Viola Music by Women Composers

Viola Music by W omen Composers by Carolyn W aters Broe Viola Forum In recent years, there has been a tremendous interest in learning more about music by women composers. Aaron Cohen lists 2,961 women composers in his International Encyclopedia of Women Composers, written in 1981. Since then, new research has revealed a treasure trove of previously unknown women composers and updated research on already established composers. An original manuscript of the Sonata for Viola and Harpsichord of Beatrice Mattei of Florence, Italy (1741) was discovered in an Eastern European library in 1996 by ARS FEMINA. After the Soviet Union was dissolved, the library needed to pack up many items and repatriate them to their original owners. Since the manuscript for the Mattei was owned by the Knights Templar, the library was about to ship it off when the research group ARS FEMINA of Kentucky asked if they could make a copy. There was also another recent discovery of a sinfonia by Maria Antonia Walpurgis (1724-1780) found in the Bach Archive discovered in Kiev, Ukraine in 1999 by Christoph Wolff of Harvard and Patricia Kennedy Grimsted. This archive contains about 5,000 scores by 17th and 18th century European composers (C.P.E. Bach, Telemann, Graun, and the Benda brothers, etc. from the Singakademie of Berlin). Many works that were thought to have been by male composers are now believed to have been composed by women. Some works by Fanny Mendelssohn Hensel were published under her brother Felix Mendelssohn’s name. This may also be the case with the works of Clara Schumann and her husband Robert Schumann. Recent editions are making corrections in these publications. The American composer, Louise Lincoln Kerr (1892-1977), left a manuscript archive of more than 100 music compositions to Arizona State University. Only the Five Character Pieces for Viola and Piano have been edited and published by Classics Unlimited Music. Therefore, she is still largely unknown by the public. Kerr, a violinist/violist and a student of Prokofiev and Stravinsky, was an expert in composing chamber music pieces, many of which include viola parts. She also composed chamber orchestra works as well as several symphonic works and five ballets. Many of Kerr’s pieces combine melodies of the Hopi Indians and Spanish folk songs with classical genres. She was also fond of jazz rhythms especially in her string literature. Living women composers are creating new works for the viola on an ongoing basis. In developing this list of women viola composers, I discovered many pieces with which I was unfamiliar. I am indebted to Dr. David Sills, as his repertory list of works that he has performed by women composers was the inspiration for this list. This list of women viola composers is not designed as the last word, but merely as an introduction to the subject. A complete annotated bibliography of women viola composers has not yet been written. Some transcriptions have been included in this list; however, the vast majority are original works for the viola. * Works composed for, premièred by, or arranged by Dr. David Sills ** Treasury of Music By Women Before 1800 edited or arranged for viola ensembles by William Bauer, ARS FEMINA editions Note: This is not a complete list of all viola works. My apologies if I have missed anyone. Renaissance and Medieval t
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In rubor sanguinis* voice and viola (German, 1098-1179) t
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O Death, rock me asleep* (Queen of England, c.1501-1536) t
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A chantar* (Medieval Troubadour, Provence, … 1200) t
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Canzona I and II – arr. for viola trio ** (German, c. 1570-1620) Baroque t
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Lesson VI* t
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Divertimento, viola trio ** (Italian, c.1670 – before 1715) t
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Three Dances, viola quartet ** (German, 1613-1667) t
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Brunet Bluhet viola quintet ** t
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Balletto a Cavallo, viola quintet ** (Italian, 1587-after 1638) t
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Sonata duodecima* (Italian, 1620-1704) t
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Sonata, viola and harpsichord – (Italian c.1740 ARS FEMINA) Classical t
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Divertimento for piano, clarinet, viola, cello (German, 1739-1807) t
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Se pieta da voi non trovo for soprano, violins, viola, and cello (English, 1749-1799) t
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Duo Sonata Op. 4, No.1 ** (Italian, c. 1735 –1818) t
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Six Quartetti t
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Lamento for soprano, violins, viola, and continuo. (Swedish, 1740-1812) t
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Sicilienne* (Austrian, 1759-1824) Romantic t
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Three Pieces for Viola and Piano (German, 1850-1927) t
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String Quartet in E-flat (German, 1805-1847) t
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Die frühen Graber for viola, 2 cellos, and double bass 68 | American String Teacher | August 2007 Viola Forum t
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quartets (German, 1821-1883) t
