William Walton - Viola Concerto written in 1928/ revised in 1961

 

 

William Walton in 1937

 

Sir William Turner Walton, OM (29 March 1902 – 8 March 1983) was an English composer. During a sixty-year career, he wrote music in several classical genres and styles, from film scores to opera. His best-known works include Façade, the cantata Belshazzar's Feast, the Viola Concerto, the First Symphony, and the British coronation anthems Crown Imperial and Orb and Sceptre.

[윌리엄 월튼은 1902년 3월 29일 영국 그레이터 맨체스터 주 의 올덤에서 태어났다. 성가대 지휘자인 아버지와 그의 제자 어머니 사이에서 태어난 윌리엄 월튼은 어린시절부터 바이올린, 피아노를 배웠고, 성악가인 아버지에게 성악도 배웠다. 그는 옥스퍼드 대학교에서 공부하던 중 영국 상류층 음악 애호가인 싯웰(Sitwell)형제를 만나서 후원을 받으며 독학으로 익힌 작곡을 하기 시작하였다. 1923년 잘츠부르크 국제현대음악제에서 처음 주목을 받게 되었고,〈포츠머스 포인트〉(1926)와〈신포니아 콘체르탄테〉(1928)로 관현악 작곡가로서 잘 알려졌다. 1929년〈비올라 협주곡〉이후에는 영국 낭만주의 작곡가 에드워드 엘가나 휴버트 패리의 영향을 받아, 낭만적이고 서정적인 작품을 많이 남겼다.이후 그는 우크라이나의 첼리스트 [1] 피터레고프스키 에게 헌정된 첼로 협주곡 을 작곡한다.이 곡은 음악적으로나 기교적으로나 매우 어려운 최고 난이도 의 협주곡이다. 이후 말년에는 첼로를 위한 파사칼리아를 작곡했다.[위키백과] 

 

Viola Concerto written in 1928/ revised in 1961

00:00 - I. Andante comodo
09:02 - II. Vivo, con molto preciso
13:34 - III. Allegro moderato

In 1928, the conductor Sir Thomas Beecham suggested to Walton that he write a concerto for the eminent violist Lionel Tertis. The composer agreed and started work on it almost immediately; on completion he sent it to Tertis who, much to Walton's disappointment, rejected it. In his biography, My Viola and I (Elek, 1974) Tertis relented: "I had not learnt to appreciate Walton's style. The innovations in his musical language which now seem so logical and so truly in the mainstream of music then struck me as far-fetched." The composer and violist Paul Hindemith gave the first performance in London in October 1929, when the Sunday Times critic Ernest Newman wrote, somewhat unenthusiastically, "The composer has a grasp of musical logic, a sense of fitness and a command of craftsmanship that is very unusual in a young man." In 1960, and again in 1961, Walton -- ever the perfectionist -- extensively revised the work, but it has never been among his most-admired compositions.
Tertis' original reservations may well have had something to do with the fact that the concerto is not, in any obvious sense, a showpiece for the viola. It certainly makes virtuosic demands on the soloist, but its strengths lie in the intimate dialogues between viola and orchestra and the intricate, almost casual, way in which the themes are crafted.

In the first movement, Andante commodo, the music, though lyrical, is haunted by feelings of restlessness, with frequent time changes and shifts of harmony. There is even a trace of impatience in the way, rising to its highest register, the viola delivers its own version of the second subject.
The second movement, Vivo con molto preciso, has three main thematic ideas. It opens with fast, rhythmic figures tossed between orchestra and soloist, abruptly cut short by quiet chords in the brass and followed by lively explorations by the soloist. The movement closes with a more contemplative version of the opening theme, and ends quietly.
The final movement, Allegro moderato, the longest of the three, starts with a rather unpromising melody for bassoon, soon to be expanded, enriched, and brought to a climax by the viola before being passed to the orchestra. The poetic sincerity with which Walton returns to earlier themes as the movement draws to a close is among the concerto's finest moments.[allmusic.com]

 

 

RIP André Previn (1929-2019)

Kyung-Wha Chung performs Walton violin concerto with Philharmonia Orchestra conducted by André Previn. The occasion was William Walton's 80th birthday gala at Royal Festival Hall, London with the composer himself and princess Alexandra present in the Royal box. Ms Chung's encounter with William Walton goes back 10 years prior, in 1972. She was recording Walton concerto with Previn to mark the composer's 70th anniversary, and with no prior notice, Walton visited the recording session to encourage the young violinist. Walton was duly impressed, and later commented about her in his letter to Walter Legge, the legendary record producer , 'Superb! As good as Heifetz or Francescatti'.

 

I. Andante tranquillo 0:49 II. Presto capriccioso alla napolitana 11:37 III. Vivace 18:10

 

[2018. 10. 4 / 2021. 8. 31 수정]