JAVS Spring 2024

fourth glissando, I even wrote “bride” in my part to help myself listen for the interval and find the new position.

Performing on an Unloved Instrument One of the most important activities in prepping the viola for performance was putting new strings on the instrument. I could tell that the viola had a wonderful, bold sound when I first checked it out, but I could also tell that the strings were extremely old. The strings on the Cavaceppi viola were likely placed on the instrument during Cade’s lifetime, making them at least fifteen years old. After putting new strings on the viola, the instrument’s resonance was significantly increased; however, the act of putting on the strings was quite the ordeal. Although I recognize how half an inch on a viola can make an incredible difference in sound, I did not expect this half-inch to have such an impact on putting strings on the instrument. The new strings seemed to require much less winding to get closer to their correct pitch than I’m accustomed to on my own viola. Yet, once the string was close to its correct pitch, I had an extremely difficult time getting it absolutely in tune and getting the peg to stay in place. I imagine that the length of the viola was putting so much strain on the strings that it was difficult for them to be held perfectly in place by the pegs. I examined the pegs and reinserted any strings that were creating too much tension with a harsh angle. However, I ultimately left the viola out of tune overnight to allow the fresh strings some time to stretch and get used to the large demands of the viola. It took several days for the strings to stretch, but, luckily, they settled and held their pitch in time for the recital. While playing the instrument, navigating the difference in finger spacing was by far the greatest challenge. Since I didn’t play on this instrument for any other pieces or in any other ensembles, I had to make a significant adjustment every time I played it. Notes that were only a half step apart were so distant from one another that they almost felt like whole steps. In many areas of my own instrument, my fingers will touch if I am playing two consecutive notes a half step apart from one another. However, on the Cavaceppi viola, my fingers rarely touched. This struggle became especially apparent in the harmonic section, where fingers must be placed with absolute precision. For this reason, the harmonic section felt the riskiest for performance. Since I was generally unfamiliar with the geography of the Cade collection viola, I had to rely significantly on my ear. Instead of shifting to new positions based on comfort and familiarity, I focused on intervals. For the perfect

Many musicians try to remove themselves from the performance by viewing themselves as a vessel for the composer to the audience. When playing on the violas in the Cade collection, I take a similar approach. I often aim to share my performance as a presentation of the instrument, what it can do, and what it sounds like, rather than that of my abilities. The performance is not a test of myself; instead, it is simply about having the instrument be heard. First and foremost, I wanted to connect the audience to this particular instrument; a close second was connecting the audience with the composer. Conclusion With this project, I’ve celebrated an underappreciated viola in the Cade Instrument Collection. For the spring of 2023, it was no longer sitting dormant, and my hope is that future students will continue to use the instrument. I’ve also drawn attention to local history around viola making. It is important that we celebrate these local makers because, in many ways, they have shaped the musical communities we live and learn in today. Since the key men in this account have recently passed away, and much of what people know of them have been passed orally, it now feels more important than ever to record stories from those they directly influenced. I have learned that local histories are just as significant as broader historical moments and trends, as they show us accessible, inspiring stories. Local histories transform generic cities into unique, charming communities. I challenge all violists, and all musicians more generally, to become more aware of local history. There are clearly important stories to be told if we just take the time to tell them. About the composer Emelia Ulrich was born in 2000 in Pinellas County, Florida. She started learning violin in public middle school orchestra class at the age of thirteen and began composing in high school. She will be graduating from the University of Florida in the Fall of 2023 with degrees in Music Composition and Music Education. Emelia focuses on modal and pandiatonic music. Her compositional goals include writing scholastic-level compositions in a contemporary art-music idiom. Her major compositional influences are Caroline Shaw, Vaughan-Williams, and York Bowen.

36

Journal of the American Viola Society / Vol. 40, No. 1, Spring 2024