JAVS Spring 2007

Cambini, Gassmann, Giardini, Gugel , Baumgarten, and Amon performed by a quartet from the US Air Force Orchestra. There was an exhibit of new violas and a viola making competition with awards given that rook place dur ing the congress, overseen by the American Society for the Advancement ofViolin Making

the Bartok Concerto and Bach's Suite No. 6) and a full recital. Burton Fine, principal viola of the Boston Symphony, per formed with Mcinnes (in place of Primrose) in a viola duet by Carl Stamirz.

humility came through as he min gled freely and comfortably with the violisrs there and those present showered him with great applause and adulation. This congress was an extraordinary event and unique in the world of strings. My next overview in a subsequent AVS Journal will focus on the 5th International Viola Congress with other notable violists present in addition to Primrose - Paul Doktor, Walter Trampler, Francis Tursi, Martha Srrongin Katz, Heidi Castleman, the Cleveland Quartet and others. Again , these fine photos that I have will com plement this next extraordinary viola event in America. - Myron Rosenblum, violist/viola d'amore player, was the creator and founder ofthe Viola Research Society. the predecessor ofthe American Viola Society and the first president ofthe AVS. His viola studies were with Lillian Fuchs, Walter Trampler and William Primrose. He has appeared at many International Viola Congresses as speaker andperfonner and was intimately involved in the programming ofthefirst two con gresses on American soil, at Eastern Michigan University. Ypsilanti Michigan in 1975 and the Eastman School ofMusic, Rochester. New York in 1977

This stellar event was a most important one for violists- the

hrformance ofBach's Brandmburg Concerto No. 6 by c. 125 violists, Francis Bundra and Ermt Waf/fisch, viola so/()ists, assisted by Lory Wallfoch, harpsichordist and Edward Szabo, conductor.

first viola congress in America, a testament to one of the greatest violists of all time - William Primrose, a demonstration of the high degree of viola playing that was quickly growing at that time and the greater value rhat was being put on the viola in America. Mr. Primrose was quite pleased with it all - the attention, the accolades and the honors. Yet his

(ASAV), Eric Chapman presiding. The second night concluded with a mass playing of the Bach Brandenburg Concerto No, 6 with Wallfisch and Bundra as the viola soloists. One hundred and twenty-five violists parricipared and it was a most impressive sound indeed. Donald Mcinnes gave two major events - a Master Class (focusing on Schumann's Marchenbilder,

------~J-=0-=U::.....R::..;=N AL OF THE AMERICAN VIOLA SOCIETY 34