The Romanian composer Anatol Vieru was born in 1926. His teachers included Constantinescu in Bucharest and Khachaturian in Moscow. He has according to Luminita Vartolomei's detailed insert-note, written in all the major forms, including opera. On the basis of the present three compositions (the first of his that I have heard), he is a skilful but uneven composer. Vieru is not short of striking ideas, but too often his developments of them run into the sand, not unlike the music of Leif Segerstam (Vieru has also been a conductor). The Second Symphony (1973) is a case in point. In places it seems to be aiming at an early form of the 'holy minimalism' familiar now from the scores of Part and Kancheli, but in the central ''Psalm'' the outcome is tedious. However, the concluding ''Unfettered Melody'' for high strings is undeniably effective.
The Fourth Symphony of 1982 is both deeper and more diffuse than No. 2. There are several passages that impress, but just as many that sound empty or routine, and at over 40 minutes in duration the whole is overlong. Despite the back cover declaring the Bucharest Radio Chamber Choir to be the performers of Psalm 1993, that work is purely instrumental, composed as part of ''Performing Arts against AIDS'' for the Bucharest Radio Chamber Orchestra, who play it here. Psalm 1993 aside, performances are a problem there is some undistinguished playing, while intonation and ensemble are not always secure. The poor quality of the Romanian recordings does not help the cause of the symphonies, either.'