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Sonata (cello/piano) transcribed for viola and piano t
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Gentle Words* (American,1867) t
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Three Romances, Op. 22* (German, 1819-1896) 20th Century and Contemporary Viola alone t
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Sonata (French, 1921- ) t
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Soliloquy* (USA) t
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Sonata (Polish, 1909-1969) t
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Polish Caprice t
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Circe (Bastet) (Scottish, 1956 - ) t
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Tokudo – The Gate of Enlightenment (USA, 1957 - ) t
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Hora – Dance Around the Pillar of Ashera t
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Din cimoiu (unpublished) (Romania, 1953 - ) t
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Sonata for Solo Viola, 2001 (USA, 1951- ) t
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3 Movements for Solo Viola, 2004 t
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Persephone Weaving* (Irish, 1953- ) t
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Song of Persephone (USA, 1913-2000) t
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Suite (B&H) (Russia, 1950 - ) t
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Sonata Pastorale, 3 etude volumes (USA, 19031995) t
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Solo per viola (Italian, 1899-1998) t
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Episode sixième (French, 1926- ) t
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Cavatina (USA, 1939- ) t
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Rising* (USA) t
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Echo of the Wind (English, 1906-1983) t
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Sonata t
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Five Sketches (English, 1907-1994) t
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Variations on a Theme from Vaughn Williams’s “Job”* t
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Composition for viola solo* (German, 1928- ) t
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From My Garden* t
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In the Still of the Night (Novello) (Scottish, 1928 - ) t
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Per Viola (Israel, 1954 - ) t
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Partita (Maecenas) (British) t
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Serpentine (USA, 1926-1995) t
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The Darkening of the Light (USA, 1926- ) t
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Lien (French, 1938- ) t
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Four Epiphanies (German, 1924- ) t
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L’Etude du Coeur (USA, 1949- ) t
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Sonate in F, Op. 43 t
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The Cresset Stone* (Welsh, 1947- ) t
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Variegations (UK, 1911-1985) t
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Suite (USA, 1930- ) t
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Sweet Thunder (USA, 1956 - ) t
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Sonata in D Viola and Piano t
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Sonata (USA, 1882-1955) t
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Sonata [arr. Hannay] (USA, 1867-1944) t
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Sule Skerrie (England, 1956 - ) t
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Equinox Rituals: Autumn (Furore) t
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Trois pièces* (French, 1887-1979) t
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Two Pieces (USA, 1944- ) t
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Sonata, 1919 (English, 1886-1979) t
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Lullaby, 1909 and Lullaby on An Ancient Irish Tune, 1913 t
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Passacaglia on an Old English Tune, and Untitled Movement t
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Morpheus, 1917-18, and I’ll Bid My Heart Be Still, 1944 t
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Small Black Stone (British Music Information Center) t
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Viola Elegy t
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Tango Mariposa for Viola and Piano, Viola Sonata (USA, 1959 - ) t
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Lieder (USA, 1913-2000) t
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Sonata (USA, 1906-1996) t
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Oh, Can Ye Sew Cushions for viola/horn, piano (Scottish, 1926) t
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Sonata and Lament (English, 1915-1990) t
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Quatre duos (French, 1926- ) t
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Ballade in F Minor (Corda) (England 1909-1999) t
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Five Character Pieces (USA, 1892-1977) (Classics Unlimited Music) t
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Romanza (Chester) t
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Quatre pièces and Suite No. 2 (USA, ca.18701961) t
