JAVS Summer 1989

13

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3.

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To my knowledge, the work has not been published yet, and it is suggested that inquires be directed to Dr. Howard Ferguson, 51 Barton Road, Cambridge CB39LG, England 14. The Sonata for Viola Solo (Op, 43) by Hubert du Plessis is a strictly serial composit ion and was completed in 1977. It received its first public performance on 28 August 1980 at the Conservatoire of the University of Stellenbosch, given by Ji.irgen Schwietering . The composer's reverence for the solo works for violin and cello by J .S. Bach impelled him to write an unaccompanied sonata. Of this work, du Plessis has commented as follows: There is no marked difference between my serial and free compositions: In both types, melody--basically vocal--has always been of prime importance to me, and especially so in a solo work of this nature .. . In 1956 I became acquainted with Stravinsky's In Memoriam Dylan Thomas and immediately felt myself drawn towards the shorter series. I have never had the desire to write atonal music; it is to my mind incompatible with the essence of music . Although the work is based on tone rows, the first and third movements have "G" as central tonality and the second movement is firmly based on "Evf'lat." The Sonata consists of three well-defined mo vements: Andante con moto--Allegro, Lento, and Largo--Allegro moderato (wi th various other tempo indications) . Here f ollow the opening measures of each movement: