for Viola and Piano-Brahms had already announced his 'retirement' from composition when in the spring of 1894 he played chamber music with the cellist Robert Hausmann and the clarinettist Richard Mühlfeld. This encounter apparently renewed his enthusiasm for Mühlfeld?s much admired playing and inspired him to write two Clarinet sonatas in the summer of the same year. It remains unclear when exactly Brahms drafted Viola parts to his two sonatas. In any case the Viola and Clarinet versions of the works were first published by Simrock at the same time in 1895. Today there is no doubt about Brahms? authorship of the Viola parts. They include important differences fromthe Clarinet original in order to do justice to this string instrument.An important part of this edition is the extensive preface. Firstly it informs about the sonatas? origins their compositional process pre-publication performances their publication history as well as early reception. Truly remarkable is the unique Performance Practice Commentary. Here the editors start from the premise that already a few decades after Brahms' death a widening gulf developed between the composer's expectations and the performance practices of the early 20th century. On the basis of manifold sources which include memoirs by pupils and chamber music partners treatises and essays early instructive editions and historical recordings the editors deal with key issues in understanding Brahms' notation. By a section-by-section analysis of rhythm and timing dynamics and accentuation dots and strokes slurring and non legato Piano pedalling and overholding Piano arpeggiation and dislocation string instrument fingering string instrument harmonics and vibrato the editors provide an indispensable assistance for a historically informed interpretation of the works.At the same time the edition offers an exciting and often surprising insight into musical interpretation of the German Romantic Era in general.A pioneering Urtext editionWith an unmarked Urtext partWith a second part including fingering and bowing based on the practices of contemporaries of BrahmsWith an extensive Performance Practice

For Viola and Piano this is the composer's first opused work. Premiered at the Wigmore Hall in July 1959 by Cecil Aronowitz and Margaret Kitchen.Wood: In 1957 I knew I had newly discovered the music of Schoenberg and hispupils and I knew at once that they were to show me the way forward for my music; as indeed they have ever since. The revelation was primarily an emotional experience for me and however imperfectly their influence wasreceived it was obviously reflected in the all-out chromaticism (new for me then) in the many chains of twelve notes or lesser chromatic formations (which do not here amount to serial working and have only rarely done sosince) in the characteristic harmonic and rhythmic formations the wide and sometimes angular intervals of the melodies and in general the introverted romanticism. Anyway I knew then that this was the sort of music that Ihenceforth would want to write and so I called these Variations my Opus One.The declamatory Introduction leads into the Theme heard on the viola. Six Variations follow of which No.3 is the most violent and No.4 the mostsustainedly lyrical. The recitative-like sixth variation leads into the Finale a more extended movement. The Theme returning on the piano leads to a climax at which there is a citation from Beethoven’s C minor Variations forpiano. Then their characteristics sequence of chords is heard on the piano as an accompaniment to the final statement of my own theme on the viola in the closing bars of the work.

Instrumental Solos-Since its opening in 1957 the musical West Side Story has been a hit on Broadway. Made into a successful film starring Rita Moreno Natalie Wood and Richard Beymer in 1961 this tale of star-crossed lovers caught between feuding New York gangs has been gripping audiences for decades. The arrangements in the West Side Story: Instrumental Solos series remain faithful to Bernstein's original score. In this edition the pieces have been idiomatically adapted for the solo Viola. This book features 10 of the best-known songs from the musical including Maria Tonight America I Feel Pretty and more. West Side Story:Instrumental Solos - Viola comes with an enhanced CD featuring Piano accompaniments for all tracks. Playable on both CD player and computer tempo adjustment software is also included for CD-Rom computer use only.

Born in the village of Brand in the Upper Palatinate Max Reger (1873 1916) was taught by the renowned music theoretician Hugo Riemann. After finishing his studies and working as a freelance performer and composer in Wiesbaden he moved to Weiden beset by personal crises and eventually to Munich. To make himself better known in the musical scene he had some of his smaller works inserted in the magazine Neue Musikzeitung. This is how his Romanze G-Dur for violin and piano was published in November 1901 a beautiful occasional work ideal for music lessons or as a tranquil encore after a concert also in an arrangement for viola and piano.