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Sonata (South African-English, 1903-1986) t
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Chant hébraïque and Poem (1900- ?) t
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Aria and Toccata (USA, 1926- ) t
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Song (USA, 1955 - ) t
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Doxa (USA, 1949 - ) t
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Two Pieces (USA, 1911-1989) t
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Viola (USA, 1948 - ) t
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Sonata (USA, 1955 - ) t
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Two Interlinked French Folk-Melodies (English, 1858-1944) t
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Sonate in a, Op. 25 (French, 1894-1970) t
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English Reel, and Summer Rhapsody, viola and clarinet. (English 1902-1985) t
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Sonata (USA, 1930- ) t
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Elegy (USA, 1941- ) Viola and Electronic Tape t
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Mirabilis* (USA, 1933- ) t
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Aldebaran (USA, 1923- ) t
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From One to Another (Scottish, 1928- ) t
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Re-Tuning (Canadian, 1937- ) t
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Levadi II* (USA, 1942- ) Viola and Orchestra t
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Concerto (Polish, 1909-1996) t
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Viola Concerto No. 1 and Viola Concerto No. 2 t
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Two Paths (Concerto for two violas) (Soviet Union, 1931 - ) t
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Concerto Romantico (Australian, 19121990) t
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Points d’aube, viola and 13 winds (French, 1926- ) t
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Para Viola y Orchesta (Cuba) t
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Concerto Op. 15 (English, 1906-1983) t
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Aria and Toccata, viola and strings (USA, 1926- ) t
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Concerto (Scottish, 1928- ) t
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From One to Another, viola and 15 solo strings Viola in Chamber settings t
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Conversation Piece (viola and vibraphone) (USA, 1945- ) t
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Rebirth of the Goddess (flute, harp, and viola) t
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Three Pieces (Prelude, Allegro, and Pastorale) for clarinet and viola t
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Lullaby, Grotesque (viola and violoncello) t
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String Quartet (USA, 1901-1953) t
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Diaphonic Suite No. 4 (oboe/viola and cello) t
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Antigone Speaks (flute and viola) (USA, 1932- ) 4PëB
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Quasi Hoquetus (viola, bassoon, and piano) (Soviet, 1931) &MBJOF
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Tango Mariposa (viola, cello, and harp) (USA, 1959 - ) #FUTZ
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Remember (viola and violoncello) -PVJTF
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Etude (viola and violin) (USA, 1892-1977) -PVJTF
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Oriental (viola and violin) -PVJTF
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String Quartet in A Major and miscellaneous string quartet movements (unpublished) -PVJTF
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Piano Quartets and Piano Quintets (unpublished) &MJ[BCFUI
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String Quartets Nos. 1 – 13 &MJ[BCFUI
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Sonatina for String Quartet &MJ[BCFUI
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Conversations for Clarinet and Viola 6STVMB
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Music for Viola and Harp (German, 1928- ) 6STVMB
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Rhapsody (clarinet, viola, and piano) 6STVMB
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Concertpiece for Four (flute, oboe, viola, and percussion) ɨFB
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Elegy (viola and violoncello) ɨFB
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Lamenting with Ariadne (viola solo with eight players) +VEJUI
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My Glyph (viola, string quartet, and piano; also for string orchestra) %BNF
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Variations on “Bonny Sweet Robin” (flute, viola, and piano) )JMBSZ
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Duo for Oboe and Viola* %FCSB
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Interface (viola and marimba) (1953- ) Etudes for Viola t
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12 Etudes, Fifteen Characteristic Etudes, 16 Fantasy Etudes t
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Six Etudes t
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Six Etudes Viola Forum Viola and Voice t
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Bels Dous Amics (mezzo-soprano, oboe, and viola) (USA, 1933) t
