The Viola in America: Two Centuries of Progress

Research on the viola in America has largely been confined to activities in the twentieth century. Recent efforts by the American Viola Society, notably the American Viola Project—which aims to preserve American viola compositions—have focused on the early history of the viola. This article provides a broad overview of the viola from the colonial period through 1920.

From the eighteenth century, contributions by members of Moravian settlements are highlighted. A viola concerto by Peter Albrecht von Hagen and solo viola performances by his son, Peter “Albertus” von Hagen, are also detailed.

In the nineteenth century, Theodore Thomas served as a great promoter of the viola, both through his programing of music and in his association with the viola soloists George Matzka and Charles Baetens. The viola also benefitted from increased interest by amateurs, composers, and publishers. The most well-known efforts are Charles Martin Loeffler’s chamber works, which have remained a staple of the viola repertoire.

A number of prominent viola soloists appeared in the twentieth century including Émile Férir, Louis Svečenski, Louis Bailly, and Rebecca Clarke. 1919 was a turning point for the viola with the Berkshire Festival Competition for Viola and Piano, resulting in a tie between Ernest Bloch’s Suite and Rebecca Clarke’s Viola Sonata.