Viola D'amore - Repertoire

Repertoire

Baroque period

• Heinrich Biber (1644–1704)

Partita VII for two violas d'amore and basso continuo, from Harmonia artificiosa - ariosa, 1696.

• Attilio Ariosti (1666–1729)

6 Lessons for viola d'amore and continuo

15 Sonatas

used in 2 cantatas

• Antonio Vivaldi (1678–1741)

Concerto in D major, RV 392, P.166

Concerto in D minor, RV 393, P.289

Concerto in D minor, RV 394, P.288

Concerto in D minor, RV 395, P.287

Concerto in A major, RV 396, P.233

Concerto in A minor, RV 397, P.37

Vivaldi was particularly well known for using the viola d'amore in his music. In addition to the six solo concertos, there is one with lute (RV 540), and one Concerto da camera (RV 97). He also inserted viola d'amore cadenzas in his other works and repertoire. In both versions of the psalm Nisi Dominus that he wrote (RV 608 and RV 803), a cadenza is apparent in the movement Gloria Patri. Other cadenzas are found in the aria Tu dormi in tante pene of the opera Tito Manlio and in the aria Quanto magis generosa of the oratorio Juditha triumphans.

• Christoph Graupner (1683–1760)

Concerto in D major for viola d'amore, strings and continuo, GWV 314

Concerto in F major for flute, viola d'amore, chalumeau, strings and continuo, GWV 327

Concerto in D major for flauto d'amore, oboe d'amore, viola d'amore, strings and continuo, GWV 333

Concerto in g minor for viola d'amore, strings and continuo, GWV 336

Concerto in A major for viola, viola d'amore, strings and continuo, GWV 339

Concerto in B♭ major for chalumeau, viola d'amore, oboe, strings and continuo, GWV 343

Ouverture in D major for oboe d'amore, viola d'amore, strings and continuo, GWV 419

Ouverture in D minor for bassoon, viola d'amore, strings and continuo, GWV 426

Ouverture in D major for viola d'amore, strings and continuo, GWV 427

Ouverture in E major for viola d'amore, strings and continuo, GWV 438

Ouverture in F major for flute, viola d'amore, chalumeau, strings and continuo, GWV 450

Ouverture in F major for flute, viola d'amore, 2 chalumeaux, strings and continuo, GWV 451

Ouverture in G major for viola d'amore, strings and continuo, GWV 459

Ouverture in G major for viola d'amore, strings and continuo, GWV 460

Ouverture in G major for viola d'amore, bassoon, strings and continuo, GWV 465

Ouverture in A major for viola d'amore, strings and continuo, GWV 476

Ouverture in A major for flute, viola d'amore, oboe, bassoon, strings and continuo, GWV 477

Graupner wrote extensively for the viola d'amore; he also used it in 13 of his cantatas, like "Wer die Wahrheit tut", GWV 1139/38, where it is used in the soprano aria as obbligato instrument on a background of pizzicato strings.

• Georg Philipp Telemann (1681–1767)

Concerto in E major for flute, oboe d'amore, viola d'amore, strings and continuo

• Johann Sebastian Bach (1685–1750):: used in aria no.19 and 20 of the Johannes Passion and in some cantatas
• Johann Joachim Quantz (1697–1773)

Trio Sonata for flute, viola d'amore and continuo

• Louis-Toussaint Milandre (18th century)

Pièces pour une viole d'amour avec basse

Pièces pour une viole d'amour, violon et basse

Trio en fa pour une viole d'amour, violon et basse

• Carlo Martinides (c.1731–1794)

Divertimento in D major for viola d'amore, violin, viola and cello

• Joseph Haydn (1732–1809)

Divertimento for viola d'amore, violin and cello; This is an arrangement of a work by Haydn, but made in the 18th century.

• Carl Stamitz (1745–1801)

3 solo Concertos

Sonata in D major for viola d'amore and violin or viola

various other sonatas

Quartet

• Franz Anton Hoffmeister (1754–1812)

Quartet in E♭ major (D major) for viola d'amore, 2 violins and cello

• Joseph Leopold Eybler (1765–1846)

Quintet No.1 in D major for viola d'amore, violin, viola, cello and violone

Quintet No.2 in D major for viola d'amore, violin, viola, cello and violone

Modern works

• Louis van Waefelghem (1840–1908)

Romance in D major for violin or viola d'amore and piano (1891)

Soir d'automne (Autumn Evening), Melody for viola d'amore or viola and piano or harp (1903)

• Charles Martin Loeffler (1861–1935)

La mort de Tintagiles, Symphonic poem for viola d'amore and orchestra, Op. 6 (1897–1900)

• Henri Casadesus (1879–1947)

Concerto for viola d'amore and strings

24 Préludes for viola d'amore and harpsichord, piano or harp (1931)

• Heitor Villa-Lobos (1887–1959)

Amazonas

• Frank Martin (1890–1974)

Sonata da chiesa for viola d'amore and organ or string orchestra (1952)

• Paul Hindemith (1895–1963)

Kleine Sonate (Small Sonata) for viola d'amore and piano, Op. 25 No. 2 (1922)

Kammermusik No. 6 for viola d'amore and chamber orchestra, Op. 46 No. 1 (1927)

• Paul Rosenbloom (*1952)

Concerto for two violas d'amore and chamber orchestra (1994)

• Michael Edwards (*1968)

24/7:: freedom fried for viola d'amore and live electronics (2006)

• Emily Doolittle (*1972)

Virelais for viola d'amore and voice (2001)

The viola d'amore is also used in

• Les Huguenots (1836) by Giacomo Meyerbeer
• Bánk Bán (1861) by Ferenc Erkel
• Le jongleur de Notre-Dame (1901) by Jules Massenet
• Madama Butterfly (1904) by Giacomo Puccini
• Palestrina (1912) by Hans Pfitzner
• Káťa Kabanová (1919) by Leoš Janáček; The viola d'amore represents the title character.
• Romeo and Juliet (1935–1936) by Sergei Prokofiev
• ...?risonanze!... (1996–1997) by Olga Neuwirth
• The Misprision of Transparency (2001) by Aaron Cassidy

Film

• Bernard Herrmann's score for On Dangerous Ground (1951) makes extensive use of the viola d'amore for the female protagonist's theme.