Journal of the American Viola Society Volume 2 No. 2, August 1986
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JOURNAL ofthe AMERICANVIOLA SOCIETY Chapter of THE INTERNATIONAL VIOLA SOCIETY Association for the Promotion of Viola Performance and Research THE AMERICAN VIOLA SOCIETY Chapter of INTERNATIONALE VIOLA-FORSCHUNGSGESELLSCHAFT OFFICERS HAROLD KLATZ, SECRETARY MAURICE W. RILEY, PRESIDENT DWIGHT POUNDS, VICE PRESIDENT ANN WOODWARD, TREASURER 1024 Maple Avenue 512 Roosevelt Blvd. 1713 Daren Court 209 W. University Drive Evanston, IL 60202 Ypsilanti, MI 48197 Bowling Green, Ky 42101 Chapel Hill, NC 27514 Violist in Chicago Symphony, 313 - 482-6288 Western Kentucky University University of North Carolina Advertising for AVS Newsletter Emeritus Professor of Violin-Viola Eastern Michigan University MYRON ROSENBLUM, PAST PRESIDENT 39-23 47th Street Sunnyside. NY 11104 Queensborough Community College EXECUTIVE BOARD MEMBERS DAVID DALTON Archivist. International Primrose Viola Archives, tditor. A.V.S. Newsletter Brigham Young University Provo, Utah 84602 PAUL DOKTOR 215 West 88th Street New York, NY 10024 -- Juilliard School Mannes College of Music MILTON KATIMS 8001 Sand Point Way NE #C44 Seattle, WA 98115 LOUIS KIEVMAN -~ 1343 Amalifi Drive Pacific Palisades, CA 90272 Private Teacher in the Los Angeles Area DONALD MciNNES Professor of Viola School of Music University of Michigan Ann Arbor, M/48109 ROBERT OPPELT 26305 Coolidge Avenue Oak Park, MI 48237 Private teacher in Detroit area JOSEPH DE PASQUALE 532 Lafayette Road Merion Station, PA 19066 -- I Principal Viola, Philadelphia Orchestra I Prof. of Viola, Curtis Institute I ROBERT SLAUGHTER I 1105 North Riley Road Muncie, IN 47304 Ball State University \ THOMAS TAn-ON 2705 Rutledge Way Stockton. CA 95207 ------' University of the Pacific -------j - I MARCUS THOMPSON 19 Florence Street Cambridge. MA 02139 ~~s4~~ _.~, Mass. Inst. of Tech., New England Conservatory ! i FRANCIS TURSI 16 Coniston Drive ---------_._------------------- -----_.. _------- !I Rochester, NY 14610 Eastman School of Music COORDINATOR WITH THE CANADIAN VIOLA SOCIETY A. BAIRD KNECHTEL 103 North Drive Islington. ONT. M9A 4R5 Canada President. Canadian Viola Society HONORARY PRESIDENT DR. WILLIAM PRIMROSE deceased Editorial office: BYU Music, Harris Fine Arts Center, Provo, UT 84602 Advertising and classifieds office: Harold Klatz, 1024 Maple Avenue, Evanston, IL 60202 The Journal of the American Viola Society is a publication of that organization, © 1985, and is produced at Brigham Young University. David Dalton, Editor David Day, Assistant Editor Rare instruments and bows Expert appraisals Hours 10-5:30 Tuesday-Saturday 410 South Michigan Avenue Chicago, Illinois 60605 Telephone (312) 663-0150 MUSIC FOR VIOLA Viola Solo PHILLIP RHODES SOULIMA STRAVINSKY Partita (P66952) $10.00 Suite for Viola (P66628B) •.•.......••• 4. 00 ca. 15 minutes Arranged from Piano Suite for the right hand (Perich) DENNIS RILEY 8 minutes Variations III (P66435) 5.50 5 1/2 minutes DOUGLAS TOWNSEND Duo for 2 Violas, Op, 5 (P6038) •.... .. 4. 50 ca. 8 minutes Viola and Piano DAVID AMRAM ROSS LEE FINNEY The Wind and the Rain (P6692) •••.••• $ 9. 00 Sonata in a minor (P66254) ..•....•. .. 10. 00 7 minutes 13 1/2 minutes MILTON BABBITT Sonata No. 2 (P66253) 10.00 Composition (P66408) Score •••..•••.. 10. 00 ca. 15 minutes 10 minutes KARL STAMITZ J. S. BACH Concerto, Ope 1 (P3816A) .....•••.. •. 6. 50 Sonatas (3) BWV 1027-1029 (P4286A) ••• 9. 50 Arranged Va, Pf (Forbes) HALSEY STEVENS Suite (P6031) .•.•........ 0 • • • • • • • • • •• 6. 50 MRS. H. H. A. BEACH CI(Va), Pf Sonata (orig Vn, Pf) (P66847) ••.•.•. 0 19. 00 9 minutes Transcribed and edited by Roger Hannay ca. 30 minutes LESTER TRIMBLE Duo (P66076) .•.•.........•.•....... 8. 50 ANTONIN DVORAK 12 minutes Sonatina, Op. 100 (P9363A) •.•••.••... 10. 00 (orig Vn, Pf) CHINARY UNG Arranged Hallmann-Gurgel Khse Buon (P66959b) ............... .. 7. 50 ca. 18 minutes For a complete list of music for viola in Edition Peters please write for our Instrumental and Chamber Music Catalogue. c. F. PETERS CORPORATION Dept. VA-26· 373 Park Avenue South New York, NY 10016 • (212) 686-4147 ON THE TEACHING Chamber Music TECHNIQUES OF THE VIOLA It has been most profitable for me to expose the student to the glorious by music for the viola which is found everywhere in chamber music from the SVEN REHER early eighteenth century to the current period. Why ask an individual to perform difficult concertos when all Like so many of my colleagues who are that is needed is music that has a teaching the viola, I too have given practical value, music' that can be used much thought to the problem of throughout life and which brings many suitable repertoire. Obviously, if one hours of pleasure and so much personal has an exceptionally gifted youngster, satisfaction? The playing of chamber it is best to proceed in the traditional music in the home, in my opinion, is way. The basic techniques including