Forgotten Viola repertoire

[JavierPortero]

Putting together viola music for a YT playlist I came across some interesting and unknown (to me) repertoire:

Röntgen viola sonata 

Joly Braga Santos concerto

Jacques Francaix rhapsody for viola and orchestra 

Hikaru Hayashi concerto

Beside this, the Rosza concerto and Martinu Rhapsody are seldom played.

 

Any other viola works we can add to this list?

Edited December 10, 2017 by JavierPortero
Misspelling

[DR. S]

I'd say most of the viola repertoire - aside from the Bartok Concerto is forgotten and rarely played in public.  It's too bad.   I think in my lifetime I have had live opportunities to hear the Bartok maybe 4-5 times, the Walton once.  And that is it.  I think they played the Piston concerto on the local classical station once and Hindemith's der Schwanenderer once (which is such a beautiful work - Hindemith could only compose beautiful works for the viola it seems). 

 

[Stephen Fine]

Hmm... hard question to answer.

I've only ever heard one recording of Alan Shulman's Homage to Erik Satie.  Never heard it live.

The 10 Caprices by Maurice Vieux are mostly unknown and are interesting.

I'm amazed that Brahms' 2 Gesänge, op. 91 aren't more frequently performed but they're hardly unknown.

 

[deans]

It seems to me that in the mid 1990s to mid 2000s there was something of a burst in interest in the viola. Seems to have been more recitals and concertos performed. But now its died down. Maybe its just my perception.

[Felefar]

I have heard (live, by pure chance) Maxim Rysanov playing Scubert’s Arpeggione sonata transcribed for viola. That changed my view of voila so much that I bought one. Now I just have to learn to play it...

[AtlVcl]

A good friend is actually playing the Rebecca Clarke Viola Sonata on a recital this weekend in SF; a professionally trained Peabody grad, subsequently went to med school.

[Andrew Victor]

FELEFAR - a good one! Schubert's Arpeggione Sonata is much better suited to viola than to cello on which it is more frequently heard.

i would like to recommend the Zelter concerto (check out IMSLP.org ) it is very nice and not difficult.

[AtlVcl]

22 minutes ago, Andrew Victor said:

 Schubert's Arpeggione Sonata is much better suited to viola than to cello on which it is more frequently heard.

That would seem to be a matter of particular taste, probably the taste of a violist, considering the (very) limited repertoire.

"Not that there's anything wrong with that!"

[JohnCH]

I say a bass, cello, or viola are much better instruments to play that work instead of the arpeggione.   I think the metal frets on the arpeggione give an unpleasant edge to the sound.

[deans]

1 hour ago, Andrew Victor said:

i would like to recommend the Zelter concerto

Same here, its worth learning. But if you have worked on Stamitz and Hoffmeister to the point where you are burned out with those, you may want to wait and go back to it later. 

[Andrew Victor]

AtlVcl, since the Arpeggione Sonata is "transcribed" for any instrument that plays it other than the arpeggione - it is transcribed for any instrument existing today (except for the very few 6-string arpeggiones that are around).

What I meant is that it while that sonata is generally considered a virtuoso piece on cello (at least with current notation), on viola it falls within the technical level of such things as the Zelter, Telemann, Mendelssohn sonata or Mozart Sinfonia Concertante.

[AtlVcl]

Yes Andrew, I understand.  As you know, cellists go thru life envious of the small distances easier instruments have to cover.

[avandesande]

Casimir Ney preludes are fairly obscure