JAVS Fall 1998

59

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ABOUT VIOLISTS

Primrose and the American Connection: A paper read at the XVI International Viola Congress, Glasgow, 1998 by Myron Rosenblum

Will iam Primrose's accomplishments as soloist, chamber musician, and reacher during his many years in America are legendary and well documented. In a shon article by James Wilson, a cousin of Primrose, Wilson men tions rhar he established contact with Prim rose in Boston in 1964, where Primrose had been consulting with a docror about his heart condition. This serious medical situation caused Primrose ro cunail his solo concert schedule and focus more on chamber music performances and reaching. Teaching consti tuted an important pan of his musical life and I am convinced that he took great plea sure in it, learned from it, and used it to fur ther analyze violisric and suing problems and come tO possible solutions. I well recall my very first lesson with this amazing musician. He pulled out his books of Sevcik finger and shifting exercises and my heart sank a bit with memories of childhood drudgery and bore dom on these violi n staples. Bur Primrose was exci ted about them and their inherent worth to violists and quickly transmined this enthu siasm ro me, a rwenry-rwo-year-old stri ng player on the verge of pursuing a viola career. Henri Temianka, the first viol inist of the Paganini Quartet, who often performed with Primrose, wrote of his reaching: " It is prob ably true to say rhar Primrose accomplished his most important work as a reacher after he had concluded his career as a performer. Also, there were his many superb recordings to guide and inspire his students ." During his years in America, Primrose was affi liated with some outstanding music schools and conservatories, such as the Curtis Institute in Philadelphia; the Juilliard School of Music in New York; the School of Music at Indiana University, Bloomington, Indiana; the University of Southern California; the Eastman School of Music; and rhe Aspen Music School and Festival in Colorado. His fine pragmatic and analytical teaching

touched many violists and produced players that can be counted among rhe best in rhe world today. I will highlight seven violists who were his pupils in America- some who will be known ro you, and some who may nor be so well known. The outstanding musical and technical standards, demanded by their mentor, were instrumental and inspirational in purring each on rhe track to grear viola arnsrry. I will follow a more or less chronological order, starring with Joseph de Pasquale, the oldest, and concluding with Paul Neubauer, young perhaps in years bur by no means in musical powers.

Joseph de Pasquale

JOSEPH DE PASQUALE was born in Philadelphia in 1919. He is a graduate of the Curtis Inscirure, where he studied with Prim rose from 1943 to 1946. After army service he joined the American Broadcasting Orches tra in New York and then became principal violist of the Boston Symphony Orchesua in