Tiberiu Brediceanu was born on April 2, 1877 in Lugoj into a family with aristocratic origins, his father a lawyer and a politician. He first studied music with his mother, then took piano lessons with Sofia Vlad-Rădulescu, and was later instructed in the theory of music, sight-reading and harmony by Iosif Czegka. He continued in Košice (1891-92) and Blaj (1892-95, with celebrated Romanian composer Iacob Mureșianu), pursuing further studies with Hermann Kirchner in Sibiu (1903-06) and Paul Richter in Brașov (1913-14, composition and orchestration). He also studied Law in Budapest, Bratislava, Vienna and Rome, obtaining his PhD in Cluj (1902).
Working for Albina Bank in Sibiu and director of its Brașov branch, Tiberiu Brediceanu took part in the Great Union as Deputy of Brașov and was founding member of several important cultural institutions in Cluj Napoca, the Romanian Opera, the National Theatre (1919), and the Conservatory of Music, as well as of the Romanian Composers’ Society (1920) in Bucharest. Director of the Romanian Opera in Cluj-Napoca (1920), folklorist and later president of the Commission for the collection and publication of Romanian traditional song (1928), he was appointed director of the National Opera in Bucharest (1941-44).
Associate member of the Société Française de Musicologie (starting 1929) and of the Romanian Academy (1939-48, reinstated 1990), Tiberiu Brediceanu wrote studies, articles, papers, produced radio and TV shows, presented concert-lectures. He was also the collector of over 2,000 folk songs.
Selected accolades: the Folklore Prize of the Romanian Composers’ Society (1925), the National Music Award (1927), Honoured Master of Arts, the Order for Distinguished Labour, 1st class (1956), People’s Artist (1957), Order of Cultural Merit, 1st class (1967).
Selected works: Ardeleana [From Ardeal] (1894), Rândunica [The Sparrow] (1894), Quadrilul pe motive românești [Quadrille on Romanian Themes] (1904), Doină și joc [Doina and Dance] for flute and piano (1908), La şezătoare [Peasant Gathering] (1908), Seara Mare [The Great Evening] (1924), Colinde [Carols] for voice and piano (1924), S-a dus cucul [The Cuckoo Flew Away] (1931), La seceriş [Harvest Season] (1936), Șase doine și cântece românești [Six Romanian Doinas and Songs] for voice quartet and piano (1953), Miorița – șase teme ale baladei [Miorița – Six Themes] for voice quartet and piano (1955).
Tiberiu Brediceanu died on December 19, 1968, in Bucharest.