U

UNIVERSITY OF CINCINNATI
Date: July 25th, 2009

I, Chien-Ju Liao ,

hereby submit this original work as part of the requirements for the degree of:
Doctor of Musical Arts
in Viola Performance
It is entitled:
Excerpts for Viola Ensemble:
An Alternative Pedagogical Method for the Aspiring Orchestral Violist

Student Signature:
Chien-Ju Liao

This work and its defense approved by:

Committee Chair:
Catharine Lee Carroll
Masao Kawasaki
Lee Fiser

Approval of the electronic document:

I have reviewed the Thesis/Dissertation in its final electronic format and certify that it is an
accurate copy of the document reviewed and approved by the committee.

Committee Chair signature: Catharine Lee Carroll

 Excerpts for Viola Ensemble:
An Alternative Pedagogical Method for the Aspiring Orchestral Violist

A document submitted to the

Division of Research and Advanced Studies
of the University of Cincinnati
in partial fulfillment of the
requirements for the degree of

DOCTOR OF MUSICAL ARTS

in the Division of Performance Studies

of the College-Conservatory of Music

August 2009

by

Chien-Ju Liao

B.F.A., National Taiwan Normal University, 1998

M.M., University of Cincinnati, 2002

Advisor: Catharine Lee Carroll, D.M.A.

 Abstract

For the practical violist, an orchestral chair is a vital part of his or her working life. The

twenty-first century orchestra, however, is fiercely competitive, and the undertaking of the

audition process must be taken very seriously. The purpose of this document is to provide the

aspiring orchestral violist with an alternative beyond the orchestral excerpt book. Specifically,

it offers the chance to prepare for an audition with the aid of their peers who can accompany

them through arrangements of selected excerpts for the viola ensemble setting. In fact, a

library of arrangements for viola ensemble not only makes an important supplement to the

audition experience, but proposes an intriguing curriculum for the viola studio in a

preparatory academy or conservatory.

In 1995, Ellen Rose, the principal violist of the Dallas Symphony Orchestra, became

the first pedagogue to arrange viola excerpts for the medium of viola ensemble. Although

Rose has charted a new path for aspiring orchestral violists, the fitting of every important

excerpt into a book is understandably difficult. To this end, this document will oversee the

arrangement of four significant viola excerpts after the style set forth by Rose: the last

movement of J.S. Bach’s Brandenburg Concerto No. 3; the eighth variation of Brahms’

Variations on a Theme by Joseph Haydn; Rossini’s overture to La Gazza Ladra; and the first

movement of Tchaikovsky’s Symphony No. 6 “Pathétique”. These arrangements also open

the opportunity to go beyond Rose’s original plan; while Rose provides passages from

selected works, this project transforms them into real ensemble pieces through the

appropriation of an entire movement, variation, or large self-sufficient section.

Copyright © 2009 by Chien-Ju Liao

All rights reserved

 Acknowledgments

With heartfelt thanks I acknowledge Dr. Catharine Lee Carroll and Professor Masao

Kawasaki for their instruction, guidance, and encouragement during my studies at CCM.

Their perceptive advice on viola playing and valuable experience in every aspect have kept

me inspired and motivated all the time.

I also wish to express my appreciation to Professor Lee Fiser for his wise counsel and

keen interest in this document, as well as his willingness to serve as a committee member on

my behalf.

Last but not least, thanks to my family, especially my parents, for their love, support,

and confidence in me. I would not have made it this far without you.
 Table of Contents

Introduction ……………………………………….………………………………..………. 2

Literature Review ………………………………………………………………................... 5

Joseph Vieland: Orchestral Excerpts from the Symphonic Repertoire ……...……….… 6

Leonard Mogill: 20th Century Orchestra Studies for Viola ……………….................... 12

Jeffrey Showell: A Solo Folio for the Principal Violist ……………..……..….…..….. 15

August Gentz: Richard Strauss Orchesterstudien ………………………......................17

Kurt Jenisch and Eckart Schloifer: Orchester-Probespiel: Viola …...….…….......…... 18

Wing Ho: The Standard Orchestral Audition Excerpts for Viola ……...........................20

Ellen Rose: Viola Excerpts Plus ………………………………...………...………...... 22

Arrangements for Viola Ensemble

J. S. Bach: Brandenburg Concerto No. 3, Mvt. III ………………………………...…. 25

Brahms: Variations on a Theme by Joseph Haydn, Var. VIII ……….….…………..… 39

Rossini: Overture to La Gazza Ladra …………………….....…...…...…………….… 45

Tchaikovsky: Symphony No. 6 “Pathétique,” Mvt. I ……….……..…………...…….. 57

Conclusion …………………………………………………………………….…….…..… 71

Bibliography ………………………………...…………………………………..….……... 72

1
 Introduction

Since the rise of instrumental music in the Renaissance period, the string family has long

been a fascinating medium. Its natural fit into the SATB mold is attractive to both novice and

experienced composers, and its homogenous sound is an irresistible allure to performers and

listeners alike. Sadly, not every member of the family has received equal treatment. While the

violin and cello have inspired a stunning array of solo literature, the viola and the double bass

have largely been limited to chamber music and the orchestra. The double bassist, of course,

can play in a variety of non-classical ensembles, namely jazz and pop music, but the violist

has little alternative beyond the string quartet. And although chamber music may be every

string player’s dream career, the orchestral world offers more career possibilities.

Thus, for the practical violist, an orchestral chair is a vital part of his or her working life.

Unfortunately, the high talent level, weak economy, and shrinking job markets of the twenty-

first century have made worthwhile positions increasingly rare. Orchestral auditions are

fiercely competitive, and the violist who desires a professional career must take them very

seriously. In these auditions, each candidate begins with a solo work that reveals their skill,

and then follows with several excerpts that reveal his or her knowledge of the orchestral

repertoire. While solo playing can result in a variety of opinion, orchestral playing has a

narrower window of judgment because the context of each excerpt requires specific technical

abilities and expressive styles. As a result, the crux of most auditions hinges on the proper

2
and confident execution of these excerpts. In the preface to his book, violist and pedagogue

Wing Ho states that, “Musicians seeking professional orchestra positions must not only play

their solo repertoire well, but they must be prepared to demonstrate fine musicianship by

playing these orchestral excerpts with attention focusing on every musical detail.”1

The absorption of the standard excerpts, however, is difficult in the practice room. In

order to achieve a true understanding of each one, a musician needs the proper framework,

namely key, tempo, melody, and harmony. In addition, the prospect of learning the excerpts

in an orchestra is pragmatically problematic; in a school setting, the programming of

literature and the assigning of parts is too unpredictable for a consistent and meaningful

pedagogical experience. The best situation, therefore, is an environment where the goal is

useful to everyone involved. In this vein, the homogenous nature of the string family is

highly beneficial because it provides an opportunity for one to craft special arrangements

where the solo excerpt line is supported and enriched by the orchestral context.

The purpose of this document is to provide the aspiring orchestral violist the chance to

prepare for an audition with the aid of their peers who can accompany them through adept

arrangements of selected excerpts for the viola ensemble setting. Before one dismisses this

idea as a pale alternative to the authentic atmosphere of the orchestra, it is worth considering

the many advantages of such a program. First, the viola ensemble setting would be accessible

1
Wing Ho, The Standard Orchestral Audition Excerpts for Viola (Beijing, China: People’s Music
Publishing House, 1995), preface.

3
to every level of student violist; for those who have yet to learn the canon, the arrangements

introduce them to the framework of each excerpt, and for those who are looking to refine

their excerpts, the setting provides a viable substitute. Second, given the few quality pieces

for viola ensemble in the literature the arrangements may serve as excellent additions to viola

ensemble repertoire. Third, most of the available resources dedicated to the obtaining a

professional orchestral position focuses on only two aspects of orchestral audition

preparation—either how to play a specific excerpt, or how to prepare for the audition

experience. As such, a library of arrangements for viola ensemble offers an important

supplement for the aspiring orchestral violist, and perhaps an intriguing addition to the viola

studio curriculum at a preparatory academy or conservatory.

4
 Literature Review

Before one explores alternatives to the methodology of viola orchestral excerpt

preparation, it is worth examining the extant viola excerpt books within the limits of

availability. In the early 1950s, the International Music Company of New York City

published viola excerpt books compiled and edited by Joseph Vieland, then a member of the

New York Philharmonic. Over a span of twenty years, IMC issued five volumes of excerpts,

as well as a volume each of the works of Richard Wagner and the works of Richard Strauss.2

In 1969, the New York City publisher G. Schirmer offered its own viola excerpt book,

courtesy of Philadelphia Orchestra associate principal Leonard Mogill. In the 1980s, the

American violist Jeffrey Showell released his manuscript A Solo Folio for the Principal

Violist through the Arizona-based Armitage Press, and the German professor August Gentz

completed the Richard Strauss Orchesterstudien (1987) for the German publisher Fürstner.

In the 1990s, three companies responded to the needs of a new generation: the German

publisher Schott, edited by Kurt Jenisch and Eckart Schloifer; the American publisher

E.S.O.R. Publications, designed by Dallas Symphony Orchestra principal violist Ellen C.

Rose; and the Chinese publisher People’s Music Publishing House, compiled by Wing Ho.3

Each of these books has both virtues and shortcomings, and a thorough discussion of these

aspects will take place in the following section.

2
Joseph Vieland, Orchestral Excerpts from the Symphonic Repertoire (New York: International Music
Company, 1951-1972).
3
Leonard Mogill, 20th Century Orchestra Studies for Viola (New York: G. Schirmer, 1969);
Jeffrey Showell, A Solo Folio For the Principal Violist (Tucson, Arizona: Armitage Press, [198-?]);
August Gentz, Richard Strauss Orchesterstudien: aus seinen Bühnenwerke; Viola [Richard Strauss
Orchestral Studies: Stage Works; Viola] (Mainz, Germany: Fürstner, 1987); Orchester-Probespiel: Viola;
Sammlung wichtiger Passagen aus der Opern- und Konzertliteratur [Test Pieces for Orchestral Auditions:
Viola; Excerpts from the Operatic and Concert Repertoire], ed. Kurt Jenisch and Eckart Schloifer (New York:
Schott, 1992); Ellen C. Rose, Viola Excerpts Plus: Orchestral Excerpts Arranged for One Violist and Viola
Ensemble (Dallas, Texas.: E. S. O. R. Publications, 1995); Wing Ho, The Standard Orchestral Audition Excerpts
for Viola (Beijing, China: People’s Music Publishing House, 1995).

5
 Joseph Vieland: Orchestral Excerpts from the Symphonic Repertoire (1951-72)

In the early 1950s, the International Music Company of New York City began a series

called Orchestral Excerpts from the Symphonic Repertoire, compiled and edited by

prominent American orchestral players who decided upon the crucial excerpts for their

instruments. For the string family, IMC recruited Russian-born violinist Josef Gingold, who

served as the concertmaster of the Detroit Symphony and the Cleveland Orchestra; the

aforementioned New York Philharmonic violist Joseph Vieland; New York Philharmonic

principal cellist Leonard Rose; and New York Philharmonic principal double bassist Fred

Zimmermann. While these books remain the most complete and extensive orchestral excerpt

volumes available, they also have a number of issues that subsequent competitors have tried

to correct. First, without any explanation of the system, the IMC books present all the

excerpts from same movement as a single block of music. Even more curious, the editor

rarely includes any rehearsal letters or numbers and separates different passage from each

other with only a double bar. As a result, if one does not compare the excerpt with the

published score, the visual appearance can give the impression of continuous music

