I was in my third year at the curtis institute of music and i heard it as part of a student recital. Clarke had moved to the united states in 1916, after being disowned by her. The sonata for viola and piano is a brahmsian late romantic work, and the dumka, track 11, harks back to dvorak, but neither one sounds derivative, and violist philip dukes, collaborating most of the time with pianist sophia rahman, gives the music the generally passionate performance it deserves. I was 20 years old when i first heard rebecca clarkes viola sonata. Today, the viola sonata remains the bestknown of clarke s unfortunately short list of works. Two pieces for viola or violin and cello by rebecca clarke. Programme notes from lunchtime recital, weds 1st feb 2012. Rebecca clarkes sonata for viola and piano 1919 is one of the few works. Clarinet, violin, and cello concerti and ensemble literature often adapt into challenging literature for the viola. It was during this period that she composed her viola sonata 1919, the runner. Born in england, she began her musical training at the royal academy of mu sic in.
Violist masumi per rostad rebecca clarke viola sonata 2018. Jessica wyatt viola and audrey innes piano rebecca clarke 18861979 sonata for viola and piano i. Rebecca thacher clarke was a pioneering female musician and composer of the early twentieth century. Rebecca clarkes sonata for viola and piano is first known of in 1919, when the composer was 33 years old. However, as this work was first published before 1925 or failed to meet notice. Rebecca clarke two pieces for viola or violin and cello. Her father, joseph clarke an american living in england, was a cruel domestic tyrant whose abusive behavior was a major influence in his daughters life. Rebecca clarke viola sonata viola musical compositions scribd. Adagio rebecca clarke, born in harrow to a german mother and american father, studied composition with sir charles villiers stanford and viola with lionel tertis at the royal college of music. One of few works by any woman composer to have entered the mainstream repertoire, clarke described the sonata as the one whiff of success that ive had in my life, yet it was greeted with skepticism when published in 1921. Rebecca clarke sonata for viola and piano arranged for. Clarkes recording of mozarts kegelstatt trio with thurston and long is poised, agile and imbued with musical intelligence. Antoine tamestit viola and yingchien lin piano miss tuttle, as all her students called her, had a wild kind of personality herself, with a great deal of original ideas about the instrument, about teaching and about how to play with expression. Rebecca clarke morpheus for viola and piano published by.
Shorter pieces for viola and piano rebecca clarke oxford. She was born in harrow and studied at the royal academy of music and royal college of music in london, later becoming one of the first female professional orchestral players. Two pieces for viola or violin and cello by rebecca. Two pieces for viola or violin and cello rebecca clarke. Throughout centuries of great classical music, many viola compositions have been crafted from a wealth of literature for instruments of similar range. Clarke had moved to the united states in 1916, after being disowned by her father. Born in england, she began her musical training at the royal academy of mu sic in 1903, studying violin. This concert is celebration of rebecca clarke, a composer, violaplayer and one of the first female musicians to perform in a professional orchestra, featuring her viola sonata with lso violist lander echevarria and pianist antonio oyarzabal. Rebecca clarke is best known for her viola sonata but on the new disc from lyrita, cellist raphael wallfisch and pianist john york give us slightly different view of the composer, performing clarkes sonata for cello and piano, which is the composers own arrangement of the viola sonata, plus the slightly later rhapsody for cello and piano, along with smaller works. The viola sonata is a sonata for viola, sometimes with other instruments, usually piano. Rebecca clarkes viola sonata caused a sensation when it tied for first place in a 1919 competition. Roberta cooper cello, irina nuzova piano saturday, may 2nd, 2015, 7. The of the orchestration is owned by ruth lomon bmi.
Rebecca clarke sheet music books scores buy online. Her best known works, the viola sonata 1919 and the piano trio 1921, are. Rebecca clarke s sonata for viola or cello dates from 1919 while she was living in america and was composed for the berkshire, massachusetts music festival. Rebecca clarkes music is often described along with that of vaughan williams as english impressionism, but her style ranges from lush postromantic as in the passionate viola sonata, her bestknown work to the taut neoclassicism of.
Rebecca clarke 18861979 saw fewer than two dozen published. In 1912 rebecca clarke became one of the first female professional orchestral musicians when she was selected to play in the queens hall orchestra. Her viola sonataforgotten for some years, along with most of her portfoliois nowadays part of every violists staple repertoire. Today, the viola sonata remains the bestknown of clarkes unfortunately short list of works. After one of her professors made a proposal of marriage, her domineering father withdrew her from the academy. They also like to bloom heavily all summer, and you can count on rebecca to delight your eyes and nose from spring till hard frost. The first and third movements are bigboned pieces with a clear thematic link between, and the second is.
