Viola concerto explained

A viola concerto is a concerto contrasting a viola with another body of musical instruments such as an orchestra or chamber music ensemble. Throughout music history, especially during the Baroque, Classical, Romantic eras, viola was viewed mostly as an ensemble instrument. Though there were a few notable concertos written for the instrument in this time period, these instances were quite rare and the instrument continued to be ignored. However, during the 20th century, the instrument was revitalized thanks to the work of a number of violists and composers, which led to the commission and composition of many more viola concertos, expanding the repertoire significantly.

Early history of the viola concerto

Early examples of violas taking solo roles in orchestral settings include Johann Sebastian Bach's Brandenburg Concerto No. 6, scored for two solo violas, Georg Philipp Telemann's Concerto in G major, and Carl Stamitz's Viola Concerto in D major. Arguably, one of the first concertante works to use the viola without caution was Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart's Sinfonia Concertante, scored for solo violin and viola. Although not much work was written for the viola alone in the Classical or Romantic periods, with only a few example concerto-like pieces emerging such as Max Bruch's Romanze, Hector Berlioz's Harold en Italie, or Johann Nepomuk Hummel's Potpourri, the viola concerto would see significant growth from the late 1800s.

Revitalization of the viola concerto

A number of violists and composers are credited with revitalizing the viola concerto and expanding its repertoire, with much of it centralized in Britain in the early 1900s.

British violist Lionel Tertis is often credited with popularizing the viola as a solo instrument in the early 20th century through advocating for the composition of new pieces, as well as arranging works for the viola. A number of works were dedicated to Tertis including concertos by William Walton and Edwin York Bowen, and other concertante works such as Arnold Bax's Phantasy for Viola and Orchestra. Tertis also commissioned pieces such as Ralph Vaughan Williams' Flos Campi and Gustav Holst's Lyric Movement for Viola and Small Orchestra, in addition to gaining permission to transpose works for the viola, such as Edward Elgar's Cello Concerto and Frederick Delius's Caprice and Elegy for Cello and Orchestra.[1]

William Primrose was also an important figure in establishing the role of the viola as a soloist, having a number of concertos dedicated to him by composers like Quincy Porter and Darius Milhaud. He also commissioned works as well, with the most famous being Béla Bartók's posthumously completed Viola Concerto.[2]

Other contemporary composers, such as Alfred Schnittke and Krzysztof Penderecki, have also composed pieces for Viola and Orchestra. Orchestrations of accompaniments from chamber works into concertante works have also become more popular, with more well known transcriptions being those of Shostakovich's Viola Sonata or Rebecca Clarke's Viola Sonata.

List of viola concertos

List of other works for viola and orchestra

See also

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Blue Plaques – TERTIS, LIONEL (1876–1975) . English Heritage . January 2, 2022.
  2. Web site: Potter . Tully . About this Recording – PRIMROSE, William: Recital, Vol. 2 (1939–1952) . Naxos . January 2, 2022.
  3. Web site: Records International February 2003 Catalogue . 2023-07-22 . www.recordsinternational.com.
  4. Web site: 2006-10-03 . UMP Composers – Simon Bainbridge . 2023-07-22 . https://web.archive.org/web/20061003021243/http://www.ump.co.uk/bainbridge.htm . 2006-10-03 .
  5. Web site: Potter . Tully . 2010 . Real or Fake? Famous Musical Hoaxes: The Great Baroque Swindle . https://web.archive.org/web/20110206154137/http://www.iupui.edu/~facinfo/N480/Forgeries%20and%20Fakes%20in%20Sheet%20Music.pdf . February 6, 2011 . February 15, 2016 . The Strad.
  6. Web site: Wise Music Classical – Home . 2023-07-22 . www.wisemusicclassical.com . en.
  7. Web site: 2005-04-24 . Hans Henkemans (1913-1995) - klassiekemuziekgids.net . 2023-07-22 . https://web.archive.org/web/20050424075158/http://www.klassiekemuziekgids.net/componisten/henkemans.htm . 2005-04-24 .
  8. Web site: Fleshler . David . March 11, 2015 . Diaz and Spano bring Higdon's new Viola Concerto to Miami . November 9, 2015 . The Classical Review.
  9. Web site: JACOB, Gordon :Gilder-MusicWeb Dictionary of composers . 2023-07-22 . www.musicweb-international.com.
  10. Web site: Michael Jarrell – Emergences-Résurgences . 2023-07-22 . www.michaeljarrell.com.
  11. Web site: Nigel Keay – Viola Concerto (Concerto pour alto) . 2023-07-22 . www.nigelkeay.com.
  12. Web site: Group . Ondine Oy, A. member of The Naxos Music . Ondine Release . 2023-07-22 . www.ondine.net . en.
  13. Web site: 2006-07-08 . LEGLEY, Vic . 2023-07-22 . https://web.archive.org/web/20060708173953/http://www.cebedem.be/composers/legley_vic/en.html . 2006-07-08 .
  14. Web site: Lukas Zdenek . zdenek-lukas.cz . cs . 11 February 2024.
  15. Web site: BEHIND THE WAVES for viola and string orchestra (contemporary viola concerto) (modern viola concerto) (new music viola concerto) . 2023-07-22 . PETER MACHAJDÍK . en.
  16. Web site: IN FRONT OF THE WAVES for viola and string orchestra (contemporary viola concerto) (modern viola concerto) (new music viola concerto) . 2023-07-22 . PETER MACHAJDÍK . en.
  17. Web site: 2004-08-29 . Milhaud.htm . 2023-07-22 . https://web.archive.org/web/20040829221200/http://www2.potsdam.edu/CRANE/martinka/milhaud.htm . 2004-08-29 .
  18. Web site: Muhly . Nico . Nico Muhly . Viola Concerto (2015) . November 9, 2015 . Music Sales Group.
  19. Web site: The Concert Music of Miklos Rozsa by Rob Barnett . 2023-07-22 . www.musicweb-international.com.
  20. Web site: 2007-06-16 . June 8: Premiere of Sonata for Viola and Orchestra . 2023-07-22 . https://web.archive.org/web/20070616005944/http://www.rebeccaclarke.org/june8.html . 2007-06-16 .
  21. Web site: Theodore Front Musical Literature – Meditation and Allegro : For Viola and Ensemble (2010). . 2023-07-22 . www.tfront.com.

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