If you love viola music, don’t pass this one up. Rebecca Clarke (1886-1979) was an English composer who married an American, crossed the big pond and never looked back. The fact that Americans value her as highly as the English speaks volumes.

Her Viola Sonata of 1919 counts as one of the great 20^th century viola works, even rivaling that of Shostakovich’s and surpassing by far the popularity of those by Bloch and Hindemith. Its sheer melodic interest makes it a hands-down winner, while its Brahmsian form and impressionistic slant (more akin to Ravel than Debussy) also contribute to its appeal.

One however might not want to over-highlight the similarities of her music with Vaughan Williams’, because being a dyed-in-the-wool Briton, she could also easily fall into the somewhat pejorative “Cowpat school of English nationalism”. Nevertheless, there is little music that is prettier than Morpheus, a work that she wrote under the pseudonym of Anthony Trent. The same would apply to the 5-minutes long and mysteriously titled Untitled Piece, which no doubts has its roots in the English folksong.

The Dumka – another lovely work - betrays Slavic influences and is suitably melancholic. Violinist Daniel Hope (from the new Beaux Arts Trio) makes a cameo appearance here. The Prelude, Allegro and Pastorale, scored for just clarinet (played by Robert  Plane) and viola , is in a different idiom altogether, along the vein of Stravinsky and Poulenc. A delicious rarity: Chinese Puzzle, one and a half minutes of Chinoiserie (read fourths and pizzicatos) at its best and worst.

Violist Philip Dukes and pianist Sophia Rahman are near unimpeachable in their empathy and feel for this music. For its modest asking price, this viola recital is a total treat.

By Chang Tou Liang

 

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