Yizhak Schotten, viola; Katherine Collier, piano
Ernest Bloch's Suite for Viola and Piano won first prize in the Berkshire Chamber Music Competition in 1919, and had its first performance at the Berkshire Festival with Louis Bailly, violist, and Harold Bauer, pianist. The following is an analysis made by Bloch at that time:
“First of all, my Suite does not belong to my so-called 'Jewish works,' although perhaps, in spite of myself, one may perceive here and there in a few places a certain Jewish inspiration. It is rather a vision of the Far East that inspired me: Java, Sumatra, Borneo — those wonderful countries I so often dreamed of, though never was fortunate enough to visit in any other way than through my imagination. I first intended to give more explicit — or picturesque — titles to the four movements of the work, as: (1) In the Jungle; (2) Grotesques; (3) Nocturne; (4) The Land of the Sun. But those titles seemed rather incomplete and unsatisfactory to me. Therefore, I prefer to leave the imagination of the hearer completely unfettered, rather than tie it to a definite programme...
Paul Hindemith's Sonata for Viola and Piano, Op. 25, No. 4, was completed in November 1922. With his colleague and patron, Emma Lübbecke-Job, Hindemith gave the work its premiere performance on January 10, 1923. Several additional performances followed in the next few years, but between the mid-1920's and the mid-1970's, it dropped from view, possibly because of some confusion with the Sonata for Viola and Piano, Op. 11 and/or the Sonata for Unaccompanied Viola, Op. 15, No. 1. It was not until it first appeared in print, in the Hindemith Complete Works Edition published by B. Schott's Söhne in 1976, that renewed attention was focused upon this work.
Stylistically, Op. 25, No. 4 may be seen to resemble such earlier works as the Marienleben in the expressive lyricism of its brief central slow movement, while the outer movements display the vitality of later works such as the Kammermusik, Op. 36. The spareness of the viola part, utilizing few double and triple stops, belies Hindemith's own virtuosity on this instrument. Whatever the reasons for this sonata's half-century of obscurity, violists and all who know the music of Hindemith will welcome the work's re- entry into the repertoire.
This title, originally issued on the CRI label, is now available as a burn-on-demand CD (CD-R) or download in MP3/320, FLAC or WAV formats. CD-Rs come in a protective sleeve; no print booklet or jewel case included. Liner notes are accessible via the link above.
Bloch & Hindemith: Works for Viola and Piano
| MP3/320 | $13.00 | |
| FLAC | $13.00 | |
| WAV | $13.00 | |
| CD-R | $13.00 |
A *.pdf of the notes may be accessed here free of charge.
Track Listing
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Suite for Viola and Piano: I. Lento - Allegro - Moderato
Ernest Bloch
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Suite for Viola and Piano: II. Allegro ironico
Ernest Bloch
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Suite for Viola and Piano: III. Lento
Ernest Bloch
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Suite for Viola and Piano: IV. Molto vivo
Ernest Bloch
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Sonata for Viola and Piano, Op. 25, No. 4: I. Sehr lebhaft. Markiert und kraftvoll
Paul Hindemith
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Sonata for Viola and Piano, Op. 25, No. 4: II. Sehr langsame Viertel
Paul Hindemith
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Sonata for Viola and Piano, Op. 25, No. 4: III. Finale. Lebhafte Viertel
Paul Hindemith
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