the finest activity of relaxation that a major and minor (melodic and harmonic) musically inclined individual can pursue. scales, graded studies, etudes and caprices usually precede the But, how should a teacher impart to a introduction to the standard repertoire student this feeling and love for for the young violist, who has the chamber music? Surely one cannot ambition to pursue a career as a assign a movement from a Haydn string virtuoso performer. The literature quartet for the student to learn. available consists of music from the Practicing the viola part alone can be a Baroque era, some from the nineteenth very deadly experience for the century, and finally the vast amount uninitiated. There has to be a more available from the twentieth century. effective way to motivate the learner. The lure often comes when the But, what is best for the ambitious instructor gets involved, playing· the mature adult student who in his or her same viola part with the student. Here youth has taken "music lessons" and he can point out by example the now wants to do something with music? judicious choice of vibrato type to use, Their goal is to make music with accuracy in length of notes, observation friends, to play in community of correct dynamic indications, and how orchestras, or musical theater a phrase for the viola fits into the productions just for the pleasure and group as a whole. As a seasoned satisfaction involved. What type of performer, the teacher can make these music should a teacher assign to an lessons a wonderfully inspiring hour for individual with this ambition in mind? both the student and teacher. One should always remember that "loud and I have always felt that the primary fast" is not necessarily more beautiful task of a teacher is to make the best than "soft and slow". musician possible out of a student. Besides adequate technical facility, one These sessions, however, should not be should develop musical taste, a confined to the viola part alone. The beautiful warm tone, and most instructor should play the second violin important, the sensitivity involved in part (on the violin), or even the first learning a string instrument. Then, one violin part, while the student tackles should introduce to the student music the viola score. Many students I have which I consider basic to becoming a had in my career have learned their good orchestra musician, namely, music and ensemble playing in this way. chamber music. It has often given confidence to the 3 timid student. It also teaches the how beautiful sound is important at all student to listen. Only when he plays times. with others does he become a real mUSICIan. The teacher's good taste, Often it is possible to play a strong inspiration and thorough knowledge of bass line while the student plays the chamber music playing sets a standard solo part in a Baroque sonata. The for the student to emulate. Three Sonatas for Viola da Gamba and Harpsichord are a good example. The Bach's Ensemble Music strong bass line is characteristic of Bach's music and of other Baroque It is remarkable how much musical music. It gives the solo line direction sense even two instruments alone can and keeps the student aware that make. One of the hallmarks of a good something else is going on under the composition is good voice leading, and solo line that could be distracting if who exceeded Johann Sebastian Bach in not appreciated properly. this technique of writing meaningful melodies? The harmonies of that time It is my firm conviction that a string were a by-product of good melodic player can only claim to be a good writing. Recently, I had the musician when he has mastered and opportunity to prepare the three solo studied the string quartets of Haydn, violists for a performance of Bach's Mozart and, of course, the monumental Third Brandenburg Concerto. We had seventeen string quartets of Ludwig van great pleasure in listening to one Beethoven. The good teacher should another, marvelling at the fullness of help a student by example to realize sound and interplay among the soloists. the great value of becoming a good It was as if we were solving a jigsaw quartet player. In this medium, one puzzle. We learned also how important can always hear how one sounds and it was that entrances in ensemble fits into the ensemble. It certainly playing be accurate. And when it came gives the student a sense of self-worth to joining the other musicians required and confidence which is often not in the performance, we were ready. possible for a member of the string The compositional technique of Bach ection in a symphony orchestra. made us better musicians. The experience also made us realize that everyone is fallible in "keeping the Sven Reher took his early training at beat." the Berlin Hochschule and later at UCLA. He has been a member of the Bach's Art 0/ the Fugue is also Los Angeles Philharmonic and has effective in introducing students to taught on faculties of UCLA and ensemble playing.