Violatastic

For the last Southside House concert of our 10th anniversary season we will be celebrating all things viola! Our chosen pieces are melodious and harmoniously-stirring masterpieces composed by some of the greatest latter-day exponents of the instrument.

On the programme (all written in 1919)

Rebecca Clarke's Sonata for Viola having moved to US in 1916, Clarke wrote this piece for a competition. Out of 72 entries she tied first with Ernest Bloch, a Swiss composer, and despite being the favourite, Bloch was declared the winner. This work is exuberant, full of optimism and brio, and based on a quote by French poet Alfred de Musset, "Poet, take up your lute; the wine of youth this night is fermenting in the veins of God."

Ernest Bloch: Suite for Viola and Piano - We thought it would be fun to have a piece by Rebecca Clarke's competition nemesis! Bloch was a Swiss-born American composer who was also a prolific photographer. This piece, like all others in the concert, was written in 1919, and out of the drama and darkness comes a reflective, quiet voice. It's a complex and interesting piece that reflects the history of the time.  

Paul Hindemith: Sonata for Viola and Piano op11 n.4 is his most romantic, composition! Hindemith was one of the most prolific composers for the viola, and his mastery of the instrument is beautifully illustrated throughout this piece. It's a gem to play, as well as to hear, with its exploration of different melodic textures. 

VENUE: Southside House, 3-4 Woodhayes Rd, Wimbledon, London SW19 4RJ

TIME: 8pm - 10.30pm