JAVS Fall 2007

Kacims, Louis Keivman, Tibor Serly and Emanuel Vardi, to name a few. 11 The presence of these fine violists apparently inspired Shulman to compose for the viola, which ultimately resulted in a total ofsix works: Homag~ to Erik Sati~ (1938), A Pi~a in Popu/4r Sty!~ (1940), Thmz~ and Variations ( I 940) , Suit~ for Solo Vzo/4 (I 953) , Variations (1984), and Two Episod~s for Vio/4 Quarm 1. Night, 2. Ancora (1976). During the early twentieth century, the viola was struggling to become known as a solo instrument and violists were "hungry for reper toire."•z Wuliam Primrose, Vadim Borisovsky, and Emanuel Vardi began transcribing short violin pieces to showcase the instrumenr's soloist capabilities during perform ance. For instance, Vardi per formed and recorded all 24 Paganini Caprices on the viola and Primrose is credited for many arrangements for viola and piano including Tchaikovsky's Non~ but th~ Lomly H~art and Borodin's Nocturn~: Andante from String Quartet No. 2. Borisovsky is credit ed for compiling a catalogue of viola repertoire, Litemturvnuichnis for Bratsch~ und Vio/4 d'amour (1937), and to his contribution of 253 transcripcions to the literature. The twentieth cenrury was a turn ing point for spotlighting the viola as a solo instrumenr. William Walton's Viola Concerto (1928-9, rev. 1936-7, 1961), written for Terris (though he didn't premiere it), Paul Hindemith's Da Schwanmdr~ha- (1935, rev. 1936),

and Bartok's Viola Concerto (1945, published 1950), commissioned by Primrose to expand the viola reper toire and for the advancement of technique, were the main orchestral works composed for viola during the century. All of these works were heavily orchestrated, leaving violists fighting for their voice to be heard. Shulman was very sensitive to this problem, believing that the full orchestra was too heavy for any viola soloist, and therefore preferred to use a chamber orchestra or wind octet. 11 While Shulman did score the Thmz~ and Variations for full orchestra, his use of the group is highly seleccive throughout; his orchestration utilizes differences in tonal color more than it creates bal ance problems for the soloist. As Shulman began sketching the Thmz~ and Variations, violist Emanuel Vardi learned of the work. Vardi liked what he saw, telling Shulman that when he fin ished it, he would play it on his upcoming recital. 14 The viola and piano version was completed on November 13, 1940, and Emanuel Vardi premiered the work on his 1941 debut recital in New York City's Town Hall with Vivian Rivkin. •~ Toscanini was in atten dance and told Shulman upon hearing the piece, "Semplice, rna bene" (simple, but good)} 6 Vardi wrote, "[the Thmz~ and Variations] was the hit of the concert. Toscan.ini was there and loved ir." 17 Shortly after the premiere, Emanuel Vardi took the work to Dr. Frank Black (1894-1968), the general music director of the NBC radio

approve of the school chat camou flages a paucity of musical ideas under a barrage of orchestration. I also feel that there is too much "intellectual" music being written today. That doesn't mean that one should necessarily "write down" to an audience; it means that the lay person (who represents the majori ty of music lovers) wants an aural satisfaction, which will arouse his emotions; he must have something to grasp and retain - namely, a tune.• Before 1940, Shulman had written several string orchestra pieces, bur most of his compositional activities up ro 1940 consisted of wriring and/or arranging works for the Nnv Fri~nds ofRhythm, which first formed to perform a satiric version ofTchaikovsky's Andante Cantabik at a musician's party in 1938.9 They subsequently recorded and renamed their musical rendition "Drosky Drag." The group was such a hit that they added other "reinterpreted" classics to their repertoire including "Bach Bay Blues" (Bach's "Little" Organ Fugue in G minor), "Shoot the chubert to me Hubert" (ballet music from Rosamzmrk), "Riffin R.aff" Qoachirn R.aff's Cavantina), and the "Barber's Hitch" (Overture to the Marriag~ ofFigaro). 10 The NBC Orchestra's roster included many great instrumental ists: violinists Oscar Shumsky, Josef Gingold, and Mischa Mischakoff; cellists Frank Miller and Harvey Shapiro; and violists William Primrose, Carlton Cooley, David Dawson, Nathan Gordon , Milton

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