A) Design four recital programs featuring works for your instrument from the 19th and 20th

century listening lists (or approved substitutions; no concertos). The programming should
feature stylistic variety and fairly equal representation from each era. Briefly summarize (in a
paragraph or two) what led you to choose each combination, including features of the works that
appeal to you as a performer.

Recital Program 1
1. Any Telemann Fantasy
2. Reger Suite 1
3. Ligeti Sonata

An exploration of the solo repertoire for viola, ranging from the Baroque (transcribed) Telemann
Fantasies to Reger’s cerebral romantic suites and finishing with an apex of modern instrumental
writing – the Ligeti viola sonata. A uniquely challenging recital.
Recital Program 2
1. Kodaly-Bach Chromatic Fantasy
2. Brahms Eb Major Sonata
A shorter program, of two famous works not originally for the viola. The first is a famous
Kodaly-Bach transcription of Bach’s work for the harpsichord. The second half of the program is
Brahms’ rewritten Eb Clarinet Sonata – a tonal foray into two of the B’s.
Recital Program 3
1. Telemann Viola Concerto
2. Vieuxtemps Sonata
3. Shostakovich Sonata
A very intense recital program – starting in the Baroque era with the light, cheerful Telemann
concerto. Moving to the romantic era with the gorgeous, dark, and flighty Vieuxtemps Sonata.
Ending with the pensive, reflective, and tragicomic final Op. 147 of Shostakovich.
Recital Program 4
1. Berio Sequenza
2. Enesco Concertpiece
3. Hindemith Op. 31 No. 4
A very technically challenging program, primarily for endurance. The Berio Sequenza is an apex
in Modern viola literature, pairing it with Hindemith’s Op. 31 No. 4 shows off the contrapuntal
variety and lyricism the solo viola has to it. The Enesco concer piece is an aural aperitif – to
meld the German intensity and Italian vigor with French elegance.
B) Pick three 19th century and three 20th century pieces from these recitals and write short
program notes on the selected repertoire (about one page per piece). In the program notes you
should discuss how they fit into the history of the genre based on the information covered in
lectures, alongside basic facts such as composition dates, biographical information about the
composer, and any compositional features you find particularly interesting.

Berio Sequenza VI

No work inspires more fear into the hearts of a violist than if this work is uttered. It is not

difficult to see why. Written as a part of Berio’s uniquely virtuosic explorations of a variety of

solo instruments, from trombone to violin, called Sequenza, this work is a rarity, and a joy to

witness in live performance. The start of the work is uniquely aggressive, brutal in sound world,

and never lets up. It feels like dropping a brick on a reluctant vehicle – the viola is not an

instrument meant to tolerate this sort of “abuse”. The violent tremolo, that crosses four strings,

and the constant fff dynamic puts even the most strong instrument through a test of its

capabilities. Not to mention the performer – the work is physically taxing, and if performed as on

the page, should not have a lapse in sound. Playing this work requires its own technique – some

performers choosing to hold the bow underneath the frog. The work was written during the prime

compositional era of the 1960’s – 1967, specifically. Berio’s unique compositional style, and

exploitative (in terms of utilizing every possible physical characteristic of an instrument) nature

of writing comes to the fore here. Note how the chordal complexity attempts to reach a melodic

synthesis – but wherever a melody comes close to erupting, the sound dips back into chaos.
Shostakovich Viola Sonata

The story of this work is ingrained in the public echelon as any other work by a dying composer

– but, for viola, this is perhaps the other famous work in proximity to the death of the composer

(the other being the Bartok Concerto). The work was written in 1975, and unlike the rest of the

late compositions of Shostakovich, the work bends a line between his middle style and his late

style. The bleak start of the work, with its desolate pizzicato, is contrasted by the tragicomic

juxtaposition of the leaping melodic line in the second movement. The final movement is

perhaps the most notable because of Shostakovich’s unofficial subtitle: “Adagio in the memory

of a great composer or Adagio in the memory of Beethoven”. Quotations of Beethoven’s famous

Op. 27 “Moonlight” Sonata appear throughout the last movement along with themes from the

prior two movements. This work is a goodbye to the world written by a phenomenal composer,

and his understanding of the viola and its nimble nature are highlighted in the variety of

techniques. An intense chordal cadenza in the final movement, reminiscent of the cadenza from

the First Violin Concerto, is the tragic core of the work.

Ligeti Sonata

Ligeti developed his own style of composition, and as such, describing this layered work is very

complicated. Each movement was written in its own year, and the work itself was written over

the course of 1991-94. The composer began to write a piece after hearing the illustrious Tabea

Zimmermann playing on the radio, and the multiple movements were premiered by individual

violists, famously Garth Knox premiering the second movement Loop. The work is complex, and

is in six movements that harken more to a Baroque suite. The highlights of this work are too
many to listen – but listen for the unique microtonality of the first movement, played solely on

the C-string. Also listen for the complex rhythmic contours of the second and fourth movements,

Loop and Prestissimo with sordino. It is impossible to not sink into the groove that Ligeti writes

for the violist. The work is enormously technically challenging, and along with Berio’s Sequenza

VI forms some of the most important modern-contemporary compositions written for the viola,

as well as being a hallmark of Ligeti’s unique style.

Vieuxtemps Viola Sonata

The emotional intensity of this work echoes from the first note to the last. However involuntary

the choice of tonality may be, the key of Bb major resonates uniquely with the viola. The

instrument, with its low C, always resonates in keys that make up the harmonic series of the

pitch C. Bb, being the 7th, makes it resonate in its own manner. The start of the work, the simple-

plainchant scale echoes into its bouncing verve and lyricism through the first movement. The

second movement, a Barcarolla, is a beautiful work that spins a heart melting, lyrical tune

through the high and low registers of the viola. Vieuxtemps, when he wrote this work in 1860,

must certainly have spent considerable time on his viola. The entire work, especially the third

movement, is enormously challenging. In addition, this technical challenge, unlike many

virtuoso works, is not distracting. The registers and capability demanded from the violist makes

the musical intent of the work shine through. This work is a hallmark of Romantic string writing,

and along with the complementary piano part, is an essential work in the viola’s chamber

repertoire,
Brahms Eb Major Viola Sonata

A holy grail of the violist’s repertoire – perhaps no work better represents the romantic,

chocolate tone of the instrument than this work. Originally written for clarinet, the work was

composed in 1894, but the Brahms himself recomposed the work for the viola, and altered

certain registers to make the work more reflective of the instruments nature. The second sonata,

treasured by many for its intimate part writing and quiet intensity in its piano part, is a jewel. The

first movement has highs and lows, contours that inevitably represent Brahms’ feelings to

someone he had loved. The second movement begins with a passionate tune that Brahms very

rarely wrote – and the final movement displays Brahms’ contrapuntal and compositional mastery

through its well structured variations. Very few works for the viola achieve compositional highs

as this one has, and its thematic content make it a favorite for players and listeners alike. Coming

back to this work with fresh eyes simply offers more and more.

Hindemith Op. 31 No. 4

A rare work, to be sure, but a welcome one. The work is similar to Berio’s Sequenza in its

demanding nature, but is far less chordal. The first movement is an incisive exploration, in a

style similar to Bach, of the contrapuntal variety the viola has present to it. It is an intense,

unending challenge, and physically an exhausting movement. The first movement harens to folk-

dance rhythms and barrels toward the slow movement, entitled “Lied”. This song like, lyirical

middle movement, makes way for an enormous third movement in the form of a theme and

variations. The work is uniquely expressive, and is expansive in form and contrast.