JAVS Fall 2002

30TH INTERNATIONAL VIOLA CONGRESS: A VIEW FROM SEATTLE

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about in books and magazines, and heard on recordings, would be there. What a learning opportunity! I was finally able to make it to one this past summer. It was the first time I had been to Seattle, or anyplace in the Northwest. But I didn't do any sightseeing-I was there for the Congress, and I attended just about every lecture, master class, and concert. KS: There were a number ofvery fine lectures given during the course ofthe congress, on a wide variety oftop ics. Didyou find that any ofyour particular interests were addressed? Didyou take any new ideas home with you? AR: I learned a great deal over the course of the week. I learned something new in every lecture, but the two that stand out in my mind are the Barbara Westphal Bach lecture, and Christopher Johnson's Clarke lecture. I had heard Westphal's fantastic Bach recordings before coming to the Congress, so I was vety much looking forward to meeting her. I was impressed with the tremendous scholarship behind her inter pretations. The Suites "make sense" musically and structurally when I listen to her play them, and now, after hearing her talk about how she approaches them, I understand why. Johnson's talk on Rebecca Clarke was probably the most theatrical and engaging lecture presentation I've ever seen, on any subject. His sense of drama and style was an excellent complement to Clarke's music performed during the lec ture-thoroughly informative and entertaining. New and interesting perspectives? I have to go back to Westphal's approach to Bach. Her ideas on the attack and decay of notes. On creating variety and interest with sections of music that are repeated. On recognizing the function of notes and groups of notes within the phrase-understanding that even though the music is basically a single line (very few block chords), not everything is melody. And how to play those various notes and groups of notes in a way that emphasizes their function within the larger whole. I don't think I'll ever play the Suites in the same way again. KS: One unique feature ofthis congress was the fine instrument display ofthe David Fulton Collection, fea turing instruments ofGuarneri, Amati, Gasparo da Salo, and Guadagnini. There was also a luthiers' demon stration on Friday afternoon, featuring the instruments of various luthiers, with playing demonstrations by Roberto Diaz. I have always found it interesting to see the variety in tone and timbre in these back-to-back demonstrations, with each viola unique, but capable ofproducing beautiful sound. AR: It was great to see and hear the David Fulton collection of violas. I've set a goal to have a collection like that of my own in the future. " ... well, the Amati I have here is my chamber music viola, while my Strad at home I use for solo playing.... " (smile)-I'm sure I'm not the only person with goals like that. Watching Roberto Diaz play at the luthiers' display was fascinating. That one afternoon, he played over twenty instruments back to back, a real Herculean effort. The difference between instruments was not so much the tone quality, although there was some of that, but the effort required of Diaz to produce the sound he wanted. I could see Diaz making subtle adjustments in his playing of each instrument to get it to do what he wanted. Playing a little closer to the bridge here ... stronger left hand finger action there. The experience confirmed the idea that it's not the instrument that's most important. It's the artist. KS: Ofcourse the concerts and recitals are integral to the congress experience. Not only does one get the oppor tunity to hear many ofthe well-known viola virtuosi ofour time, but there is also the inspiration ofhearing many standard works, obscure works, and even new works for the first time. AR: By far, the best part of the Congress, and the real reason I went, was to see the concerts. Where else could you go to see that much talent on the viola concentrated in one spot at one time? There were a lot of great performances, but one new discovery was the Miklos Rozsa Concerto for Viola. A great way to end the Gala Concert. 18