# Viola solo



## Badinerie

Ok... Apart from Bach transcribed ect. What great Viola Solo compositions/ recordings are there out there? Someone somewhere must have written a blindingly good Solo or Sonata especially for Viola.?


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## World Violist

There are three really good ones that I know of, two of which I've played. Hovhaness' "Chahagir" is for viola solo, Op. 56a I believe. Miklos Rosza, the famous film composer, wrote an Introduction and Allegro for viola solo. The one I haven't played is Rubbra's "Variations on a Byzantine Hymn", which is really really good. There are probably a good few others, but those are the ones I could think of off the top of my head.


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## Taneyev

I've 4 of Hindemith's solo viola sonatas (plus several with piano). And Reger's 3 solo viola suites op.131d.


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## World Violist

Oh, and as for classical-era compositions, you have a series of etudes by Hoffmeister (can't remember exactly which; the one famous for his concerti (of which incidentally two were for viola)) for solo viola. Don't worry; they aren't boring etudes, more in the line of Paganini for violin and Liszt for piano, but eminently more playable (I've played two of them so far).


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## Badinerie

Great! There's a start. I'll do some searches now!


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## YsayeOp.27#6

Taneyev said:


> And Reger's 3 solo viola suites op.131d.


He has a some prelude and fugues for solo violin in the same opus number, doesn't he?


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## Taneyev

Yes; 6 p&f for solo violin op.131a. I have it.


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## PostMinimalist

For some interesting new viola music (commisioned by him) google Brett Deubner.
Here's his MySpace profile.
FC


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## altiste

*solo viola music*

I would recommend a piece called "Pacific Rock" by Martin Lodge. It's about 5 minutes long, quite virtuosic and varied. I've performed it myself, and it's been released on a CD "Viola Aotearoa" by Timothy Deighton. It's possible to hear a short extract at http://sounz.org.nz/.

There's also a Sonata for Solo Viola by Anthony Watson, an extract can also be heard on the SOUNZ website. Then there's Paul Groh who resides in Australia. I have his solo CD called "Extreme Viola" that contains a recording of Hindemith op.25/1, works by Graham Powning and Gordon Munro along with Paul Groh's own works; Three Arachnids, Octopus, Monster of Attraction & Jive Turkey.


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