(Example 1).4

4
Joseph Vieland, Orchestral Excerpts from the Symphonic Repertoire 1 (New York: International
Music Company, 1951), 25.

6
Example 1 Joseph Vieland: Orchestral Excerpts from the Symphonic Repertoire, Volume 1
International Music Company, 1951 (sections are separated only a double bar)

7
 Second, excerpts are often given out of context. To wit, most orchestras conducting a

viola audition often request Mendelssohn’s “Scherzo” from A Midsummer Night’s Dream

from rehearsal letter B to D, played as one complete unit (Example 2a). In his arrangement

of this section, however, Vieland makes abrupt cuts (Example 2b).5 In addition, these same

orchestras usually ask a difficult passage from the finale of Mozart’s Symphony No. 35 in D

major “Haffner,” namely the entire section from measure 134 to measure 181. Vieland,

though, not only chops the passage into little pieces, he neglects to include measures 172-175,

where the violist must contend with Mozart’s awkward octave displacements (Example 3).6

Example 2a Felix Mendelssohn: “Scherzo” to A Midsummer Night’s Dream, E.F. Kalmus

Viola Part: rehearsal letter B through rehearsal letter D (without cuts)

5
Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy, Scherzo aus dem Sommernachtstraum (Madison Heights, Michigan:
Luck’s Music Library, n.d.), 1; Vieland, 25.
6
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Sinfonie in D “Haffner-Sinfonie” (Kassel: Bärenreiter-Verlag, 1970), 1;
Vieland, 24-25.

8
Example 2b Joseph Vieland: Orchestral Excerpts from the Symphonic Repertoire, Volume 1
International Music Company, 1951; excerpt of the Mendelssohn “Scherzo”
7th measure of rehearsal letter B through rehearsal letter D (cuts not marked)

Example 3a Mozart: Symphony No. 35 “Haffner,” Mvt. IV, mm. 134-181 (without cuts)

9
Example 3b Joseph Vieland: Orchestral Excerpts from the Symphonic Repertoire, Volume 1
Mozart “Haffner,” Mvt. IV (abrupt cuts and mm. 172-175 not present)

Regrettably, Vieland’s book also suffers from numerous errata. The diligent student who

uses the IMC volumes to learn and prepare his or her excerpts needs to compare each of

Vieland’s selections with the original score in order to ascertain correct notes, rhythms,

dynamics, and repeats. For instance, Vieland does not place repeats in the seventh variation

of Brahms’s Variations on a Theme of Joseph Haydn; a potentially dangerous situation in a

professional audition where the candidates are expected to play with repeats unless otherwise

told. Additionally, while orchestras often require the whole seventh variation, Vieland

includes only the first five measures of the first half, and another five measures of the second

half (Example 4b),7 and he makes a rhythmic misprint in the last measure of the excerpt.

7
Johannes Brahms, Variations on a Theme of Joseph Haydn (Madison Heights, Michigan: Luck’s
Music Library, n.d.): 4; Joseph Vieland, Orchestral Excerpts from the Symphonic Repertoire 2 (New York:
International Music Company, 1951): 12.

10
Example 4a Brahms: Variations on a Theme of Haydn, Op. 56a, Variation VII (complete)

Example 4b Joseph Vieland: Orchestral Excerpts from the Symphonic Repertoire, Volume 2
Brahms: Variations on a Theme of Haydn, Variation VII
(no repeats and rhythmic misprint in the last measure)

11
 Leonard Mogill: 20th Century Orchestra Studies for Viola (1969)

As the title suggests, Mogill’s volume introduces the aspiring orchestral violist to some

of the more formidable passages of the orchestral literature written in the modernist and early

postmodernist periods. In the foreword to his book, Mogill writes that “The main purpose of

this volume is to present the violist, students as well as professional players, with material

derived from the most important works of our great 20th-century composers…. It should

serve as study text and reference, and enable the player to learn a basic modern repertoire.”8

Through the employment of a facile coding system, Mogill plainly indicates the proper place

of the excerpt in the original score. In his presentation of two passages from the first

movement of Dmitri Shostakovich’s Symphony No. 5 in D minor, Op. 47, for example,

Mogill marks the following: “I 15 +1” (Example 5a) and “I 22 +2” (Example 5b), which

translate respectively to “first movement, rehearsal 15 plus one measure” and “first

movement, rehearsal 22 plus two measures.”9

Although Mogill does not provide a great deal of detail regarding the orchestral context,

his writing of “Sole” (Example 5a) draws the necessary distinction between a solo passage

and a tutti passage; from there, students must undertake further research to determine the

sonic nature of the sections of which he or she will learning, playing, and performing.

8
Leonard Mogill, 20th Century Orchestra Studies for Viola (New York: G. Schirmer, 1969), V.
9
Ibid., 102.

12
Example 5a Leonard Mogill: 20th Century Orchestral Studies for Viola (1969)
Shostakovich: Symphony No. 5 in D minor, Op. 47, Mvt. I (solo passage)

Example 5b Leonard Mogill: 20th Century Orchestral Studies for Viola (1969)
Shostakovich: Symphony No. 5 in D minor, Op. 47, Mvt. I (tutti passage)

Another example of Mogill’s clear markings could be found in his the presentation of

the finale from Prokofiev’s Symphony No. 1 in D major, Op. 25 “Classical.” By applying

dotted slurs to show his suggested bowings rather than common solid ones, Mogill easily

makes the difference between his editorial markings and the composer’s original ones. The

dotted slurs in the two measures before letter E and the eighth measure after letter E suggest

being an annotation from an editor, not the composer (Example 6).10

10
Mogill, 64-65.

13
Example 6 Leonard Mogill: 20th Century Orchestral Studies for Viola (1969)
Prokofiev: Symphony No. 1 in D major, Op. 25, “Classical,” Mvt. IV

14
 Jeffrey Showell: A Solo Folio for the Principal Violist

Currently the director of the James Madison University School of Music in

Harrisonburg, Virginia, the American violist Jeffrey Showell has built a notable career as an

orchestral player, teacher, and administrator. During the 1980s and 1990s, Showell served as

a professor at the University of Arizona and as the principal violist of the Tucson Symphony.

