JAVS Fall 2002

21

REMEMBERING MAuRICE GARDNER (1908-2oo2), CoMPOSER

by Dwight Pounds

A call to my home on March 27th was from an unknown source-my instinctive reaction was "Oh no, another telemarketer," but such was not the case. The caller was Robert Gardner, son of a dear friend and colleague, with news that his father had died. The sense of loss was more pervasive than sadness-my friend was 93 and had been in failing health- and besides, this was a life as much to celebrate as to mourn. My new friend of two min utes and I proceeded to share remembrances and stories for the next half hour, laughing most of this time. Maurice Gardner, a graduate in composition at the Juilliard School , professional writer of radio and television jingles, and serious composer in his retirement, had died. This New Yorker turned Floridian enjoyed many productive years with a series ofsuccessful string quartets, orchestral music, and viola compositions in this twofold change of climate. My introduction to Maurice and Sadie Gardner was pure happenstance. It is a personal longstand ing practice to arrive at viola congress host cities a day early in order to recover from travel and to ori ent myself to the local environs. I happened upon Maurice and Leila Riley escorting three guests through exhibits at the University of Houston in 1983. The Rileys and I were good friends-be was AVS President and I was Vice President. Riley was trying to speak pidgin German to his fellow viola scholar, Prof. Franz Zeyringer, with litcle success, and I volunteered to serve as translator. Professor Riley then introduced the Gardners. Gardner's Rhapsody for Viola and Orchestra had been pre miered at Provo in 1979 and his Suite for Violin and Viola was to be introduced during the Houston Congress. This was the beginning of two enduring friendships : I was privileged to serve as Zeyringer's translator during the remaining North American viola congresses he anended and spent ten days at his home in Austria gathering materials from his personal archive (now in the PNA) for my book, The American Viola Society: A History and Reference. Maurice Gardner and I corresponded until the end

Maurice Gardner

of his life. It was my honor to commlSSion Gardner's final work for viola, a sacred piece, Shema for Baritone, Viola obbligato, Cello, and Piano. These two gentlemen likewise had high regard for one another. Zeyringer and I were seared immediately behind Gardner and his son, Jerry, at the premiere of his Concerto for Violin, Viola and Orchestra during Congress XV in 1987 at Ann Arbor. The Austrian was so sminen with the work, he leaned forward to Gardner following the first movement and whispered, "Das ist Musik!" Many years later the composer told me Zeyringer's remark was the best compliment of his entire career. Additional works for viola followed, most premiered at viola congresses. Maurice Gardner was both inspired and inde fatigable as a composer. His first step was to outline his work; next he would complete the solo parts, and then complete the accompaniment or full score.