A collection of six pieces for the viola the instrument which made rebecca clarke a wellknown name. Ernest blochs suite for viola and pianorebecca clarkes sonata for viola and piano. There has been much hybridizing among species, resulting in many gradations of flower form and hardiness. Clarke was a distinguished violist who studied for many years at londons royal college of music. She had been supporting herself with some success as a soloist. Rebecca clarke composed the sonata for viola and piano, attributed to the year 1919, when the composer was 33 years old. Of the almost one hundred works composed in her lifetime, rebecca clarke 18861979 saw fewer than two dozen published. Viola is a valuable genus composed of more than 400 species of perennials from the worlds temperate regions. Rebecca clarke and sonata form, mq, lxxxi 1997, 393428 m. The first reference to the viola sonata was upon its submission to a composition competition sponsored by clarkes neighbor, elizabeth sprague coolidge. Complete works for viola and piano, an album by rebecca clarke, daniela kohnen, holger bluder on spotify we and our partners use cookies to personalize your experience, to show you ads based on your interests, and for measurement and analytics purposes. In november 2009, oxford music publishing gave me permission to transcribe and perform the prelude, allegro, and pastorale by.
Rebecca clarkes music is often described along with that of vaughan williams as english impressionism, but her style ranges from lush postromantic as in the passionate viola sonata, her bestknown work to the taut neoclassicism of stravinsky as heard in her prelude, allegro, and pastorale. The earliest viola sonatas are difficult to date for a number of reasons. Feb 01, 2017 rebecca clarke 1886 1979 was an english classical composer and violist best known for her chamber music featuring the viola. Passacaglia on an old english tune classical music album play streams in full or download mp3 from classical archives, the largest and best organized classical music site. Ernest blochs suite for viola and pianorebecca clarkes. The aspect of ganzheitlichkeit means that they wish to combine not only various. Rebecca clarke sonata for viola and piano arranged for cello and piano from hudson soirees plus. Rebecca clarke bio, albums, pictures naxos classical music. Britishborn composer and violist rebecca clarke 18861979 is best known for the sonata she composed for her own instrument. The pieces arent too difficult most being suitable for around grades 6. Rebecca clarkes sonata for viola or cello dates from 1919 while she was living in america and was composed for the berkshire, massachusetts music festival.
Eastman school of music viola professor masumi per rostad and pianist alan chow performing rebecca clarkes sonata for viola and piano. Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders. London symphony orchestra friday lunchtime concert. Remembered today as one of the finest chamber music composers of the twentieth century, rebecca clarkes 18861979 sonata for viola and piano is a staple in viola repertoire. Mar 09, 2018 rebecca clarke s sonata for viola and piano is first known of in 1919, when the composer was 33 years old. Clarke, rebecca sonata for viola and piano 1919 chester. Winners of the 1919 coolidge competition view open 31297000864103. The first and third movements are bigboned pieces with a clear thematic link between, and the second is a brilliant scherzo. With standard notation, fingerings and piano accompaniment. Shop and buy two pieces for viola or violin and cello sheet music. Clarkes viola sonata written in 191819 is the most impressive and wellknown work.
Stranded in the united states at the outbreak of world war ii, she. Sunday, june 24, 2012 3 pm convocation hall, university of alberta. Clarke, rebecca all original works compositions and arrangements of this person are still under in canada, the eu, japan and elsewhere and are thus subject to immediate deletion. Although her compositional output wasnt large like some of her contemporaries, the works that were composed were praised for their integrity, artistry and complexity. Viola and cello sheet music book by rebecca clarke 18861979. In the end bloch was declared the winner, despite all the judges favouring clarkeit was decided that declaring clarke the winner. Jun 28, 2011 clarke s viola sonata written in 191819 is the most impressive and wellknown work. Rescuing rebecca clarke musical times article 1996 pdf 3. What i remember most clearly about that performance was the opening. Viola sonata rebecca clarke concerts, introduction. Although her compositional output wasnt large like some of her contemporaries, the works that were composed were. Rebecca clarke biography wikipedia rebecca clarke 27 august 1886 october 1979 was an english classical composer and violist best known for her chamber music featuring the viola. Out of 72 entries, clarkes sonata tied for first with a piece by the swiss composer, ernest bloch.
The intense poem 1926 merges a single pervasive motif with the harmony and. Rebecca clarke viola sonata free download as pdf file. But the rhapsody, which is an even larger work, has remained in the. At the time, it was compared to the works of ravel and ernest bloch.
Rebecca clarke is best known for her viola sonata but on the new disc from lyrita, cellist raphael wallfisch and pianist john york give us slightly different view of the composer, performing clarke s sonata for cello and piano, which is the composers own arrangement of the viola sonata, plus the slightly later rhapsody for cello and piano, along with smaller works. In 1919 rebecca clarke viola sonata tied for first place with ernest bloch out of 72 composers, in a competition sponsored by elizabeth sprague coolidge. Her life stretched from the late victorian era through the end of the 1970s a period during which the role of women changed unimaginably. Rebecca clarke is not well known nowadays because most of her music was not published and started being published only since 1998 she was an english professional viola player and composer who composed several works for viola, for herself or to play with friends. Rebecca clarke, henri vieuxtemps, johannes brahms, kirill. Some rebecca clarke masterpieces viola sonata 1919 tied for first prize in the coolidge competition piano trio 1921 won second prize in the coolidge competition prelude, allegro, and pastorale 1941 duo for clarinet and viola several other string chamber works. Programme notes from lunchtime recital, weds 1st feb.
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