A.

TOPIC PROPOSAL

Introduction

Until the appearance of viola virtuosos, such as Lionel Tertis, in the twentieth century, the
viola did not frequently feature as a solo instrument. There are multiple reasons for why this
was the case. One of the main causes was that the viola was perceived as a supporting
instrument due to its tessitura and “acoustical shortcomings”.1 William Primrose, one of the
great violists of the twentieth century, described the common attitude towards violas: “… he
who is too beastly on the violin, throw him on the viola”.2 This meant players did not often
take pride in playing the viola and composers would neglect it.3 In the twentieth century,
many major works for the viola were composed including William Walton’s Viola Concerto,
that gave the opportunity for violas players to display the potential of the viola as a solo
instrument.

It is well documented that the viola rose to prominence as a solo instrument in the twentieth
century, however there has yet to be an examination of the specific technical and musical
capabilities of the viola that were brought to light through compositions in the twentieth
century.

This project aims to examine Walton’s Viola Concerto from the perspective of the performer
and identify the technical and musical obstacles. Through the analysis of the work, I intend to
compare the technique demanded of violas players prior to and after the work.

Personal Statement

The William Walton Viola Concerto is one of the three major viola concertos that are studied
by violists and core to a violist’s repertoire. I performed it last semester for the Honours
Concerto recital. I found the work to be technically demanding and through this project hope
to gain further insight into ways of overcoming some of the technical obstacles. I am also
interested in the development of the viola technique particularly in the twentieth century
when compositions began to demand more from violists. As a viola player, I will be able to
bring my current journey in developing my playing technique and my experience of
performing the Concerto to this project.

1
Jean T. Chang, “The Role of Alfred Schnittke’s Viola Concerto in the Development of the Twentieth Century
Viola Concerto” (D.M.A., The University of Arizona, 2007), 28.
2
Yehudi Menuhin, William Primrose, and Denis Stevens, Violin and Viola (United States of America: Schirmer
Books, 1976), 171.
3
Chang, “The Role of Alfred Schnittke’s Viola Concerto in the Development of the Twentieth Century Viola
Concerto,” 19.
B. ANNOTATED BIBLIOGRAPHY

Betancourt, Cindy Alyce. “William Walton’s Viola Concerto: A Methodology of Study.”

D.A., Ball State University, 1997.

Betancourt addresses the technical and musical demands of performing Walton’s Viola
Concerto as well as a brief history. This includes both left hand (shifting and double stops)
and right arm (string crossing) issues.

This is useful for my project as it identifies the issues faced by the performer of the Concerto.

Note to self: Finish reading it.

Buschek, Kimberly. “Lionel Tertis and the Flowering of Early Twentieth Century English
Viola Repertoire.” D.M.A., University of Maryland, College Park, 2009.

From the abstract, Buschek sets out to Lionel Tertis’s role in encouraging compositions for
the viola and how he has reshaped the viola’s identity.

This could potentially be potentially be useful to the project if it describes Tertis’s virtuosic
technique and the repertoire that was written for him.

Note to self: Unable to get access to full dissertation, only the abstract.

Boyden, David D., and Ann M. Woodward. “Viola.” In Grove Music Online, Oxford Music
Online.
http://www.oxfordmusiconline.com.ezp.lib.unimelb.edu.au/view/10.1093/gmo/97815
61592630.001.0001/omo-9781561592630-e-0000029438, accessed August 12, 2018.

This Grove article provides a historical background on the viola as an “instrument of the
middle”.4 Part ii of Chapter 5 discusses the need for violas players to advance their technique
like their other string colleagues as the repertoire began to be more demanding.

This article is very useful as it provides a broad overview of the development of the viola as a
solo instrument from 1800 to well into the 20th century.

4
David D. Boyden and Ann M. Woodward, “Viola" in Grove Music Online, Oxford Music Online,
http://www.oxfordmusiconline.com.ezp.lib.unimelb.edu.au/view/10.1093/gmo/9781561592630.001.0001/omo-
9781561592630-e-0000029438, accessed August 12, 2018.
Chang, Jean T. “The Role of Alfred Schnittke’s Viola Concerto in the Development of the
Twentieth Century Viola Concerto.” D.M.A., The University of Arizona, 2007.

Although this dissertation focuses on the Schnittke’s Viola Concerto’s, Chapter I focuses on
the history of viola concertos. In Chapter III, Chang discusses in detail how composers wrote
more technically demanding works for the viola, as well as the issues of orchestrating viola
concertos.

The dissertation will be effective for my project as it also provides an analysis of Walton’s
Viola Concerto.

Note to self: Finish Reading Chapter III

Dalton, David. Playing the Viola: Conversations with William Primrose. Great Britain:
Oxford University Press, 1988.

Dalton and Primrose explore many aspects of playing the viola including pedagogy,
technique and performing. Primrose’s note to the reader discusses his view on the identity of
the viola, in particular the repertoire. Chapter 13 discusses the growth of new repertoire and
transcriptions for the viola.

