JAVS Fall 1997

41

BuRrO;\! FISCH & THE BAirr6K VIOLA CONCERTO: A VITAL, MISSI:\C LI:\1-.:

by Do7UlldMaurice

T he revision of the Ban6k Viola Con cerro, supervised by Peter Bart6k and published by Boosey & Hawkes in 1995, and the unpublished revisions of Csaba Erdelyi and this author, dating from 1992,

The recollections of both Serly and Primrose have had us believe that any amendments resulting from the latter's involvement were of a very minor nature, and both seemed happy to let the former take all the credit or criti

formed the basis of a lively debate at the International Viola Congress at Austin, Texas, in June 1997. The issues raised on that occasion have en sured that this fine work will continue to be the subject of further discussion well into the future. The Concerto's history, while well known and docu mented in most aspects, has, like the manuscript itself, been sketchy in others. In particular the various accounts of the events that

cism. However, a dose comparison of the manuscript, the solo part given ro Burton Fisch (in Serly's handwrit ing), the solo part given to William Primrose (also in Serly's handwrit ing), and the final printed version of 1949, reveals that significantly more than just minor amendments result ed from Primrose's involvement. Bur ton Fisch has also very kindly made available to me a recording of his rendition with

pianist Lucy Brown, made in late March or early April 1948. (Until the end of 1948 there was still a strong possibiliry that rhe work would become a cello concerto, and Primrose did nor receive any music until the following year.) This recording was made by Peter Ban6k in his New York apartment onto 78 rpm discs and then transferred onto one side of a 33-rpm disc. Peter Bart6k holds the origi nal masters and, as far as we can ascertain, Burton Fisch has the only 33-rpm copy. The derails of the issues revealed by this recording and performance part are discussed in greater detail in my book (to be released in the near future) tracing the full history of this work. The present article focuses on the pro file of Burton Fisch and the circumstances of

occurred between the commissioning of the work by William Primrose in late 1944 and the world premiere on 11 December 1949, have been incomplete-in parts contradictory and misleading. The role of Burton Fisch in the composi tion's evolution and his work with Tibor Serly have become of considerable significance, not only because Fisch gave the first private per formance in March 1948, but also because this performance reveals precisely the changes that took place between Seely's reconstruction of the score, completed in early 1948, and the first public performance by Primrose in December 1949. These changes, we can rea sonably assume, resulted mainly from Prim rose's observations while learning the work.