Hans Werner Henze's output is primarily dominated by large-scale, representative musical genres with a richly differentiated instrumental tonal palette: opera and other forms of musical theatre works, ballet, solo concertos and cantatas and also music for large-scale orchestra or chamber ensemble. In contrast, the chamber music works which Henze has composed throughout his entire compositional career right up to the present day have always remained somewhat on the sidelines. Many of these chamber music works had been composed for specific occasions, chiefly to honour figures who had accompanied him on longer or shorter stretches of his journey through life.

Henze composed An Brenton in July 1993 for an event commemorating the Australian violinist Brenton Langbein who had just died. The violinist had been a long-standing leader of the Collegium Musicum Zurich, the orchestra established and conducted by Paul Sacher, and was subsequently also the leader of the Basel Chamber Orchestra [Basler Kammerorchester].He additionally held a violin class at the Music Academy in Basel for a substantial period of his career. Interestingly enough, this piece is not composed for the violinist's instrument, but instead for solo viola. The work was given its first performance on 15 July 1993 by Jurg Dahler, one of the two viola players of the Chamber Musicians of Zurich [KammermusikerZurich]. This ensemble had been formed by Langbein in 1962: it frequently included compositions by Henze in its programmes and had given the premiere of Henze's music for Volker Schlondorffs Film Der junge Torless in its transformation as the Fantasia of the same name for string sextet (1967) in 1968. Langbein was the soloist in the first performance of Henze's Violin Concerto No. 2 in 1972 which had been commissioned by Paul Sacher. Henze had already made acquaintance with Langbein during the 1960s.

The work Selbstbildnis [Self Portrait] was composed in 1989 at the suggestion of the viola player Gunter Pretzel who was in search of compositions reflecting other pieces of music. The Prelude from Bach's first Suite for violoncello solo should be included in my composition. As a starting point, I chose a theme from my opera Sturmnacht [Stormy Night], thus combining two very significant personal things: the story of my first full-length opera and my love of Johann Sebastian Bach whose music I, as son of a church musician, grew up with. Back then, his portrait hung above my piano. Wolfgang-Andreas Schultz

German - English.

Garth Knox is one of the most prominent violists of his generation, and as former long-time member of the Arditti Quartet he has developed and maintained a fondness of contemporary music. In the mean time, he gives concerts and teaches courses all over the world.

With 'Viola Spaces' he wants to make contemporary playing techniques accessible to advanced players. The pieces, or 'playing spaces', are true concert studies, each of them dealing with specific techniques such as harmonics, pizzicato (with 9 fingers!) or tremolos which are explained in great detail.

Another volume with modern playing techniques for two violas and a volume with variations on a piece by the French viola da gamba master Marin Marais for four violas are planned.

This virtuosic arrangement of the world-famous movement from 'Carmina Burana' is suitable both as an effective encore and competition piece. Printed with two versions in each edition, it is designed as a study in thirds or in tenths both for the violin and the viola.

'Apparently the viola is just a somewhat larger violin, simply tuned a fifth lower. In reality though, there is a world of difference between the two instruments.' - The composer lends weight to his argument with this impressive 'real' viola piece: extreme high notes are avoided, indeed, one movement is played exclusively on the C string.

Here are 10 great pieces arranged for pure solo viola - no piano required! This collection has more than 40 minutes of classical and patriotic songs ideally suited for formal recitals, wedding celebrations, and background music gigs.

These are not just lame copies of the melody line; they are all fully worked out arrangements designed to be as rich as possible and to highlight the viola. These are direct transcriptions of the original "Pure Cello" series, now available for viola. As a professional cellist, I originally arranged these pieces for my personal use, and I have performed every one of them in public.

These are fairly challenging pieces; I would compare their difficulty to Bach Cello Suite #2 on the easy side and Bruch Cello Concerto on the harder side. But with some practice you will have some amazing additions to your solo repertoire.

Each of the songs in this collection is also available separately, but buying the full volume saves you over 60%.

Volume 1 contains the following:
1. Strauss Blue Danube Waltz
2. Dvorak Goin' Home (Largo from "New World" Symphony #9)
3. Schubert Ave Maria
4. Faure Apres un reve
5. Tchaikovsky Melodie
6. Marais Le Tableau de l'Operation de la Taille (Depiction of a Bladder Stone Operation)
7. Joplin The Entertainer
8. Calistri-Yeh Variations on "My Country 'Tis of Thee"
9. Sousa Stars and Stripes Forever
10. Ward America the Beautiful

If you enjoyed Volume 1, you'll love Volume 2. Here are 10 more great pieces arranged for pure solo viola - no piano required! This collection has more than 30 minutes of classical and patriotic songs ideally suited for formal recitals, wedding celebrations, and background music gigs.

These are not just lame copies of the melody line; they are all fully worked out arrangements designed to be as rich as possible and to highlight the viola. These are direct transcriptions of the original "Pure Cello" series, now available for viola. As a professional cellist, I originally arranged these pieces for my personal use, and I have performed every one of them in public.

These are fairly challenging pieces; I would compare their difficulty to Bach Cello Suite #2 on the easy side and Bruch Cello Concerto on the harder side. But with some practice you will have some amazing additions to your solo repertoire.

Each of the songs in this collection is also available separately, but buying the full volume saves you over 60%.

Volume 2 contains the following:
1. Bach Toccata in D Minor
2. Brahms Hungarian Dance #5
3. Bizet Carmen Medley
4. Tchaikovsky Romeo and Juliet Introduction & Love Theme
5. Tchaikovsky Symphony #5, Finale (excerpt)
6. Debussy Clair de Lune
7. Sousa Washington Post March
8. Vieuxtemp Variations on "Yankee Doodle"
9. Meacham American Patrol
10. Smith The Star-Spangled Banner

Seven short, performable etudes for advanced violists, appropriate for encores, study and technical challenge, addressing techniques like pentatonic double stops, bariolage, whole tone scales, fast playing, finger substitutions, smooth string changes and left hand pizzicato.