His excerpt book A Solo Folio for the Principal Violist departs from other anthologies in its

exclusive focus on excerpts for the principal viola rather than a broad spectrum that includes

tutti viola passages. As such, Showell’s volume is representative of some of the most

well-known viola solos in the orchestral literature, namely Richard Strauss’s tone poem Don

Quixote, George Enesco’s Romanian Rhapsody, and Zoltán Kodály’s suite from the folk

opera Háry János. At the same time, however, Showell makes some curious omissions

among the principal viola solos, especially Maurice Ravel’s Mather Goose and Alberto

Ginastera’s Variaciones Concertantes. Although Showell’s Solo Folio features several

symphonies of Ralph Vaughan Williams, such as the Symphony No. 1 “Sea Symphony,”

Symphony No. 2 “A London Symphony,” and Symphonies 5, 6, and 9, it neglects to include

the composer’s most important work for string orchestra, the Fantasia on a Theme by

Thomas Tallis, which is often requested in a principal viola audition.

In addition, Showell’s collection, while published, remains in a handwritten manuscript

that is not always easily to read. Like the IMC volumes compiled and edited by Joseph

15
Vieland, Showell does not mark measure numbers or rehearsal cues, and he separates

sections of the same piece or movement by a double bar. The Sancho Panza theme from Don

Quixote, while not impossible to peruse, is difficult on the eyes, and with Strauss’s regular

change of time signatures, the double bars add confusion rather than clarity (Example 7).11

Example 7 Jeffrey Showell: A Solo Folio for the Principal Violist

Richard Strauss: Don Quixote: Theme of Sancho Panza

11
Jeffrey Showell, A Solo Folio For the Principal Violist (Tucson, Ariz.: Armitage Press, [198-?]), 17.

16
 August Gentz: Richard Strauss Orchesterstudien (1987)

In 1987, the German publisher Fürstner issued a series of excerpt books for various

instruments dedicated to a singular genre of a singular composer: Richard Strauss and his

operas. Under the title Richard Strauss Orchesterstudien, Fürstner called upon several

members of the Königlichen Kapelle, many of whom are also professors at the world-famous

Hochschule für Musik in Berlin.12 The volume highlights passages from five of Strauss’s

most famous operas: Guntram (1893), Feuersnot (1901), Salome (1905), Elektra (1909), and

of course, Der Rosenkavalier (1910). The viola books, edited by professor August Gentz,

consist of four volumes: Book One, featuring excerpts from Guntram and Feuersnot; Book

Two, Salome; Book Three, Elektra; and Book Four, Der Rosenkavalier.13

While the Fürstner Orchesterstudien series is a great tool for instrumentalists who must

ready themselves for an opera orchestra audition, it will not be the first book pulled off the

shelf when the ambitious violist elects to prepare for a symphony orchestra audition.

Nevertheless, the Orchesterstudien may serve as a good resource for sight reading practice,

as many orchestral auditions often challenge the range and ability of the prospective

candidate with unforeseen passages from the standard and non-standard literature.

12
August Gentz, Richard Strauss Orchesterstudien: aus seinen Bühnenwerke; Viola [Richard Strauss
Orchestral Studies: Stage Works; Viola] (Mainz, Germany: Fürstner, 1987), preface.
13
Ibid., preface.

17
 Kurt Jenisch and Eckart Schloifer:
Orchester-Probespiel: Viola;
Sammlung wichtiger Passagen aus der Opern- und Konzertliteratur
[Test Pieces for Orchestral Auditions: Viola;
Excerpts from the Operatic and Concert Repertoire] (1992)

In 1992, the German Music Council and a contingent of German conservatories began a

project to create a practical collection of the most frequently requested orchestral excerpts on

modern-day symphony and opera auditions in Germany. In the preface to the book for viola,

the editors Kurt Jenisch and Eckart Schloifer state that “Unlike the many existing ‘orchestral

studies,’ this collection focuses on the material commonly used in auditions…. It is based on

statistical studies carried out by the German Union of Orchestras and on many years of

professional experience gained by the editors themselves, all of whom are members of

orchestras and conservatory staffs.”14

This viola volume consists of two parts: tutti passages and solo passages. If one

undertakes a comparison with Wing Ho’s The Standard Orchestral Audition Excerpts for

Viola, published only three years later (1995), one will find a striking difference between the

audition priorities of German and American orchestras. To wit, the only common solo

passage comes from Strauss’ Don Quixote. Much of the solo passages selected by Jenisch and

Schloifer come from various stage works such as Weber’s melodrama Der Freischütz,

14
Orchester-Probespiel: Viola; Sammlung wichtiger Passagen aus der Opern- und Konzertliteratur
[Test Pieces for Orchestral Auditions: Viola; Excerpts from the Operatic and Concert Repertoire], ed. Kurt
Jenisch and Eckart Schloifer (New York: Schott, 1992), 3.

18
Adam’s ballet Giselle, Delibes’ ballet Coppelia, Humperdinck’s opera Hänsel und Gretel,

Puccini’s opera Manon Lescaut, Strauss’ opera Arabella, and Berg’s opera Lulu.15 By

contrast, Wing Ho emphasizes solo passages from orchestral pieces such as Liszt’s Faust

Symphony, Grieg’s Holberg Suite, Enesco’s Romanian Rhapsody No. 1, Ravel’s Mother

Goose Suite, Kodály’s Hary Janos Suite, Prokofiev’s Romeo and Juliet Suite No. 2, and

Ginastera’s Variations Concertantes.16 In addition, standard tutti passages asked in the

United States, namely Mozart’s Symphony No. 35 in D major, “Haffner,” Strauss’s Ein

Heldenleben, Ravel’s Daphnis et Chloé Suite No. 2, Shostakovich’s Symphony No. 5 in D

minor, Op. 47, are not included in Jenisch and Schloifer’s collection.

