 Works gathered in “Codex Caioni” (Budapest, 17th century) by Ioan Caianu (or Johannes Caioni in Latin) inspired the three movements of this suite. The “Codex Caioni” is famous for early music instrumentalists. Ioan Caianu was a philosopher, a theologian, a publisher, a painter, and a musician. He studied music at the Jesuit educational institution in Manastur. He was an Orthodox and converted to Catholicism and was a part of Sumuleu Ciuc Franciscan monastery as an organist and a teacher. He studied philosophy and theology at Trnava Franciscan University, near Bratislava, and ordained priest. He was the first musician from Transylvania of being known internationally especially because of his hymn collection “Cantionale Catholicum,” but also because of “Organo Missale” (with 39 masses and 53 litanies), but first and foremost because of “Codex Caioni” (unfortunately, the original manuscript was lost on the Second World War). The “Codex Caioni” is a collection of traditional musics, compositions, several Hungarian and Romanian singing and dances, sacred and secular works (only melodies and basses are mentioned) and works by famous composers like Banchieri, Handl, Hassle, Schütz and Ciadana. Constantin Ripa reproduced 3 popular works in a modern version. He put onomatopoeias in order to make the learning easier: “Dans Valah,” “Cantecul voievodesei lupul,” and “Dans al cincilea in sase.” Constantin Ripa was born in 1938 in Smulti, Romania. He is known internationally as a composer, a choirmaster, and a musical theory professor. He is a doctor of musicology and has been a teacher at Gheorghe Dima Music Academy, Cluj, since 1962. He wrote many symphonies, choral singings, chamber musics, as well as children’s songs and works. |
