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Viola Concerto (1976) |
Simon Bainbridge's Viola Concerto, composed between April and August 1976, was commissioned by Walter Trampler with funds provided by the Arts Council of Great Britain, and is dedicated "to Walter Trampler, in admiration." In contrast to earlier pieces like Spirogyra (1971) and the String Quartet (1972) which consist fundamentally of textral blocks juxtaposed so as to produce a satisfying continuity, the Viola Concerto (which is Bainbridge's most substantial score to date) embodies a more recent concern, beginning with the Wind Quintet (1974), with a longer-lined and more organic type of musical thought, although remaining within a context of fastiduously composed textures-related more in this work to Flugel for chamber ensemble (1973) than to the better known String Quartet.
The Viola Concerto which plays for about 25 minutes, is scored for a chamber orchestra consisting of flutes, oboes, clarinets (all with the usual doublings) and horns in pairs; 1 bassoon, trumpet and trombone; 3 percussionists, mandolin, harp, pairs of violins, violas and 'celli, 1 double bass and two additional violas offstage. It falls into 2 parts, each highlighting a different relationship between the soloist and the orchestra, expressed through an allied formal shape.
The first movement is projected in a continuous stream from the viola's first notes. Orchestra and soloist develop the line along independent routes, but always remain within reach of each other: the shifting transparent harmonic and polyphonic orchestral fabric strikingly contrasts with, but can also punctuate, the viola's elaborate melodic figuration in the manner of an accompaniment. After the climax, over suspended chords on pitched percussion, harp and string harmonies, the viola varies the opening sounds, while 'shadowing' woodwinds play a related melodic transformation, and at the first real contact-point the movement breaks off.
Throughout the first movement, the orchestra extends the viola range mainly upwards; the subdued and reflective second movement is predominantly focused on low registers. After a hesitant, sombre introduction, the 2 off-stage violas (heard for the first time) followed by harp and gongs, introduce a sustained solo viola melody. This recurs twice in the course of the movement, each time with a different accompaniment: the first time support is provided by low strings and cor anglais, and at the close of the melody another orchestral group briefly re-articulates the final notes, like a comment. Next the viola is accompanied by low winds and brass, and the 'comment' is extended by an ornate duet between the soloist and an alto flute. At the melody's last appearence both accompaniments are superimposed, and a final offstage viola chord signals the final cadenza, in which the soloist disrupts the prevailing calm over a slowly spreading string chord, ultimately shaking the orchestra to respond in an abrupt final tutti-gesture.
© Oliver Knussen 1977