15
Ibid., 6.
16
Wing Ho, The Standard Orchestral Audition Excerpts for Viola (Beijing, China: People's Music
Publishing House, 1995).

19
 Wing Ho: The Standard Orchestral Audition Excerpts for Viola (1995)

Wing Ho seems to share the same rationale and layout of the German Music Council’s

effort three years previous: he states that the purpose of his volume is the necessary

preparation for a professional orchestral audition, and it divides the excerpts in two classes:

solo passages and tutti passages. Unlike most excerpt books, however, Ho prints the excerpts

almost exactly as they appear in the original part, complete with repeats and dynamics, and

with no suggested bowings or fingerings. Although such details are not lost on experienced

violists, students who are beginning their excerpts for the first time may be at a disadvantage.

Another unique feature of Ho’s collection is his selected arrangement of a handful of

excerpts for solo viola and orchestra-reduced piano accompaniment (Example 8).17 This

innovative format allows the aspiring orchestral violist to experience the harmonic

progressions in real time and interact with orchestral counterpoint. Moreover, the requirement

of only one pianist to assist the solo violist makes Ho’s realizations not only thoughtful, but

very pragmatic.

17
Ibid., 26.

20
Example 8 Wing Ho: The Standard Orchestral Audition Excerpts for Viola (1995)
Shostakovich: Symphony No. 5 in D minor, Op. 47, Mvt. I, Rehearsal 15 – 17

21
 Ellen Rose: Viola Excerpts Plus:
Orchestral Excerpts Arranged for One Violist and Viola Ensemble (1995)

While Wing Ho deserves credit for the idea of accompanied orchestral excerpts for viola,

Ellen Rose is the first to propose the medium of viola ensemble as a preparatory device for an

orchestral audition (Example 9).18 Rose begins her book with a survey of standard viola

audition excerpts ranging from the “most frequently requested” to “moderately requested”

and finally to “infrequently requested.”19 With the exception of Tchaikovsky’s Symphony No.

6 in B minor, Op. 93, “Pathétique,” Rose arranges every work mentioned in the “most

frequently requested” section for solo viola and viola ensemble, and in addition to these, she

arranges four excerpts from the list of “moderately requested.” Altogether, the total number

of excerpts in Rose’s volume is less than that of the number of excerpts in Ho’s book, but the

contents are remarkably consistent, demonstrating a clear pattern of desired excerpts on

orchestral viola auditions in the United States.

18
Ellen C. Rose, Viola Excerpts Plus: Orchestral Excerpts Arranged for One Violist and Viola
Ensemble (Dallas, Texas: E. S. O. R. Publications, 1995), 19.
19
Ibid., vi-vii.

22
Example 9 Ellen Rose: Viola Excerpts Plus (1995)
Shostakovich: Symphony No. 5 in D minor, Op. 47, Mvt. I, Rehearsal 15 – 17

23
 Although Rose has charted a new path for aspiring orchestral violists, the fitting of every

important excerpt into a book for solo viola and viola ensemble is understandably difficult.

To this end, this document will oversee the arrangement of four very significant viola

excerpts after the style set forth by Rose. Specifically these excerpts are the following: the

last movement of J.S. Bach’s Brandenburg Concerto No. 3; the eighth variation of Brahms’

Variations on a Theme by Joseph Haydn; Rossini’s overture to his opera La Gazza Ladra;

and the first movement of Tchaikovsky’s Symphony No. 6 “Pathétique.” In addition, the

arrangement of these works for solo viola and viola ensemble opens the opportunity to go

beyond Rose’s original plan; while Rose provides mainly passages from her selected works, a

better idea is to transform them into real ensemble pieces through the appropriation of an

entire movement, variation, or large self-sufficient section.

24
 Arrangements for Viola Ensemble

J. S. Bach: Brandenburg Concerto No. 3 in G Major, BWV 1048, Mvt. III

Written during Bach’s residence in Cöthen (1717-1723) and dedicated to the esteemed

Christian Ludwig, Margrave of Brandenburg in 1721,20 the six Brandenburg Concertos are

regarded as some of the most representative works in the Baroque era. The Concerto No. 3 in

G major, scored for three violins, three violas, three cellos, violone, and harpsichord, consists

of three movements: Allegro – Adagio – Allegro. The viola excerpt that appears most

regularly on American orchestral auditions hails from the third movement. This movement is

in binary form and each section is repeated; the formal structure follows as thus:21

Sections ║: A— :║: B — A' — B' — A'' — :║

Keys G—D D—e e—b b—C C—G
Measures 1—12 13—16 17—28 29—36 37—48

The motor-rhythm that pervades the entire movement needs to be steady, and while there

are few dynamics printed in the score, the soloist and the accompaniment must take care to

drive the phrases forward. While the eighth notes function as a repetitive harmonic motive,

the scalar sixteenth notes can be brought to the forefront. Clean bowing strokes will ensure

the clarity of pitch and rhythm, and the wise player will be prudent to avoid time delay and

20
Johann Sebastian Bach, Brandenburg Concerto No. 3, ed. Heinrich Besseler (Kassel: Bärenreiter,
1956), 5; “Brandenburg Concertos,” The Oxford Dictionary of Music, 2nd ed. rev., edited by Michael Kennedy,
also at Oxford Music Online, available at http://www.oxfordmusiconline.com.echo.louisville.edu/subscriber/
article/opr/t237/e1472 , accessed 12 July 2009.
21
Malcolm Boyd, Bach: The Brandenburg Concertos (New York: Cambridge University Press, 1993): 82.

