JAVS Spring 2007

with solo viola with a C-major chord much like the Hindemith Der Schwanmdreher, except with our the rop "E" on the a-string. The opening cadenza then ends on a C, also like the Hindemith, with the orchestra entering in a strict 4/4 time, but here the music is faster and played by the strings in a texture that reminded me of Dvorak's Sermadt for Strings. There are additional sec tions where the viola is featured with solo cadenzas, and are fol lowed with strict 4/4 metered tutti sections. The viola is always heard very well in the recording r have, even in the more contra puntal sections that reminded me a little bit of

This column ftaturts recently com posed works for Viola and Piano.

There seems to be heavy roman ticism in this movement, perhaps a romantic encounter is being remembered here. The Elgar influence is even stronger in this movement, and in contour, the opening of this movement reminded me slightly of Bach's Air on the G-String with the eighth-note rhythm and the downward bass movemenr. He beautifully exploits the viola in the lower register in the lyrical lines, but also does not shy away from the upper register, going up to a high "D " at one point. The music phrase repeats itself several times with the solo viola line tak ing melismatic accompanying

Viola Concerto (Tre aspetti di Roma) (1990) I. Campo dei Fiori II. II Pincio 1[1. II Trastevere

Difficulty: Level 5 Duration: 27 minutes Dedication and Premiere: Patricia Pollett with the Queensland Symphony Orchestra

By Colin Brumby (b. 1933)

I have really enjoyed listening to this concerto; there isn't a moment in ir rhar isn't beautiful. Ir is written in a comparatively traditional romantic sryle, and it certainly helps ro fill one of the hugest voids we have in our liter ature- a major concerto in the romantic sryle (nor counting the Berlioz Harold in Italy, which most violists don't even consider to be a concerto). This work draws inspiration from "aspects" of 3 favorite locations in Rome, where the composer spent tjme with his advanced music compo sition studies in 1972. This work doesn't sound Italian by any means; however it does sound very European-influenced, espe cially by composers like Dvorak and Elgar.

Elgar's Cello Concerto. The overall form is in a traditional sonata form, and the flavor of the music and the inspiration of rhe nature and the flower field are successfully cap tured.

MUSIC AT RUTGERS Mason Gross School of the Arts STRING FACULTY Arnold Steinhardt, violin, Chair of Strings Todd Phillips, violin Lenuta Ciulei, violin Toby Appel, viola Kathryn Lockwood. viola Jonathan Spitz, cello Tim Cobb, bass Instruction on major instrument, and in musicianship, theory, and history. Performance in the Rutgers Symphony Orchestra, Rutgers Sinfonia, early music ensembles, chamber groups, and solo recitals. Degree programs: BM, MM. AD, DMA.Merit based scholarships.

The second movement "II Pincio" is an extended aria

form movement, and is the name of the exquisite gardens found above the Piazza del Popolo.

Audition/application information at www.masongross.rutgers.edu rvlason Gross School of the MJ

The first movement "Campo dei Fiori" (Field of Flowers) opens

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