the Archaisms choral song, the composer treats the drama of the creator who finds his ultimate satisfaction and achievement through work. The theme of poetry is also a philosophical meditation on the meaning of human existence. The musical language used by the composer investigates the expressive potentials of a melodic archaic essence, in contrast to the mathematical rigor of musical constructivism specific to the music of the 20th century.