25
unnecessary dramatic contrast.

The most important viola passage occurs in measures 35-36 where only one viola carries

the melody. For the enterprising principal player, this passage must be played with

confidence and a soloist’s demeanor, and the thirty-second note figure in the melodic line is

best performed as evenly as possible and never with a sense of hurry. In both the solo and

accompaniment parts, though, fingerings and bowings are best left to individual judgment,

but the two types of slurs, solid and dotted, should be distinctly rendered; the solid slurs are

original to Bach’s manuscript and the dotted slurs function as suggested bowings.

26
27
28
29
30
31
32
33
34
35
36
37
38
 Johannes Brahms: Variations on a Theme by Joseph Haydn, Op. 56a, Variation VIII

First performed on November 1, 1873 by the Vienna Philharmonic under Brahms’s baton,

the Variations on a Theme of Haydn entered the orchestral canon immediately and has been

popular ever since. 22 The work revolves around a woodwind theme in B-flat major, titled the

“Saint Anthony Chorale,” that comes from the slow movement of a “Divertimento No. 6” that

Brahms believed to have been written by Haydn. Since the mid-twentieth century, however,

musicologists have questioned Brahms’s attribution; the “Divertimento No. 6” has never

appeared in Haydn’s catalogues,23 and the folk-like melody suggests a more traditional origin.24

As a result, Brahms’s work is sometimes referenced with a broader title: Variations on the Saint

Anthony Chorale. Brahms published the work in two versions—one for orchestra, Opus 56a, and

one for two pianos, Opus 56b.

Orchestral viola auditions in the United States commonly ask for excerpts from the Brahms

Haydn Variations, particularly from the fifth, seventh, and eighth variations. Each of these

variations presents a distinct character and technical challenge, and throughout the eighth

variation’s quiet and mysterious atmosphere, the violist must pay close attention to style,

articulation, dynamics, and tempo. First, the variation must be played with a mute and with the

printed repeat. Second, the long-slurred string crossings must be even and seamless, and they

22
Johannes Brahms, Variations on a Theme of Haydn: Variations on the Saint Anthony Chorale
(New York: Eulenburg, [199-?]), II.
23
Ibid., II-III.
24
Ibid., III.

39
must flow smoothly without changing color. Third, although there are only two dynamic

markings — piano and pianissimo — the wise player should make an audible difference between

them. Finally, the violist must take care not to play the variation too fast; in the preface to his

1976 edition of the work, the renowned Brahms scholar Donald McCorkle writes the following:

A few minor revisions and corrections . . . Of most interest are the metric and tempo differences
between the sketches and the fair copy with respect to Variation VIII. They show Brahms’s concern that
the variation might be performed too fast and vigorously as implicitly notated in the sketches. In the fair
copy, he therefore changed the meter to 3/4 from 3/8, and the basic metric unit to eighth note from
sixteenth. And then he moderated the tempo to Poco presto (from Presto sempre mezza voce e legato),
but subsequently also struck out Poco and pencilled in non troppo to temper the remaining Presto (the
sempre m. v. e legato was incorporated within the score).25

25
Johannes Brahms, Variations on a Theme of Haydn: for Orchestra, Op. 56a, and for Two Pianos,
Op. 56b, ed. Donald M. McCorkle (New York: W. W. Norton, 1976), 55.

40
41
42
43
44
 Gioachino Rossini: Overture to La Gazza Ladra (The Thieving Magpie)

In the eighteenth century, the townspeople of a large village near Paris hanged a French

servant girl for the alleged theft of some of her master’s precious silverware, but after her death,

they learned that a conniving bird had stolen them. In 1815, the French playwrights J. M. T.

Badouin d'Aubigny and Louis-Charles Caigniez turned the tragic incident into their historical

melodrama La pie voleuse (“The Magpie Thief”), where they spare the life of the poor girl

through a last-minute revelation of the true thief. Although the work was weak in structure and

dialogue, it played well in Paris and London, and two years later, the young Gioachino Rossini

and his librettist Giovanni Gherardini turned it into a two-act opera semiseria. On May 31, 1817,

La Gazza Ladra premiered at the La Scala opera house in Milan to great success, and during the

nineteenth century, it was enormously popular. After 1900, the opera began to fade from the

repertory save for the infrequent revival, but its overture continues to enjoy life in the concert

hall due to its unusual opening, sparkling instrumental color, and some of Rossini’s best

rhythmic energy and most thrilling crescendoes. 26

The excerpt most often asked on viola auditions comes from the overture’s first theme in

the Allegro section (measures 63-159). The player must demonstrate excellent control of the

spiccato stroke at all dynamic levels, as well as a masterful alternation between spiccato and

26
Emanuele Senici, Landscape and Gender in Italian Opera (New York: Cambridge University Press,
2005), 34-36; Allan Kozinn, “A Revised Critical Edition of Rossini’s ‘Gazza Ladra,’” New York Times
(29 January 1990), available at www.nytimes.com, accessed 23 July 2009; Gioachino Rossini, La Gazza Ladra
= The Thieving Magpie: Melodrama in Two Acts by Giovanni Gherardini (Milan: Ricordi, 1989), XIV-XV.

45
on-string placement. If the violist employs a small amount of bow on the non-spiccato strokes,

namely in measures 64 and 68, the bow will stay close to the same spot and thus generate an

easier bounce. Sudden volume changes, especially at measure 78, should be exaggerated, and

each bow stroke should vary with the dynamics; for the crescendo in mm. 111-114, for example,

a switch from a light sautillé stroke to a brush stroke works best. The next section, beginning in

m. 115, must be executed with a heavy, articulate, and resonant brush stroke.

