Complete Viola Works

****1/2. Quincy Porter's mid 20th century viola works, beautifully perfomed here by Eliesha Nelson, is a delightful discovery for me. A composition student of Vincent d'Indy and Ernest Bloch and later Dean of the New England Conservatory of Music and professor at Yale, his music is full of emotion and lean precision. The pieces are direct and streamlined and at times haunting. There is no tension, no drama or abruptness, but constant singing of the viola, which fifty years later can now be considered somewhat Eastern, akin to Indonesian. The first four tracks of this album are the viola concerto, whose movements flow directly without pause and which concludes with a joyful romp. (John McLaughlin Williams leads the Northwest Sinfonia.) The happy mood continues with Speed Etude, a mere 2.5 minutes but short of a gallop. A grand viola and harp duet ensues; light, airy, lyrical, and sometimes witty, its domain seems the heavens. (A harpsichord, Porter's suggested alternative for the harp, would drop the composition from its lofty heights.) The viola goes solo in a brief suite, but it is hardly barren; indeed, it roars in seriousness, nervous anxiety, and contemplation. Viola and piano play the earliest work (1928), a jazz-inspired blues. This begins in melancholy, transforms with jagged counterpoint, and ends sinking back into bittersweet sadness. The next composition is entitled Poem, but I am not certain about its theme; like many abstract paintings, the emotional state of the viewer, or listener, will provide the personal answer. Another duo follows, and this time the harpsichord is heard. Despite the instrument's earthy grounding, the melodies and rhythms propel this work, which alternate with dark classical idioms and lighthearted jazz. The final work, a duo for violin and viola, seems to me too academic and while full of pulses and melody, I walk away empty. Comprising nearly 74 minutes of lush music and crystal clear engineered sound, this album is a stunner. Quincy Porter lives again.

I prefer the sound of the viola to that of the violin, so I am always on the lookout for satisfying viola recitals. This music by Quincy Porter really suprised me. The music is lovely and the playing is really wonderful. The best piece on here is the Duo for Viola and Harp. Sample it on youtube and if you find it beautiful, then you can be sure that you will get a lot of enjoyment out of this album. One of my favorite CD's of the year so far. Highly recommended.

The pieces on this CD are great, from start to finish. You may enjoy this or that one better than some others (I do), but each piece is really, really good. I'd recommend this CD to anyone who enjoys hearing excellent compositions for viola.

I'm not a classic music fanatic. But I'm reasonably well informed. I was a short-time viola student and my wife is a fairly accomplished violinist.This is a great disc, both from a compositional and playing perspective. I'd never heard of Quincy Porter before. His compositions are beautiful, mostly more reflective than flashy. Nelson's playing is super. You will likely listen to this when you're in the sort of mood to hear adagios ... but, by being a little less known, this disc will feel fresher and newer.

Simply put, I really liked this CD and am glad a friend persuaded me to get it. One of the best classical music purchases I have made in several years.

Eleisha Nelson establishes her status as a viola virtuoso in her new album, Quincy Porter Complete Viola Works. Her warm tone, unerring pitch and technical brilliance shine in this recording of the Alto member of the string section.Qunicy Porter's Concerto for Viola and Orchestra is an engaging work presenting the solo line from the moody lower register up into the traditional range of the violin. The orchestration utilizes low winds and brass, especially tuba engaging the soloist with jazzy syncopated rhythms. The timbres of the bassoon and viola in counterpoint create a jocular effect. The Northwest Symphony under conductor John McLaughlin Williams delivers a solid accompaniment with dynamic shading never overshadowing the soloist.Speed Etude is a fun piece that lives up to its name with presto, slurred triplet passages and jazzy riffs lasting just under 2 ½ minutes.Suite for Viola Alone opens with a long wandering stepwise melodic line followed by the2nd movement consisting of double stop passage work punctuated by a grumbling dotted rhythm on the C and G strings. The 3rd movement's exposition explores the gamut of the viola range, followed by an old fashion "fiddler's breakdown" etudeBlues Lontain, an introspective piece, sets the tessitura in the low C to low D string range producing the characteristic "woody" viola tone.Two contemplative pieces, Duo for Harp & Viola and Poem for Viola and Piano evoke a more ethereal effect with a slow-fast-slow-fast structure ending with jazzy true and false harmonics in the former and a sonata like slow movement with neither instrument dominating in the latter.Duo for Viola & Harpsichord provides a post Baroque pairing of instruments. The staccato harpsichord accompaniment provides contrast with the sustained viola melodic line.Duo for Violin and Viola blends the two instruments so well that this listener finds it difficult to differentiate which is which at times. The first movement ends with a sustained C, which is picked up in the beginning of the second movement. An etude-like passage introduces the final movement, which moves through intricate contrapuntal lines culminating in double stops, harmonics and a jazzy ending.Plaudits should be awarded also to harpist, Douglas Rioth, and especially to John McLaughlin Williams, violinist, who not only conducted the orchestra but also accompanied the extremely talented violist, Eleisha Nelson, on piano and harpsichord.