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Benjamin Britten's Early Viola Works with a Pedagogical Analysis Intended for the Advancing Viola Student

Benjamin Britten wrote five pieces for the viola, the most well-known being the Lachrymae, Op. 48: Reflections on a song of Dowland written in 1950 for the Scottish violist William Primrose. Britten's other viola works were composed in 1930-1932 and were written for himself to perform as the violist. They were not published until after his death and have only recently been available for purchase. The intent of this treatise is to help make these lesser-known works to be more accessible for instructors in order to teach these pieces to young advancing violists. For the purpose of this study, advancing violists may be defined as students who generally are in high school or college with well-developed techniques such as vibrato, shifting, spiccato, and bow control. This document includes a short biography of Benjamin Britten along with a pedagogical analysis of the pieces Reflection for Viola and Piano (1930), Elegy for Viola Solo (1930), Two Portrait (1930) No. 2, and There is a Willow Grows Aslant a Brook. The author studied each piece and worked with a pianist to establish proper tempos and fingerings. For rhythmically challenging ensemble passages, the author created original exercises for piano and viola to be played together. The author also has created original exercises for practicing difficult passages and improving techniques such as shifting. Musical examples, with alternate bowing and fingerings, are also discussed in this study. / A Treatise submitted to the College of Music in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Music. / Summer Semester 2015. / July 16, 2015. / Includes bibliographical references. / Pamela Ryan, Professor Directing Treatise; James Mathes, University Representative; Melanie Punter, Committee Member; Corinne Stillwell, Committee Member.

Identiferoai:union.ndltd.org:fsu.edu/oai:fsu.digital.flvc.org:fsu_253107
ContributorsManseau, Colleen (authoraut), Ryan, Pamela (professor directing treatise), Mathes, James (university representative), Punter, Melanie L. (committee member), Stillwell, Corinne (committee member), Florida State University (degree granting institution), College of Music (degree granting college)
PublisherFlorida State University, Florida State University
Source SetsFlorida State University
LanguageEnglish, English
Detected LanguageEnglish
TypeText, text
Format1 online resource (92 pages), computer, application/pdf
RightsThis Item is protected by copyright and/or related rights. You are free to use this Item in any way that is permitted by the copyright and related rights legislation that applies to your use. For other uses you need to obtain permission from the rights-holder(s). The copyright in theses and dissertations completed at Florida State University is held by the students who author them.

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