JAVS Spring 2014

The format used is an easily readable four-column text printed on a page size of 8.5 by 11 inches. Each listing provides (where available) the composer’s name; birth- and death-dates; title and opus or works number and year of completion; instrumenta tion; section of work performed; arranged instru mentation and arranger; performer(s) and instru ment(s); recording date; matrix numbers; and finally, record manufacturer/label name, format, number, and issue/re-issue dates. Additional information about the order in which performers’ names are list ed (to find a particular Sixth Brandenburg Concerto recording, for instance) is also given. As befits the importance of this reference work, it comes with a beautiful and durable hardcover library binding that will keep the pages free from significant wear after many years of searches, which is fortunate because even the casual collector will want to spend hours looking through this book. Many surprises and lost treasures await: Emanuel Vardi’s earliest solo recordings on Royale 78s (including his transcen dently beautiful Rolla Sonata in E-flat); William Primrose’s CD of Suzuki Viola School selections (one of his last recordings, available only in Japan); Maurice Vieux’s recording of Golestan’s Arioso et alle gro de concert (from May 1933, a rare solo recording by the French master); and a surprising number of 78 rpm discs by Watson Forbes, the tireless Scots violist who, after Tertis and Primrose, was the most recorded viola player of the 78 era. There are many unusual recordings to be found among later issues as well, right up to the book’s cutoff date of 2000. The advent of the compact disc in the last quarter of the twentieth century was a boon to those collectors who despaired of hearing new recordings of “niche” repertoire on LPs. The result was a veritable explo sion of interesting viola CDs, as a glance at nearly every page of Viola Music will demonstrate.

The many years of research that went into Viola Music and Chamber Music with Viola and the care with which the book has been assembled are reflected in the high quality of the production. It may not be a surprise, then, when one discovers that this book is not inexpensive—it costs $550, with the added bene fit of free postage anywhere in the world (and if my shipment was any indication, an expert packing job to protect your investment). While the price may seem high, it is fair compensation for the many years of devotion to the project by Strenkowski and his two editors, Liz and John Fodi. Viola Music is to the record enthusiast what Zeyringer’s Literatur für Viola is to the collector of printed music. It is my hope that this wonderful book finds its way to every public and university library and into many a private collection whose owner has an interest in the history of the viola. It is an invaluable tool for the serious violist. This edition of Viola Music and Chamber Music with Viola, Recorded in the 20th Century is limited to 250 copies. Inquiries about, or orders for the book, may be addressed to the author at estren@shaw.ca. David Hermann is a violist in the Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra. He has been collecting viola recordings for over forty years, and discs from his collection have been used in CD releases by Pearl, Biddulph, Music & Arts, Lys, Naxos, Doremi, and Cembal d’amour. His project Lionel Tertis: The Complete Vocalion Recordings was awarded Best Compilation of the Year 2008 by Classical Recordings Quarterly magazine.

J OURNAL OF THE AMERICAN VIOLA SOCIETy 58