Peter Whitehead – Violist

For the past few days, I’ve been wondering about what topic I wanted to write about on my blog first, and I have a few ideas. But I thought I’d start posting weekly about what I’ve been listening to! I don’t intend to make these too waffly; just snippets into what’s caught my interest and I’ve enjoyed.

My hope is that through these, you’ll find something that catches your interest, and discover new favourites. And this will also push my own listening towards a wider range of genres; I don’t want to just share a constant stream of Mozart symphonies or Beethoven quartets (as wonderful as they are!).

That said, I will start with something ‘classical’ (although the composer comes from the ‘Romantic’ period in the 19th century!), with the first movement of Henri Vieuxtemps’ Viola Sonata in B-flat major, Op. 36.

While Vieuxtemps is best known for his influence on the development of violin playing in the 19th century, he is also a very important contributor to the viola repertoire. This sonata is probably his biggest work for the instrument, and the first movement is definitely the longest out of the three included.

I’m actually learning this movement at the moment! I’ve enjoyed exploring all the different colours and characters this piece has to offer. The beginning is a warm and comforting tone setter, allowing for wide vibrato and thinking about a relaxed playing posture. After this opening, there’s lots of spirited, nimbly material, which is a lot of fun to let myself go with! The quick passages are tricky, but one thing I make sure to remember is to feel relaxed, because I know I have a tendency to play with tension if I get too worried about the notes or the music getting quicker.

It’s worth listening to the other movements, and the other pieces Vieuxtemps wrote for viola. But this is a good starting point!