L'aube

“Playing the viola means making it sing – making myself sing” declares Gérard Caussé, who makes this instrument, with its special voice – deep, nostalgic and melancholy – sing like no one else does. This box set, which brings together an incredibly wide repertoire, bears witness to the remarkable career that has made Caussé a viola legend. The French violist Gérard Caussé is a world renowned maestro of his instrument. Internationally acclaimed, he performs as soloist, chamber musician and with orchestra. A professor of the viola class at the Conservatoire de Paris, Caussé has helped to enrich the viola repertoire by inspiring contemporary composers: Henri Dutilleux, Wolfgang Rihm, Betsy Jolas… among others. 2018 marks Caussé’s 70th birthday. This box highlights the wide range of the viola repertoire he recorded from 1979 to 2010 surrounded by first class artists.

Vol. 3 of Lawrence Power's survey of the complete Hindemith work for viola features a cluster of works written for viola and orchestra in the short time between 1927 and 1930. Though Hindemith did not write a traditional concerto in the classical sense, the Op. 48 Konzertmusik, Kammermusik No. 5, and Der Schwanendreher each put the viola's abilities at the forefront of the orchestra. His personal knowledge of the instrument's technical, lyrical, and emotive abilities become quickly apparent as the viola is made to scurry around as nimbly as a violin in Konzertmusik, as emotionally rich as a cello in Trauermusik, or as colorful and evocative as a piano in Der Schwanendreher. All of these many moods are captured effortlessly by Power. His playing balances the clarity needed to execute agile passagework with the richness and depth needed for more lyrical sections. What's more, Power never gives the appearance of trying to make the viola sound like a violin; instead, he celebrates the viola's idiosyncrasies and transforms them into a rich, satisfying tapestry of sound. Joined by the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra under David Atherton, Vol. 3 of Power's hefty undertaking is just as worthwhile and engaging as the previous two and is certainly worth checking out.

Bratsche! It’s not often that the German word for ‘viola’ comes with an exclamation mark attached, but the cover of Antoine Tamestit’s new release heralds something worth celebrating. Among the latest of the new star violists to record Hindemith, Tamestit brings his wonderful musical intelligence to bear on some of the greatest music written for the instrument. Tamestit has selected four contrasting works that reflect that composer’s expressive range: one of the solo sonatas, one of the sonatas with piano, and two very different works for viola and orchestra.

Brett Dean (born 1961 in Brisbane, Australia) is beginning to be a much talked about name in the music world. Long established as a fine violist (he was a violist with the Berlin Philharmonic for fifteen years) both as an ensemble member and soloist, Dean is spending more time composing these days than playing.