JAVS Summer 1997

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should be taken as absolutely definitive, an investigation of these markings as they appear in the manuscript augments their appearance in the printed version. Only the "Christmas Dance" and "Polka Melancholique" have the same markings in both versions.l 3 As far as metronome mark ings are concerned, lyrical movements are indicated to be played slightly slower, accord ing to the manuscript, while virtuoso move ments are to be played faster, especially the "Galop," whose metronome indication in the manuscript is 24 beats quicker than in the printed version. The manuscript also reveals information regarding the titles of two of the movements: "Ballad" and "Polka Melancolique." "Ballad" was originally called "Romance." The title "Romance" was marked out and replaced with "Ballad." A work for viola and piano entitled "Romance" by Vaughan Williams was discovered among his manuscripts after his death and published posthumously in 1962. 14 The manuscript, which is at the British Library, is, according to a notation by Ursula Vaughan Williams (second wife of the composer), in the hand of Adeline Vaughan Williams, Ralph's first wife. Adeline died in 1951, so Vaughan Williams obviously com pleted the "Romance" before that time. Since it is not known more precisely when Vaughan Williams wrote the "Romance," as no date appears on the manuscript, it could have been envisioned at the time of the composition of the Suite. This could be one possibility as to why the title of the movement in the Suite was changed, since Vaughan Williams did not want to use the same title for two solo works for viola. Another possible reason for the change may be that Vaughan Williams thought "Ballad" was simply a more appropri ate title for the movement. Regarding "Polka Melancolique," the move ment's title appears only as "Polka" on the manuscript. Even though each of the move ments contained in Group III is an atypical version of a dance, perhaps the title "Polka" without further description was thought to be somewhat misleading. The program for the premiere performance of the Suite also lists the movement with the single-word title "Polka." Therefore, the qualifier "melan

cholique" was apparently added sometime after the first performance of the Suite and before it was published in 1936 by Oxford University Press.

The First Performance

The first performance of the Suite took place on 12 November 1934 with Lionel Tertis as soloist and the London Philhar monic Orchestra conducted by Sir Malcolm Sargent. The concert was part of one of the more important series of the time-the Courtauld-Sargent Concerts. 15 Both the work and the performance were well received by the critics. The lead article in the December 1934 issue of Strad, "Violinists at Home and Abroad," began with commentary on the Suite: The first important novelty of the present season has duly made its appearance, the suite for viola and orchestra ... by Vaughan Williams. This was produced at a Courtauld-Sargent concert, the conduc tor receiving a special welcome on mak ing his reappearance after his illness. LIONEL TERTIS was the soloist, and I hear that the composer has given him some delightfully effective music to play, of which, it need hardly be said, he made the most. The work consists of eight short pieces of varying character and rhythm and were the viola a more popu lar instrument would doubtless be fre quently heard.l 6 The positive remarks about both the Suite and Tertis were amplified in the Musical Times review, along with some less than flat tering remarks about the viola: Vaughan Williams has not exhausted his capacity to spring surprises. His Suite for viola and orchestra ... , played by Mr. Tertis at the concert on November 12, could no more have been prefigured than the "Pastoral" Symphony or "Flos Campi." Mter the event one can perceive the composer's train of thought and agree with it. In the "Concerto accademico" for violin, Vaughan Willian1s' contrapuntal puzzles were in the fashion. Still more so

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