Viola Concerto (Widmann)

Jörg Widmann's Viola Concerto was composed in 2015 and premiered on 28 October 2015 with soloist Antoine Tamestit and the Orchestre de Paris under the direction of Paavo Järvi at Philharmonie de Paris.[1]

Viola Concerto
by Jörg Widmann
The composer in 2006
PeriodContemporary
GenreConcerto
Commissioned by
Composed2015
DedicationAntoine Tamestit
Published2017 (2017): Mainz
PublisherSchott Music
Recorded2018
Duration27:00[1]
Movements1
Premiere
Date28 October 2015 (2015-10-28)
LocationPhilharmonie de Paris
ConductorPaavo Järvi
Performers

History

The original commission of the viola concerto by Tamestit dates back to the year 2008.[2] The concerto, dedicated to Tamestit and realized in 2015,[3] was finally commissioned by Orchestre de Paris, Swedish Radio Symphony Orchestra and Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra.[1] In a performance of Hector Berlioz's Harold in Italy in May 2015 Tamestit was wandering through the orchestra while playing the viola solo part.[lower-alpha 1][5] Widmann took up the idea.[6] Widmann and Tamestit[lower-alpha 2] worked close together during the creation process of the concerto.[7][2] The unusual piece is tailored to Tamestit's technical and theatrical skills.[2][8]

Structure

The viola concerto has a duration of about half an hour and is in a single movement.[5] At the beginning, the violist discovers his instrument through tapping and pizzicato.[lower-alpha 3][7] The concerto becomes later more traditional with using the bow.[9] Starting near the harps and ending nearby the conductor,[10] the viola soloist takes seven positions on the stage[lower-alpha 4] and becomes a partner or opponent to the bass flute, two harps, double basses, tuba and percussion.[4][6] At one point in the middle of the concerto the soloist screams.[12] The solo viola plays at the end a glissando and the viola's C string is tuned down to a B, matching the pitch of the Double Basses in the last few measures. .[4]

Instrumentation

Source:[1]

  • Woodwinds: 4 flutes (all doubling piccolo, 3rd doubling alto flute, 4th doubling bass flute), 4 clarinets in A (1st doubling in B♭, 3rd doubling bass clarinet, 4th doubling contrabass clarinet), 4 bassoon (4th doubling double bassoon)
  • Brass: 4 horns in F, 3 trumpets in C, 3 trombones, tuba
  • Percussion: timpani, percussion (3 players)
  • Strings: 4 violins, 3 violas, 3 violoncellos, 8 double basses (5th–8th: 5-stringed)
  • 2 harps, celesta, piano (also with scotch glass)

The instrumentation is light but bass-oriented.[13]

Performances

The world premiere was on 28 October 2015 in Paris, Philharmonie, followed by performances in Stockholm and Munich.[1]

As of 2022, the concerto was performed some 20 times.[5]

Reception

Music critic Andrew Clements of The Guardian described the viola concerto as a "substantial piece" with "outstanding virtuosity".[5] Mark S. Jordan (Seen and Heard International) wrote about a "theatrical tour de force".[9] Inge Kjemtrup (Strings magazine): "extraordinary".[2] Tamestit's biography at New York Philharmonic states, that Widmann's Viola Concerto is "among the most important works Tamestit has premiered"[14]

Recordings
  • Viola Concerto, Duos, Hunting Quartet, Antoine Tamestit, Signum Quartet, Daniel Harding, Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra (Harmonia Mundi 2018) OCLC 1029675535[15] (Editor’s Choice des BBC Music Magazine, 2019 Premier Award at the BBC Music Magazine Awards)[16][17]

Notes
  1. Based on an idea by conductor Sir John Eliot Gardiner.[4]
  2. Both have been also long-standing chamber music partners.[3]
  3. Score: 12 Pages of Pizzicato.[2]
  4. The score contains a diagram of the orchestra setup.[11]

References
  1. "Viola Concerto". Schott Music. 28 October 2015. Archived from the original on 30 July 2023. Retrieved 29 July 2023.
  2. Kjemtrup, Inge (26 February 2018). "Violist Antoine Tamestit on His Career as a Solo Violist—and the Dangers Posed by 12 Pages of Pizzicato". Strings Magazine. Archived from the original on 26 September 2020. Retrieved 30 July 2023.
  3. Klier, Michael (22 March 2018). "Auf Entdeckungsreise mit Widmanns Viola Concerto". Bachtrack (in German). Archived from the original on 25 October 2022. Retrieved 30 July 2023.
  4. "Antoine Tamestit on Widmann: in conversation with Intermusica". Intermusica. Archived from the original on 30 July 2023. Retrieved 30 July 2023.
  5. Clements, Andrew (1 November 2021). "LSO/Harding/Tamestit review – vivid adventures and a fierce encounter with a tuba". the Guardian. Archived from the original on 29 November 2022. Retrieved 29 July 2023.
  6. Braunmüller, Robert (2 March 2016). "Antoine Tamestit über das Viola-Konzert von Jörg Widmann". Abendzeitung (in German). München. Archived from the original on 7 August 2017. Retrieved 7 August 2017.
  7. "Antoine Tamestit bei U21: Wenn ein Bratschist sein Instrument entdeckt". BR-KLASSIK (in German). 12 April 2017. Archived from the original on 30 July 2023. Retrieved 29 July 2023.
  8. "Antoine Tamestit". Pražské jaro. Retrieved 30 July 2023.
  9. Jordan, Mark S. (23 October 2022). "Widmann's Viola Concerto blazes theatrically into Cleveland – Seen and Heard International". Seen and Heard International. Archived from the original on 24 October 2022. Retrieved 29 July 2023.
  10. "Work of the Week – Joerg Widmann: Viola Concerto". Schott Music. 4 April 2022. Archived from the original on 30 July 2023. Retrieved 29 July 2023.
  11. Feher, Peter (27 October 2022). "The Cleveland Orchestra: Strauss and Widmann (Oct. 20)". Cleveland Classical. Retrieved 30 July 2023.
  12. "Interview mit Antoine Tamestit: "Dieses Schreien war in mir"". BR-KLASSIK (in German). 12 April 2017. Archived from the original on 31 March 2016. Retrieved 29 July 2023.
  13. Orchestra, London Symphony (19 October 2021). "'It is in my blood' Antoine Tamestit on Jörg Widmann's Viola Concerto". The Sampler. Retrieved 30 July 2023.
  14. "Antoine Tamestit, viola". New York Philharmonic. 15 June 2022. Retrieved 30 July 2023.
  15. Whitehouse, Richard (16 May 2018). "Widmann Viola Concerto (Tamestit)". Gramophone. Archived from the original on 6 March 2019. Retrieved 2 March 2019.
  16. "Antoine Tamestit". rbartists. Retrieved 13 September 2023.
  17. "Tamestit Antoine". Bayerische Staatsoper (in German). Retrieved 15 September 2023.
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