JAVS Fall 2003

6. I'll Bid My Heart Be Still (1944)

my surprise, upon performing the entire set, I received more com ments on how people liked the Chinese Puzzle movement the most- probably because it is the most accessible. The Passacaglia has actually been published before (Schirmer), and it is republished here in this set, free from the editing of the Schirmer edition. This movement is probably the most powerful of all of the movements, and perhaps the best closer. I'll Bid My Heart Be Still sounds like it could almost be a 7th study to go along with Vaughan Williams's 6 Studies on English Folksong, as it possesses the same peaceful slow qualities and is modal in nature. OUP won a Paul Revere Award (1st prize) for this publication in partic ular- the highest honor the music publishing industry knows for music engraving, design, and utility. I believe the award was justly deserved, and our viola community is forever in debt to OUP for pre senting these long awaited works in a clean and professional manner. These works are available though: Oxford University Press Order Department 2001 Evans Road Cary, NC 27513 www.oup-usa.org/music/music (800) 451-7556 Fax (919) 677-1303

an interesting addition to any recital program.

Difficulty: Level 4/5 Duration: 26 minutes (as a set)

I liked even more the Latin Steps, a very exciting composition in the style ofPiazwla and Bernstein. The jazz like rhythmic writing is very stimulat ing, and unlike much ofour reper toire. This work is convincing as a viola composition, and it brings out the singing qualities of the instrument very nicely. When writing with such a strong Latin or jazz feeling for an instrument such as ours (usually stereotyped for more serious/brusque characters) there is a risk of the music sounding a little corny or contrived. Hoover successfully breaks past these boundaries (better than any previous attempt that I have seen), and the work is completely convincing for the viola. This is highly recommended for those violists who are looking to cre ate innovative programming with a variety of styles. These works are available directly though the composer: Jeffrey Hoover http:/ I artmusic.home.att.net Morpheus for Viola and Piano ( 1917-18) By Rebecca Clarke ( 1886-1979) Shorter Pieces for Viola and Piano By Rebecca Clarke ( 1886-1979) 1. Lullaby (1909) 2. Lullaby: An Arrangement of an Irish Tune (1913) 3. Untitled Movement (1917-18) 4. Chinese Puzzle (1922) 5. Passacaglia on an Old English Tune (1941) artmusic@att.net (309) 694-5132

Violists have long been waiting for these gems to be published, and Oxford University Press has finally released them as of the summer of 2002. Each of these seven short works have a unique character. Despite having such different charac ters, the composer's personality is kept intact. These works are every bit as strong as her Sonata (1919), and in some ways I like these works more. They are a must for every seri ous violist's library. Oxford University Press did an excellent job in the presentation of these works. I am sure all vio lists will be grateful to have the 6 short pieces contained in one volume for cost concerns. OUP was careful not to over-edit these works, thus we have a purer ver sion of the composer's inten tions. I do believe that much editing needs to be done by the player. Slurs need to be added, as Clarke shows the preferred slur ring of certain passages only once; subsequent repetitions of the material (as in Morpheus and Untitled Movement) appear with out slurs. Surprisingly, one of my favorite movements was the Untitled Movement. This work has a peace ful rolling quality that reminded me of the Satie Gymnopedies No.2. At first, I found the Chinese Puzzle to be trite, but after playing it a few times, I began to appreciate it for its simplicity and charm. Also to

Please submit new musicfor review to: Kenneth Martinson,

Western Illinois University, I University Circle Drive, Macomb, IL 61455. B

jOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN VIOLA SOCIETY 52