46
47
48
49
50
51
52
53
54
55
56
 Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky: Symphony No. 6, Op. 74 “Pathétique”

In 1893, Pyotr Illyich Tchaikovsky stood as Russia’s most famous living composer; his

fusion of Western European craftsmanship with a strong nationalistic character justly earned

him national and international success. On October 28 of that year, in Saint Petersburg, he

conducted the premiere of his Symphony No. 6 in B minor, Op. 93 “Pathétique” whose

elegiac finale confused the audience. Nine days later, Tchaikovsky was dead, and as

thousands publicly mourned him, many concertgoers began to see his “Pathétique”

Symphony as a requiem for a pre-determined death sentence that the composer chose for

intensely personal reasons. The debate over his passing continues to this day, and while the

true circumstances may never be known, his Symphony No. 6 remains one of the powerful

works of the late Romantic period and an important fixture in the orchestral literature.27

The first movement of the symphony, marked “Adagio – Allegro non troppo,” begins

with a brooding slow introduction, followed by a fast-moving exposition with two theme

groups. The first theme group boasts one of the most exposed viola parts in the symphonic

repertoire, and as such, it is one of the most requested excerpts on orchestral viola auditions

in the United States. The challenge of this excerpt lies in the methodology of bow strokes and

the depiction of great emotional agitation. First, the ricochet stroke (Saltando) in measures

42-49 needs to be extremely even, sounding as if all the pitches are being played by separate

27
Timothy L. Jackson, Tchaikovsky, Symphony No. 6 (Pathétique) (New York: Cambridge University
Press, 1999), 16-17.

57
bows. Second, the sixteenth notes that lie off the string, especially those in measures 55-58,

are best started right from the string. Third, all of Tchaikovsky’s dynamic markings must be

carefully observed, as the composer is extremely specific with his grades of “piano” and

“forte,” namely at extreme volumes. Last but not least, the violist should strive for a singing

timbre that transcends all the technical obstacles of the music.

58
59
60
61
62
63
64
65
66
67
68
69
70
 Conclusion

Audition preparation is an endless course for any instrumentalist. To this end, this project

hopes to provide the violist with a markedly different, yet thoroughly practical means to study

the standard orchestral excerpts. For the student violist, the possibility of preparing for auditions

through the viola ensemble is not only a way to cast a familiar rite in a new light, but to acquire

a greater knowledge of the repertoire and enhance one’s ensemble skills. For the professor or

studio instructor given the responsibility of helping each student meet his or her professional

goals, the viola ensemble provides an opportunity to reach more students in a small classroom

setting as well as to build studio morale. As such, this document aims to serve as an important

step in developing the pedagogical aspect of teaching the orchestral excerpts for viola and as

well as expanding the literature for viola ensemble. More importantly, it will be invaluable to the

successful audition candidate who must then sit amongst new colleagues and contribute to the

beautiful homogenous sound that makes string playing so special.

71
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1995): 51-3.

Brandolino, Lawrence Anthony. “A Survey of Orchestral Audition Excerpts for Violin.”

American String Teacher 49 (November 1999): 42-4.

________. “Let’s Formalize Orchestral Audition Preparation at the University Level.”

American String Teacher 49 (November 1999): 124.

________. “Pre-Professional Perspectives: Winning an Orchestral Audition: Advice from the

Pros.” American String Teacher 49 (May 1999): 29-31.

Broude, Ronald. “Arrangement, Transcription, Edition: Some Problems in Terminology.”

Choral Journal 18 (September 1977): 25-9.

Butler, Jeffrey G. “Preparing for an Orchestra Audition: How to Maximize Your Chances for
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Cellier, Alexandre and Fred Rothwell. “Is Transcription Permissible?” The Musical Times 66
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Clapp, Stephen. “Will Your Students Be Employable?” American String Teacher 29

(Winter 1979): 28-44.

Cole, Orlando. “Easing the Audition Jitters.” American String Teacher 31 (Spring 1981): 23.

Fine, Burton. “The Teacher, the Student, the Audition.” American String Teacher 31
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305-11.

72
Articles (continued)

Keller, Hans. “Arrangement for or Against?” The Musical Times 110 (1969): 22-5.

Kelly, Randy. “Orchestral Training Forum.” Journal of the American Viola Society 19
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McCarty, Patricia. “A Preparation Strategy for Successful Orchestra Auditions.” Journal of

the American Viola Society 4 (1988): 3.

Millett, Katherine. “Ace the Audition: 12 Tips on Landing a Plum Orchestra Position.”
Strings 20 (December 2005): 65-9.

Noble, Charles. “Position Vacant.” The Strad 110 (July 1999): 700-3.

________. “Tricky Corners.” The Strad 110 (August 1999): 832-5.

Oppelt, Robert. “The Symphony Audition.” American String Teacher 32 (Autumn 1982):
16-8.

Rawlins, Joseph Thomas. “The Arrangement and its Role in the Performer’s Repertoire.”
American Music Teacher 33 (1984): 26-8.

Rose, Ellen C. “Viola Excerpts as Music.” American String Teacher 44 (Winter 1994): 54-8.

Rutledge, Christine. “Orchestra Repertoire Lists: A Sampling from Across the U.S.” Journal
of the American Viola Society 17 (2001): 61-5.

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73
Articles (continued)

Schotten, Yizhak. “Orchestral Training Forum: Preparing a Successful Audition: Beyond the
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Shipps, Stephen B. “The Orchestral Etude Book: A Guide to Survival Repertoire.” American
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Showell, Jeffrey. “A Plan for Mastering Viola Orchestral Parts.” American String Teacher 37
(Spring 1987): 64-6.

Smith, Henry Charles. “All About Taking Auditions.” American String Teacher 29
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Violinist, Violist, and Cellist.” The Instrumentalist 38 (September 1983): 96-8.

Books and Dissertations

Akos, Katherine, Marshall Burlingame, and Jack Wellbaum, editors. Facing the Maestro:
A Musician’s Guide to Orchestral Audition Repertoire. Washington, D.C.: American
Symphony Orchestra League, 1983.

