JAVS Fall 2007

Hoffmeister: Viola Concertos in B flat and D; Twelve Etudes for solo viola. Ashan Pillai, viola; Gulbenkian Ordtestra; Christopher Hogwood, conductor. This well-filled CD conveniently contains all Hoffmeister's composi tions for solo viola. The 0 major concerto is of course extremely popular, but this is only the third recording known to me, and the first to use the original text, since Atar Arad (Telefunken LP, 1976) had to make do with the old cor rupt edition, and Hariolf Schlichtig (Tudor CD, 2002) used a completely rewritten orchestral score by Franz Beyer. Pillai and Hogwood have thankfully trusted Hoffmeister - whom Beethoven called his "brother in the art of

trades! For her recording on the viola, Patricia McCarty uses a modern set-up while playing in an historically aware way, with sparing use of vibrato and dear articula tion. She stays "authentically" in low positions, but uses less open strings than a period player would. McCarty's stylish embellishments to the solo line are on the discrete side: more could have been made of the dissonant potencial of trills, and some triplet rhythms should have been adjusted. However, on the whole I find her interpretation very convincing. The recording, made at the Meadowmounr chool of Music (where McCarty teaches), is warm and welcoming, the one annoying point being the lack of track numbers for the indi vidual movements.

technical requirements. Using vari ously sonata, dance and variation form, Hoffmeister's Etudes are agreeable showpieces for a player of Pillai's considerable talent. He does an excellent job, his remark ably sweet tone remaining so in the face of every obstacle. Viola Swirl. Music by Bunch, Coleman, Tbeofanidis, Gershwin (arr. Deborah Holden-HoUoway) and Porter (arr. Bunch). Carol Rod.land, viola; TatevikMokatsian, piano. Crystal Records CD834. Now in the faculty of the New England Conservatory, Carol Rodland is a multiple prize-win ner in the US and the Isle of Man. Her debut CD adventur ously features three contemporary compositions fo llowed by virruo o transcriptions ofAmericana by Gershwin and Cole Porter. Rodland delves deep into Kenji Bunch's Suiu, taking her time over the jazzy Scherzo, and turn ing the Lament into the work's emotional core. In Dan Coleman's atmospheric Summa, the viola rhapsodizes at some length over a quasi-minimalist piano back ground. Christopher Theofanidis's unaccompanied Flow, My uars was written in 1997 in memory of the composer Jacob Druckman. It is a mesmerizing study in tonal colors, which achieves an almost unbearable intensity in Rodland's heartfelt performance. In Rodland's hands, Gershwin's pieces (Fascinatin' Rhythm, Summatim~ and I Got Rhythm) lack some of the insou ciance of a Grapelli, Benedetti or Heifetz, but she is more attuned

music" - to know what he was doing (Pillai can even be heard playing along in the tuttis, which the composer sure ly expected, as they are written into the viola part). Pillai's handling of the solo part betrays Hogwood "period" influence, being clearly articulated, almost "spoken", with none of the all -purpose phras ing one often hears in this repertoire, and plenty of open strings. The B flat concerto proves a worthy companion ofcomparable quality and similar

The History of the Viola

Vo lume I and Volume II

by Dr. Maurice W. Riley

To order, contact:

George Maurice Riley 12301 Harbour Circle Ft. Washington, MD 20744 Phone(301 ) 292-0177 Fax (301 ) 292-0280 Gviolinriley@msn.com

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