Max Bruch - Romance for viola and orchestra Op. 85 (audio + sheet music)

It was to be expected that Bruch would write a Romance for violin (his Op 42), given that he was so famous for his violin concertos; but a romance for viola was unheard-of when he essayed Op 85 in 1911. Product of a late love affair with this most plangent-sounding of the stringed instruments, it was intended for Maurice Vieux (1884-1951), the father of the modern viola in France, who received the dedication; but the first performance was actually given by
the great violinist Willy Hess, a champion of Bruch’s music, at a private concert in Berlin on 25 April 1911, attended by the composer. Bruch then made revisions during the summer. The
romance is best heard in his sensitive orchestration, but like other works of similar length, it fits
awkwardly into today’s concert programmes.
The composition is in F major, in one movement marked Andante con moto. However, during the movement Bruch makes the viola express a variety of moods, more and more agitated,
through the use of mixed rhythms, triplets and dotted notes, a series of fast arpeggios and
abrupt chords, with the head of the theme always recognisable throughout the piece, played
by one instrument or the other one, whilst the viola elaborates.
After only two bars of introduction played by the strings of the orchestra, the viola starts with a very melodic, calm and romantic character, marked dolce (sweet). After the exposition, the
beginning of the theme is repeated by the violins and the flute, with the whole orchestra
playing forte.
Then the viola starts a sort of throbbing phrase, gently accompanied by the strings playing pizzicato and long notes in the woodwinds. All this becomes more intense and all winds join
in.
Then there is a serene, new theme all in triplets, presented by the viola and taken by the whole orchestra. Soon the character changes again, with a faster pace in the viola part, going
through many distant keys, to culminate in the slightly faster and agitated section of the
arpeggios and chords, all the time with different instruments in turn reminding us of the initial
theme.
After all this tension, the first theme comes again, initially only mentioned by the viola with the other instruments replying to it, then played nearly completely as it was at the beginning. Also
the other musical ideas are repeated here, as a summary of the whole work, to end with less
and less energy in a pianissimo long chord.
(Hyperion, Potter Violins)
Please take note that the audio AND sheet music ARE NOT mine. Feel free to change the video quality to a minimum of 480p for the best watching experience.
Original audio: Gérard Caussé (viola), Orchestre de l'Opéra de Lyon (cond. Kent Nagano) (Erato Classics S.N.C., 1990)
( • Romance in F Major, Op... )
Original sheet music: imslp.org/wiki/Romanze,_Op.85_(Bruch,_Max) (B. Schott's Söhne, 1911)

[@LucTaMusic]

so good...

[@changhyukkim2670]

Great

[@br_arba]

So beautiful