JAVS Spring 2026

This gradual adoption is reflected in the repertory itself. According to Zeyringer’s repertory guide, approximately 180 violin–viola duets were composed during the eighteenth century, with the earliest documented example dating from 1772. 3 Of these, Giuseppe Cambini (1746– 1825) alone composed fifty-four works, accounting for more than a quarter of the total. The remaining duets were largely contributed by composers who wrote only a single set, underscoring the limited and tentative nature of the genre’s development. Given the viola’s relatively recent emergence as a featured instrument, any eighteenth-century work requiring virtuosic viola writing represents a significant contribution to the still modest but continually expanding viola repertoire. Viewed within this historical context, Notturno per violino e viola del signor Luigi Boccherini warrants attention on its musical merits alone. However, if the work can be credibly attributed to Boccherini, its significance extends beyond repertory value and into the historical development of the viola itself. Boccherini’s creative period, spanning the 1750s to 1804, places him squarely within this transitional era for the viola as it moved from a predominantly supporting role toward greater prominence as a solo instrument. 4 He is most often remembered as “a famous ‘cellist who… made a significant contribution to the development of chamber music.’” 5 In much early Classical chamber music, the violin typically carried the melodic line, the viola supplied inner harmonies, and the cello provided the bass. As both a cellist and composer, Boccherini challenged this hierarchy by elevating the lower voices, allowing melodic material to circulate among all parts. His six string trios for violin, viola, and cello composed in 1772—followed by a second set of six trios in 1793— demonstrate this approach and are catalogued as opp. 14 and 47 respectively. 6 Notably, the year 1772 also marks the composition of the first documented violin–viola duet by Pankraz Huber. 7 Despite his prolific output in chamber music, Boccherini does not appear prominently among composers who regularly wrote for the viola as a solo instrument. Gerard’s thematic catalogue, Zeyringer’s repertory guide, and other reference sources list only his twelve string trios involving viola and his works for quartet and quintet. 8 Until the emergence of Notturno per violino e viola , Boccherini therefore appears somewhat cautious in embracing the

viola’s expanding role. This perception, however, may be incomplete. Although Luigi Boccherini carefully documented his published works, he did not catalogue pieces written privately for friends or colleagues. According to a recollection by Giuseppe Cambini, reported in Oxford Music Online, Boccherini spent approximately six months around 1766 performing in a string quartet with Filippo Manfredi, Pietro Nardini, and Cambini himself. As composer-performers, the members of this ensemble likely composed works for one another’s use. If Notturno per violino e viola originated within this circle, it could represent the earliest known violin–viola duet. 9 Such a possibility would position Boccherini not as a follower, but as one of the earliest composers to recognize the viola’s potential as a featured instrument. Ulrich Drüner Collection The manuscript Notturno per violino e viola del signor Luigi Boccherini is housed in the L. Tom Perry Special Collections at Brigham Young University as part of the renowned Primrose International Viola Archive (PIVA). The viola holdings of the PIVA are both expansive and continually growing, with a stated goal “to interest those with major private collections to consider PIVA as a repository.” 10 It is widely recognized as “the largest [collection] of materials related to the viola in the world,” encompassing major donations from William Primrose, Franz Zeyringer, the International Viola Society, and numerous other contributors. In recognition of the scope and scholarly importance of PIVA’s work, Ulrich Drüner elected to place his own extensive private collection there upon his retirement. Born in 1943, Ulrich Drüner is a German violist and collector whose lifelong focus centered on repertoire of particular significance to the viola. He began collecting in 1962 during his studies with Professor Ulrich Koch at the Strasbourg Conservatory. What initially served as a practical resource to support his professional career soon developed into what Drüner himself described as an “obsession.” 11 By the end of his career, his collection had grown to include over “5000 single works for solo viola, viola chamber music, viola concertos and other related documents.” 12 This breadth afforded Drüner considerable independence as a scholar-performer: drawing from his own holdings, he transcribed, edited, and published fifty works for viola, contributing directly to the expansion of the instrument’s modern repertory.

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Journal of the American Viola Society / Vol. 42, No. 1, Spring 2026