”Designed for the beginner this collection of pieces provides stimulating performing material at the easiest possible level. The accompaniments (piano or CD) provide a good solid backing and will inspire the soloist to play with energy and enthusiasm. I have made much deliberate use of the repetition of phrases as I feel that this is the best way for pupils to absorb new rhythms.” James Rae• Performing pieces for the beginner in a variety of styles including Swing Funk Reggae Blues and Latin• Each piece is recorded with a professional soloist for listening and learning. The following track provides the accompaniment minus the solo forplaying along• The versions available for other instruments can all be played together and used as elementary ensemble material• Ideal for group tuition• Pieces from Play it Cool Viola have been set on the new Trinity Guildhall Examination Syllabus 2007 for Viola Grades 1 and 2

Commissioned by the Wigmore Hall for the composer's 60th birthday with funds from ACNI.'viola:piano is one of a set of 6 pieces which I wrote in 2008 and 2009. Two of the others violin:piano and cello:piano requirethe instrumentalists to play at different tempi from each other throughout. In this piece the players are playing together but their material is for the most part quite different and for the first 12 minutes the two partshave little in common. It is only after this that they begin a more conventional contrapuntal relationship. This is the first of these pieces to be premiered. It was commissioned by the Wigmore Hall with funding from the ArtsCouncil of Ireland. The piece is dedicated to Mary R?rich.'????????????- Kevin Volans

Scott Joplin was undoubtedly the master of ragtime and is today probably the best known of all jazz composers. His catchy rags have been used throughout the world as theme tunes and for television adverts with many being instantly recognisable. This album contains six of his greatest rags including The Entertainer Maple Leaf Rag and The Chrysanthemum. A separate piano accompaniment book is available for concert performances.

Portrait No.2 ‘E.B.B’ is taken from Two Portraits for Strings composed by Benjamin Britten. This fantastic flowing Viola solo over soft staccato Piano chords really expresses a range ofgripping emotions.Here it is present in a version arranged for Viola and Piano by Martin Outram  violist of the Maggini Quartet.

Sonata in Eb Major was originally composed for Viola and Bass in the 1780s. It was arranged for Viola and Piano by Hans Mlynarczyk in 1929. It comprises 5 movements: Allegro Moderato - Menuetto I - Adagio - Menuetto II - Tema Con Variazioni. Karl Ditters Von Dittersdorf (1739-1799) was an Austrian composer and violinist. He was well-known by Mozart and Haydn and often played string quartets with them together with his pupil Johann Baptist Wanhal. Unlike his contemporaries his compositional style is dominated by lyrical Italianate melodic progression rather than extended harmonic development.

transcribed for Viola and Piano-A beautiful transcription by Dr. Courtney Grant for viola of Amy Beach's Romance Op. 23 originally written for violin and piano and dedicated to Maud Powell.

Fritz Kreisler's Praeludium And Allegro transcribed for Viola with Piano accompaniment by Alan Arnold.

French composer and teacher Darius Milhaud (1892-1974) was a prolific composer of the 20th century as a member of 'Les Six'. His compositions remain highly regarded Sonata No. 2 for Viola and Piano being no exception. Milhaud's compositions are influenced by jazz and polytonality as exemplified in Sonata No. 2. Composed in 1944 Sonata No. 2 for Viola and Piano is an alternative exciting sonata made up of three movements; 1) Rural 2) Dramatic and 3) Rough. Milhaud makes use of variation in articulation complex rhythms chromaticism accidentals harmonics altering tempos variation in dynamics and a wide tessitura amongst other aspects. Milhaud's Sonata No. 2 for Viola and Piano is essential to all advanced violists seeking modern and exciting repertoire.

A remarkable set of 40 variations derived from a single melody by Otaker Sevcik. Arranged for the Viola with Piano accompaniment the variations become progressively more complex and difficult throughout the work making this set ideal as a set of challenging exercises for the Viola student. As well as presenting a huge variety of technical goals much can be learned from this work about the nature of composition melody-building and the potential versatility of a single melodic idea. A superb and satisfyingly musical teaching aid.

Easy Classics for Viola is part of the Easy Classics Series written to provide beginning to intermediate students with an enjoyable introduction to classical music. This book features 16 solos and duets in viola-friendly keys with accompaniment. All of the pieces may be played as solos or duets and the content in this book is fully compatible with Easy Classics for Violin and Easy Classics for Cello.