Barrett, Henry. The Viola: Complete Guide for Teachers and Students. 2nd edition.
Tuscaloosa: University of Alabama Press, c1978.

Blatter, Alfred. Instrumentation and Orchestration. 2nd edition. New York: Schirmer Books,
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Boyd, Malcolm. Bach: The Brandenburg Concertos. New York: Cambridge University Press,
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Cacavas, John. Music Arranging and Orchestration. Melville, N.Y.: Belwin Mills, c1975.

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Books and Dissertations (continued)

Cho, Robert W., Donald T. Reese, and Frank James Staneck, eds. String Music in Print 1998
Supplement. Philadelphia: Musicdata, 1998.

Combs, Perry. “Practice Suggestions and Exercises in Preparation for Performing the Viola
Parts in the Finale of Mozart’s Symphony No. 35, Mendelssohn’s ‘Scherzo’ from
A Midsummer Night's Dream, and Strauss’ Don Juan.” D.M.A. diss., University of Iowa,
1986.

Dalton, David, and William Primrose. Playing the Viola: Conversations with William
Primrose. New York: Oxford University Press, 1988.

Farish, Margaret K. String Music in Print, 2nd edition. New York: R. R. Bowker Co., 1973.

________, ed. String Music in Print 1984 Supplement. Philadelphia: Musicdata, 1984.

Griffing, Joan. “Audition Procedures and Advice from Concertmasters of American

Orchestras.” D.M.A. diss., Ohio State University, 1994.

Jackson, Timothy L. Tchaikovsky, Symphony No. 6 (“Pathétique”). New York: Cambridge

University Press, 1999.

Lovelock, William. The Elements of Orchestral Arrangement. London: Bell, c1968.

Riley, Maurice W. The History of the Viola. Ann Arbor, Michigan: Brumfield, Braun, c1993.

Senici, Emanuele. Landscape and Gender in Italian Opera. New York: Cambridge University
Press, 2005.

Zeyringer, Franz. Literature for Viola. Hartberg: Schonwetterjun., c1985.

75
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Bach, Johann Sebastian. Brandenburg Concerto No. 3 for String Quartet. Arranged by
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________. Brandenburg Concerto No. 3. Madison Heights, Michigan: Luck’s Music Library,
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Scores (continued)

________. Brandenburg Concerto No. 3. Edited by Heinrich Besseler. Kassel, Germany:

Bärenreiter, 1956.

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Luck’s Music Library, n.d.

________. Variations on a Theme of Haydn for Orchestra, Op. 56a and for Two Pianos,
Op. 56b. Edited by Donald M. McCorkle. New York: W. W. Norton, 1976.

________. Variations on a Theme of Haydn: Op. 56b. Melville, N.Y.: Belwin Mills, [197-?].

________. Variations on a Theme of Haydn: Variations on the Saint Anthony Chorale.

New York: Eulenburg, [199-?].

Gentz, August. Richard Strauss Orchesterstudien: aus seinen Bühnenwerke; Viola [Richard
Strauss Orchestral Studies: Stage Works; Viola]. Four Volumes. Mainz, Germany:
Fürstner, 1987.

Ho, Wing. The Standard Orchestral Audition Excerpts for Viola. Beijing, China:
People’s Music Publishing House, 1995.

Mendelssohn Bartholdy, Felix. Scherzo aus dem Sommernachtstraum. Madison Heights,

Michigan: Luck’s Music Library, n.d.

Mogill, Leonard. 20th Century Orchestra Studies for Viola. New York: G. Schirmer, 1969.

Mozart, Wolfgang Amadeus. Sinfonie in D “Haffner-Sinfonie.” Kassel: Bärenreiter-Verlag,

1970.

Orchester-Probespiel: Viola; Sammlung wichtiger Passagen aus der Opern- und

Konzertliteratur [Test Pieces for Orchestral Auditions: Viola; Excerpts from the
Operatic and Concert Repertoire]. Edited by Kurt Jenisch and Eckart Schloifer.
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Ensemble. Dallas, Texas: E. S. O. R. Publications, 1995.

77
Scores (continued)

Rossini, Gioachino. Overture to the Opera“The Thieving Magpie.” London: Ernst Eulenburg,
n.d.

________. La Gazza Ladra (“The Thieving Magpie”): Melodrama in Two Acts by Giovanni
Gherardini. Milan: Ricordi, 1989.

________. La Gazza Ladra Sinfonia. Pesaro: Fondazione Rossini, n.d.

Showell, Jeffrey, ed. A Solo Folio for the Principal Violist. Tucson, Arizona: Armitage Press,
[198-?].

Spindler, Fritz. Orchesterstudien für Viola. Leipzig: Friedrich Hofmeister, 1953.

Tchaikovsky, Peter Ilyich. Symphony No. 6 in B Minor Op. 74 (“Pathetique”). New York:
E. F. Kalmus Orchestra Scores, c1933.

________. Symphony No. 6 in B Minor, Op. 74 “Pathétique.” Mineola, N.Y.: Dover

Publications, 1997.

________. Symphony No. 6 in B minor, Op. 74. New York: Eulenburg, 1982.

Vieland, Joseph. Orchestral Excerpts from the Symphonic Repertoire: Classical & Modern
Works Volume I. New York: International Music Company, 1951.

________. Orchestral Excerpts from the Symphonic Repertoire: Classical & Modern Works
Volume II. New York: International Music Company, 1951.

________. Orchestral Excerpts from the Symphonic Works: Strauss. New York: International
Music Company, 1956.

78
Recordings

Schotten, Yizhak. Orchestral Excerpts for Viola with Written and Spoken Commentary
(Ann Arbor, Michigan: by the author YS7185, 2004) compact disc.

Vernon, Robert. Orchestral Excerpts for Viola (Tempe, Arizona: Summit Records DCD 217,
1997) compact disc.

79