The Romanian composer Gheorghe Cucu was born in Puiesti, Vaslui, on February 11, 1882. He died in Bucharest on August 24, 1932. He studied at Bucharest’s choir school then at Bucharest’s Conservatory from 1899 to 1905. He studied with Gheorghe Bratianu (music theory), Dumitru Chiriac (harmony, counterpoint and conducting) and Eduard Wachmann (harmony). He also studied counterpoint at Schola Cantorum de Paris with Vincent d’Indy from 1908 to 1911. He conducted several church choirs in Bucharest and then, he became the director of an MCC choir and of Carmen’s choir. He taught harmony at Conservatory from 1918 to 1932 and at Academia de Muzica Religioasa from 1928 to 1932. His students brought him many folk songs he later used in his own compositions, like Christmas and opera songs. He and George Enescu were the most eminent Romanian composer.
