JAVS Fall 2005

LILLIAN FUCHS, FIRST LADY OFTHEVIOLA

by Amedee Daryl Williams Hard Cover: The Edwin Mellen Press ISBN: 0-7734-9086-8 Soft Cover (updated): iUniverse Inc. Publi shing ISBN 0-595-30957-7.

Reviewed by Myron Rosenblum

The 20th Cenrury witnessed a dra matic change for the viola, an instrument relegated tO the rear of the string hierarchy since the 17th century. Suddenly rhe viola shone in a very different light when some remarkable violists appeared in the early decades of the 20th centmy-- performers who raised the level of viola playing to new heights and inspired composers to write impor tant works for it. Lionel Terris and William Primrose fi·om The British Isles paved the way, but in America this new viola mantle fell to a small woman who wou ld become part of an important family of major string players. She was Lillian Fuchs, the first important viola soloist (and thought by some to be the greates t) in America, a woman whose special gifts encom passed pe1formance, teaching, chamber music coaching, record ings and compositi on. Many violists and other string players around today are the bene fi ciaries of Lillian Fuchss private teaching and legendary chamber music coaching. Miss Fuchs' three

Copright- Fuchs-Stein fmni!y. Used by permission.

alive in 1994, when rhe book was published (she died on October 5, 1995), so the author was pri vy to Ms. Fuchs herself, and to many photos and documents in her possess ion. The book's ten chapters cover the many and varied aspects of Li ll ian Fuchs's musical career, her changeover to viola from violin , her serious endeavo rs as a compos er, her teaching, her performances

LP reco rdings of rhe Bach Sui tes for Vio la remain a violisric and musical fear and are sti ll a bench m;u·k for all players of those won derful Bach pieces. Violist/author Amedee Da ryl Wi lliams studied with Li llian Fuchs and had access to a large number of documents, letters, articles, critica l commenta ri es and other sources related to her life and career. Miss Fuchs was sti ll

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