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Abelard (soprano and viola) (USA, 1949- ) t
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The Lovesong of Isabella and Elias Cairel (soprano, oboe, viola) t
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Five Songs after Poems /William Blake (voice, viola) (Canada, 1930) t
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Na Castelloza (mezzo-soprano, oboe, viola) (Russian, 1931- ) t
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A Chantar (mezzo-soprano, oboe, and viola) (USA) t
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Songs for Wendy (voice and viola) (USA, 1913-1994) t
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Na Maria (mezzo-soprano, oboe, and viola) (USA, 1938- ) Collections Edwin A. Fleischer Collection of scores at the Free Library of Philadelphia, Kile Smith. Louise L. Kerr Collection MSS-90 at Arizona State University, Department of Archives and manuscripts, Haydn Library, Tempe, Arizona. Robert Spindler, curator. Primrose International Viola Archives at Brigham Young University, Patricia McCarty. Dissertations Broe, Carolyn Waters. 2001. “The String Literature of Louise Lincoln Kerr: An Edition of Her Viola Music and Analysis of her Violin Concerto.” Arizona State University, Doctor of Musical Arts in Viola Solo Performance. Kohnen, Daniela. 1994. Rebecca Clarke. Weg einer Komponistin Anfang des 20. Jahrhunderts. Hausarbeit, Hochschule für Musik Detmold, 75 S. Palumbo, Michael A. 1981. The Viola: Its Foundation, Role, and Literature, Including An Analysis of the “Twelve Caprices” of Lillian Fuchs. Ball State University Doctor of Arts in Orchestral Conducting. Websites https://www.fourseasonsorchestra.org (information on FSO, Carolyn Broe and women composers) https://www.cs.bsu.edu/homepages/dlsills/David_repertoire.shtml - 19k - (lists women composers) https://www.music.indiana.edu/music_resources/women.html https://members.aye.net/~arsfemin/home.html (publishing historic women composers) https://www.hildegard.com (publishing historic women composers) https://www.kapralova.org (women composers and conductors) https://www.iawm.org (International Alliance of Women Musicians) https://www.viola.com (resources for violists) https://www.mmbmusic.com (modern composers) https://music.acu.edu/www/iawm/wimusic/iiswm.html (California State University, Northridge) archives of articles and recordings gathered by Aaron Cohen on women composers https://www.ascap.com/index.html (composers) https://www.symphony.org/ (American Symphony Orchestra League) https://www.astaweb.com/ (American String Teacher Association web) 70 | American String Teacher | August 2007 https://www.rebeccaclarke.org/ (information on Rebecca Clarke’s music) https://amy.music.udel.edu/faculty/murray/course3.html (University of Murry, Kentucky) Viola Forum Books Battersby, Christine. Gender and Genius: Towards a Feminist Aesthetics. Bloomington and Indianapolis: Indiana University Press, 1989. Bowers, Jane and Tick, Judith eds. Women Making Music: The Western Art Tradition, 1150-1950. Chicago: University of Illinois Press, 1987. Briscoe, James R., ed. Historical Anthology of Music by Women. Bloomington and Indianapolis: Indiana University Press, 1987. Cohen, Aaron I. International Encyclopedia of Women Composers. 2 Vols. New York: Books & Music, USA. 1981. Curtis, Liane, ed. Rebecca Clarke Reader. Bloomington and Indianopolis: Indiana University Press, 2004. Ebel, Otto. Women Composers: a Biographical Handbook of Women’s Work in Music. Brooklyn, New York: 1902. Glickman, Sylvia and Schleifer, Martha Furman. Women Composers: Music Through the Ages: Composers Born Before 1599 (Vol. 1); From Convent to Concert Hall; Composers Born 1700-1799; American Women Composers, Keyboard Music 1866-1910. Jezic, Diane Peacock. Women Composers: The Lost Tradition Found (forward Elizabeth Wood). New York: The Feminist Press at the City University of New York, 1988. Lutyens, Elisabeth. A Goldfish Bowl. London: Cassell, 1972. Marshall, Kimberly, ed. Rediscovering the Muses: Women’s Musical Traditions. Boston: Northeastern University Press, 1993. Neuls-Bates, Carol, ed. Women in Music: An Anthology of Source Readings from the Middle Ages to the Present. Revised ed. Boston: Northeastern University Press, 1996. [Includes an extensive bibliography.] Sadie, Julie Anne and Samuel, Rhian eds. The Norton/Grove Dictionary of Women Composers. London: W.W. Norton and Company, 1995. Williams, Amedee Daryl. “Lillian Fuchs First Lady of Viola”. Studies in the History and Interpretation of Music, Vol. 45 Zeyringer, Franz. Literatur für Viola, new edition revised and expanded. Hartberg: Julius Schönwetter Jr., 1985. Mus Ref ML 128 .V36 Z5 1985 Carolyn W aters Broe, American conductor, composer, and violist has been the featured soloist with orchestras in both California DQG$UL]RQD6KHUHFHLYHGKHUEDFKHORU·VGHJUHHLQPXVLFSHUIRUPDQFHIURP&KDSPDQ8QLYHUVLW\KHUPDVWHU·VGHJUHHRIÀQH arts in music from California State University Long Beach, and her doctorate in music from Arizona State University in viola solo performance. She studied viola with Dr. W illiam Magers, Louis Kievman, Adriana Chirilov, Robert Becker, Dr. Thomas Hall, Jerry Epstein, and René Bregozzo. Dr. Broe is now the conductor of the Four Seasons Orchestra of Scottsdale, Arizona. She studied conducting with John Koshak, and attended master classes with Leonard Bernstein, Seiji Ozawa, and Herbert Blomstedt. She is now the violin and viola instructor for Paradise Valley Community College and the viola instructor for Mesa Community College in Arizona. For more information about the works listed herein, contact Dr. Broe at maestra1@ cox.net. www.astaweb.com | 71