The solo viola in Britain 1892-1953

This thesis discusses the development of the viola as a solo instrument and its solo role in both the medium of chamber music and that of the concerto. It considers how the unique character of the instrument was developed and its technique extended. The research delves into the difficulties facing British violists and composers around the turn of the twentieth century and explores how they worked together to raise the standard of viola playing in Britain, inspiring writing for the viola as both a solo instrument and a more prominent orchestral instrument, changing attitudes towards the viola in the musical community. In its initial stages, this research involved discovering what repertoire had been written for the viola, whether it remained in print, when and by whom it was first published, and who is now in possession of the publishing rights. By tracing the two strands of the viola’s development as solo instrument—its role in both chamber music and the concerto—this thesis analyses the challenges faced by violists and composers for viola, discussing the ways in which these were overcome and the distinctive attributes of the viola used to enhance and develop a unique style of concerto and solo writing. An analysis of scores reveals the manner in which the viola developed technically and musically, demonstrating the impact techniques of orchestration had on writing for the viola. The discovery of unpublished works by W.H. Reed, W.L. Reed, Bernard Shore and Philip Sainton led to a plan to pursue editorial work on these manuscripts. A secondary aim of this research is to preserve the repertoire of viola music. By editing these works and publishing articles and performances, forgotten music can be brought to the attention of other musicians. In summary, this thesis contributes new knowledge through its investigations of influences on the development of the viola as a solo instrument, uncovering previously unknown or forgotten viola compositions in the process.