This book will be an essential source as it contains first-hand accounts from two people
whole lived during the period of the composition of Walton’s Concerto and the subsequent
growth of the viola as a solo instrument. Primrose’s opinion on playing the viola will also
help guide my project.

Note to self: finish reading second half of chapter 13 as Primrose goes on to discuss
transcriptions for viola.

Johnson, Janet Christin. “William Walton’s Viola Concerto: A Critical Reception History.”
M.M., California State University, Long Beach, 2007.

This thesis focuses on the reasons why Walton’s concerto has become a staple of the
repertoire. Johnson summarises that the Concerto changed the opinion of the viola and that
prior to the Concerto and that prior to the twentieth century "the viola as a solo instrument
was virtually unknown and violists were mostly “failed” violinists”.5

This paper will be a useful reference for the history of William Walton and the concerto. The
collection of critiques of the work and recordings by prominent players will assist in
identifying how Walton’s concerto displayed the viola as a solo instrument.

5
Janet Christin Johnson, “William Walton’s Viola Concerto: A Critical Reception History” (M.M., California
State University, Long Beach, 2007), 34.
Kim, Dong-Wook. “The Emergence of Viola as a Solo Instrument: Twentieth Century Viola
Repertoire.” D.M.A., University of Maryland, College Park, 2013.

In Kim’s performance dissertation abstract, it discusses the abundance of twentieth century

works in the viola’s repertoire and the lack of repertoire prior to the twentieth century.

This dissertation limited to the program notes of the pieces performed by Kim and to the
recordings of the recitals. Kim also does not study Walton’s Viola Concerto. This source will
provide minimal information for the project.

Kurys, Justin A. “The Art of Transcription and Its Impact on the Development of the Viola as
a Solo Instrument.” D.M.A., The University of Nebraska - Lincoln, 2016.

The dissertation is in three larger sections, the history, contribution and methodology of
transcriptions is covered. It discusses in detail the history of the viola as a solo instrument and
the use of transcribing to increase the popularity of the viola and change its view to a
“virtuosic solo instrument", as Lionel Tertis had often done.6

This dissertation is relevant to my project as the first section provides historical context to the
viola and discusses the growth of viola repertoire.

Note to self: Read the methodology of transcriptions would be handy in identifying the
aspects of the viola that were displayed in said trancriptions.

Lloyd, Stephen. William Walton: Muse of Fire. Woodbridge: The Boydell Press, 2001.

Chapter 5 discusses the period in which Walton composed his Viola Concerto. It contains
correspondence between Walton and his colleagues as well as first person accounts from the
period. It also details the premier and the subsequent performances and reception of the
work. Lloyd states that the work was “recognised as a masterpiece"

This chapter is valuable as it shows how well received the Concerto was with examples of
correspondence from prominent composers such as Benjamin Britten and Arnold Bax. It also
highlights the Concerto’s significance in the viola repertoire.

Menuhin, Yehudi, William Primrose, and Denis Stevens. Violin and Viola. United States of
America: Schirmer Books, 1976.

Primrose discusses the neglect of the viola prior to virtuosos such as Lionel Tertis and
Maurice Vieux. Primrose also talks about the repertoire and the general belief that there is a
lack of repertoire. Primrose asserts that playing viola is not simply playing a “bigger violin”.7

This book provides opinions on the viola and technique by one of the great violists of the
twentieth century. This will help guide my research on playing technique in the twentieth
century.

6
Justin A. Kurys, “The Art of Transcription and Its Impact on the Development of the Viola as a Solo
Instrument” (D.M.A., The University of Nebraska - Lincoln, 2016), 5.
7
Menuhin, Primrose, and Stevens, Violin and Viola, 174.
Milisavljevic, Milan. “The Evolution of Viola Playing as Heard in Recordings of William
Walton’s Viola Concerto.” D.M.A., Rice University, 2011.

In Chapter 1, Milisavljevic provides historical information on the development of Walton’s

Concerto and the viola as a solo instrument. The author also describes the piece as “one of
the best concertos to date” (pg 13). In comparing recordings, the author identifies the
different musical decisions each artist make.

This will provide a strong reference for my project as Milisavljevic provides a framework for
the context of Walton’s Viola Concerto. It also provides a strong analysis of the Concerto.

Tertis, Lionel. My Viola and I: A Complete Biography. Great Britain: Kahn & Averill, 1991.

An autobiography by Lionel Tertis. This book includes his perspective on being the first
person to bring the viola into the spotlight as a solo instrument in the twentieth century.

This autobiography will be essential as it contains first-hand accounts of the dedicatee of

Walton’s Viola Concerto and one of the major influencers of the general opinion of the viola
as an instrument.

White, John. Lionel Tertis: The First Great Virtuoso of the Viola. Woodbridge: The Boydell
Press, 2006.

Chapter 7, discusses in depth Tertis’s relationship with the Walton’s Concerto. Having first
rejected it, then being a strong advocate for the work.

Note to self: Read chapter 2 about his early career.