Viola concerto

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.

Colour photograph
First page of the viola solo part, in the manuscript parts set of Hoffmeister's viola concerto in D

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.

Lionel Tertis
Lionel Tertis
William Primrose
William Primrose

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 York Bowen, and other concertante works such as Arnold Bax's Phantasy for Viola and Orchestra. Tertis also commissioned pieces such as Ralph Vaughan William's 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

Notes
  1. Unfinished, completed initially by Tibor Serly, though other completions have also been done.
  2. Attributed to Ivan Khandoshkin.
  3. Attributed to Roman Hoffstetter.
  4. Three versions - 1942, 1964, both for viola and strings, 1945 for larger orchestra.
  5. Score published by Schött in 1970. Referred to as concerto No. 2.
  6. Published by Breitkopf & Härtel in 1971. Referred to as concerto No. 3.
  7. At least one, in G major, published by Litolff in 1962. May have been meant for viola d'amore.
  8. Composed for and dedicated to Winifred Copperwheat.
  9. Often played by students and young violists as a part of the Suzuki method.
  10. According to Duke University, both were originally for violoncello or bassoon.
  11. Premiered by Paul Hindemith.
  12. Transcription of the composer's Clarinet (or Viola) Sonata, Op. 120 No. 1 by Luciano Berio.
  13. The Sonata for Viola and Piano orchestrated in 2004-5 by Ruth Lomon.
  14. From the composer's Suite in D major for Viola and Piano (1906), Op. 2, arranged for Viola and Orchestra (1909).
  15. Transcription of Paganini's Guitar Quartet No. 15.
  16. Arranged by Max Erdmannsdörfer from the composer's Märchenbilder for piano and viola, Op. 113.
  17. Transcription of Shostakovich's String Quartet No. 13 by composer and pianist Alexander Tchaikovsky.
  18. Transcription of Shostakovich's Sonata for Viola and Piano by violist and composer Vladimir Mendelssohn.
  19. Version of the Ballad for Clarinet and Orchestra Op. 28. May also be found as part of the Clarinet-Piano version numbered Op. 8. Premiered by Ilari Angervo & Finnish Radio Symphony Orchestra, cond. by Ernest Martinez-Izquierdo.
  20. Technically not a concerto.

See also

References
  1. "Blue Plaques - TERTIS, LIONEL (1876-1975)". English Heritage. Retrieved January 2, 2022.
  2. Potter, Tully. "About this Recording - PRIMROSE, William: Recital, Vol. 2 (1939-1952)". Naxos. Retrieved January 2, 2022.
  3. "Records International February 2003 Catalogue". www.recordsinternational.com. Retrieved 2023-07-22.
  4. "UMP Composers - Simon Bainbridge". 2006-10-03. Archived from the original on 2006-10-03. Retrieved 2023-07-22.
  5. Potter, Tully (2010). "Real or Fake? Famous Musical Hoaxes: The Great Baroque Swindle" (PDF). The Strad. Archived from the original (PDF) on February 6, 2011. Retrieved February 15, 2016.
  6. "Wise Music Classical - Home". www.wisemusicclassical.com. Retrieved 2023-07-22.
  7. "Hans Henkemans (1913-1995) - klassiekemuziekgids.net". 2005-04-24. Archived from the original on 2005-04-24. Retrieved 2023-07-22.
  8. Fleshler, David (March 11, 2015). "Diaz and Spano bring Higdon's new Viola Concerto to Miami". The Classical Review. Retrieved November 9, 2015.
  9. "JACOB, Gordon :Gilder-MusicWeb Dictionary of composers". www.musicweb-international.com. Retrieved 2023-07-22.
  10. "Michael Jarrell - Emergences-Résurgences". www.michaeljarrell.com. Retrieved 2023-07-22.
  11. "Nigel Keay - Viola Concerto (Concerto pour alto)". www.nigelkeay.com. Retrieved 2023-07-22.
  12. Group, Ondine Oy, A. member of The Naxos Music. "Ondine Release". www.ondine.net. Retrieved 2023-07-22.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  13. "LEGLEY, Vic". 2006-07-08. Archived from the original on 2006-07-08. Retrieved 2023-07-22.
  14. "BEHIND THE WAVES for viola and string orchestra ( contemporary viola concerto ) ( modern viola concerto ) ( new music viola concerto )". PETER MACHAJDÍK. Retrieved 2023-07-22.
  15. "IN FRONT OF THE WAVES for viola and string orchestra (contemporary viola concerto) (modern viola concerto) (new music viola concerto)". PETER MACHAJDÍK. Retrieved 2023-07-22.
  16. "Milhaud.htm". 2004-08-29. Archived from the original on 2004-08-29. Retrieved 2023-07-22.
  17. Muhly, Nico. "Viola Concerto (2015)". Music Sales Group. Retrieved November 9, 2015.
  18. "The Concert Music of Miklos Rozsa by Rob Barnett". www.musicweb-international.com. Retrieved 2023-07-22.
  19. "June 8: Premiere of Sonata for Viola and Orchestra". 2007-06-16. Archived from the original on 2007-06-16. Retrieved 2023-07-22.
  20. "Theodore Front Musical Literature - Meditation and Allegro : For Viola and Ensemble (2010)". www.tfront.com. Retrieved 2023-07-22.
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