JAVS Spring 2007

Zeyringer, first president of the International Viola Society, with a matching donation from the Summerhays Music Company of Utah. Hermann Ritter, principal violist for a time in Wagner's Bayreuth orchestra, knew of the composer's general disdain for violists, roo many who were former, and infirm, violinists. Hoping to offset this opprobrious assessment ofviolists and their instrument, Rirrer pur sued the construction of a viola that would contain the brilliance of the violin and a cello-like sonority in the lower range. The PIVA viola alta was made by Philip Keller, the label carrying the date 1904, Wiirzburg. Hermann Rirrer's signarure is inscribed on the back of the instrument.

The Coletta Collection includes eleven archival boxes of his papers, organized and electronically preserved by Caroline Maxwell, an undergraduate viola major supported through a grant from the Office of Research and Creative Srudies. Contained are concert programs from 1932-2001, career and pedagogical materials used in his reaching; over 300 photographs, and six boxes of reel-to-reel and cassette recordings of his performances. Appreciation goes to his widow, Mary, for guiding Colerra's materials to a growing resource in the pantheon of notable violists in PIVA. The Ritter Viola Alta in PfVA I reflect on the illuminating article on the viola alta in JAYS, Vol. 21 No. 2 by Linda Shaver-Gleason. This seventeen-inch, five-string viola alta, encompassing the ranges of rhe viola and violin, was a gift to PIVA on the occasion of the opening of the new Primrose & PIVA Rooms in 2002. The donor was Prof Franz

DavidDalton admires the PIVA viola alta. Photo courtesy Tom Wells, BYU Library.

The collections described above, either by way ofacquisi tion or donation, are for the purposes of preservation and enrichment of the literature for viola. They preserve rhe legacies of historians and violists, all meant for the benefit of performers and researchers ofour instrument. We look forward to future gems in the PIVA tiara.

David Dalton, former president ofthe AVS and IVS, is Professor mzeritus ofViola, Brigham Young University.

Prof Hennann Ritter, 1849-1926

JOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN VIOLA SOCIETY 48