JAVS Fall 2003

computer, Frendin and composer Henrik Frisk utilized the sound of the viola to cue certain loops and sound parameters in the computer, the idea being to cause musical expression to be the "trig ger" rather than traditional fixed parameters such as pitch and attack. Wrong Music resulted from collaboration between Frisk and the Swedish composer Fredrik Soderberg and served as the embryo of a later and larger ver sion for E-viola grande and chamber ensemble. The experi mental E-viola was developed by Richard Rolf in Stockholm in an attempt that Frendin calls "[cre ation] an electrical instrument that has the sound character of an acoustical one." Totally unique-Garth Knox and Henrik Frendin probe the outer limits of the viola in their own unique ways, chase the will o' the wisp and explore new dimensions of sound. Their technical acumen, profound sense of artistry, and willingness to experiment and improvise, result in musical imagery that at once is compelling, convincing, and ultimately charm ing. Stereo-typical English reserve and Swedish gloom have no place in their art. The husband and wife duo of Penny and Steven Kruse opened the musical portion of the Kronberg Viola Congress with David Maslanka's Montana Music: Fantasy on a Chorale Tune for Violin and Viola. The distinct Les Americains

with lngolf Dahl's Divertimento, a very interesting and compelling composition which requires some score d' atura in the third move ment, as the C-string is tuned down to a B-natural. Also appearing in their third inter national viola congress, Austrian Canadian violist, Jutta Puchhammer-Sedillot, and pianist Elise Desjardins were the final North American performers at the congress. This program began with Rhapsody by Jean Coulthard, a Canadian woman active for much of the 20th century. The next selection, Philipp Scharwenka's Sonate "Fantasia," was Romantic in the style of-but not outdo ing-Brahms, and they concluded with Frank Bridge's Four Pieces for Viola and Piano. The Puchhammer-Desjardins duo con sistently generates excitement and a sense of anticipation in their thrilling and performances and interesting programs. A multi-lingual polyglot (redun dancy admitted), Emile Cantor is also a fascinating storyteller who took every opportunity to share either some biographical informa tion about a featured composer or something about a given work or program. An example of his rea soning: "just as the viola is squeezed between the violin and cello, so is Belgium squeezed between Holland and France, therefore a program of Belgian composers is entirely appropri ate" ... and incidentally the first with this emphasis at an interna tional viola congress. He would

ly American music suggesting the open spaces of the American prairie, the frontier, and its indigenous peoples echoing throughout the Kronberg concert hall and its beautiful vaulted ceil ings served to remind the dele gates that this undoubtedly was an international event. Helen Callus, formerly Professor of Viola at the University of Washington (Seattle) and official host of International Viola Congress XXX, is a rising figure in the viola world. Not only is she President Elect of the American Viola Society and served as official representative of the AVS to the IVS Executive Board meetings in Kronberg, she also has presented very solid performances in the last three congresses, thus combining remarkable artistic and organiza tional skills. Callus continued the American theme in her program, a Composer's Portrait-Rebecca Clarke, with Clarke's Viola Sonata, Morpheus, and I'll BidMy Heart be Still. Christine Rutledge, another American with numerous inter national appearances, also played a very strong recital despite the disadvantage of an unbelievably hot auditorium. A firm reading of the Bach Partita No. 2 in G Major was followed by an equally strong performance of Hindemith's "Passacaglia'' from Solo Sonata Op. 11, No.5. Rutledge and pianist Hede Hass, who provided outstanding accompaniments for most of the congress participants, concluded

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