There were three fantastic viola pieces written in 1919.

The first one is Blochs Suite for Viola

and Piano, which is a four movements piece describing his imagination of landscapes of Far
East. The second is Paul Hindemiths sonata for Piano and Viola, which is considered his early
period music. He wrote it when he was 24 years old. The full piece is full of Romantic language.
The last one is Rebecca Clarkes Sonata for Viola and Piano. She was a violist herself, and when
she composed this piece she was visiting the U.S. These three composers were all born in
Europe, but later in their life they spent a long time in America. In the painting world, Monets
paintings, like Impressionist paintings in general, are inspired by Japanese art in several aspects,
such as the use of light colors, hazy outlines and the juxtaposition of colors. Specifically,
Monets water lily series, one of which was painted in 1919, was influenced by Ukiyo-e, a form
of Japanese wood block art.1 I would put these three pieces into the category of Impressionism,
because these three pieces are like Impressionist music in general, using some elements from
Asian art. In 1889, the World Exposition Universal was held in Paris and the founder of
Impressionism music Debussy and his fellow composers went there. That was an eye-opening
point because he had a chance to listen to Asia music.2 What interesting is that Debussy passed
away on March 25th 1918, which is only a year before these three pieces were written.3 In 1853
American Commodore Matthew Perry led his fellow into the harbor at Tokyo Bay to restore
regular trade and communication between Japan and the Western world in over two hundred

1 Monet and Japanese Art, 2008.

http://collections.tepapa.govt.nz/exhibitions/monet/monetslife.japaneseart.aspx
(March 29, 2015)
2 Brent Hugh, Claude Debussy and the Javanese Gamelan, 1998,
http://brenthugh.com/debnotes/gamelan.html ( March 29, 2015)

3 "Claude Debussy," Bio. A&E Television Networks, 2015.

http://www.biography.com/people/claude-debussy-9269290#later-years-anddeath (March 30,2015)

years of isolated itself.4 In this essay l will explore how does Asia art influenced Impressionism;
why do I put these three viola piece into Impressionism music category.
Impressionism comes from a European tradition, but then there was a reaction against rigid
structure. The artists have more freedom express their inner feelings than ever before. The artists
were moving away from German tradition of rigorous time signature, key signature and
conventional forms in music. In painting, the contour of the subjects became blurry, color and
light became what they focused more on, the brush stroke was smaller and thinner. It was easier
to bring more color and light contrast in to the music. There was more connection with nature
then ever before. Also, globalization, a serial of industrializing made it possible for Western
artists to know Eastern art and brought them into their own art language.
Bloch and Clarke both wrote their pieces for the Berkshire competition, and what is interesting is
that they were tied for the first prize. In the end the jury gave the first prize to Bloch. What is
interesting in this piece is that there are occasionally some clues of form, such as in the shortest
movement. In the third movement it takes a sonata form. Most of the time, it uses motifs to build
up the entire piece. The imitation and conversations between the piano part and viola part make it
more interesting for the performers to play and attractive for the audience to listen. Rebecca
Clark was born and raised in England. She enrolled in RCM to study music. As a fine violist
herself, besides the sonata she wrote for viola and piano, she wrote several Lullabies for viola
and piano, and Morpheus for viola and piano. There are other beautiful, small viola chamber
pieces and lyric viola parts in other forms of her chamber music. In her viola sonata, she used
post-Romantic sonata form inspired by German traditionit has three individual movements and
each of them has its own theme, while the harmony and texture have a strong influence from
Debussy and Ravel. During the anonymous Coolidge competition, someone even believed Ravel
wrote this piece. 5There are certain clues that her music has Asian influence --one of her pieces is
4 Office of the Historian, Bureau of Public Affairs, United States Department of
State, The United States and the Opening to Japan, 1853,
https://history.state.gov/milestones/1830-1860/opening-to-japan (March 29,2015)
5 The Life of Rebecca Clarke, http://www.rebeccaclarke.org/her-life/ (March 29,
2015)

named Chinese Puzzle.6 During her lifetime, Clarke met Ravel and played his music at the
Aeolian Hall on 19 October.7 Paul Hindemith is considered one of the greatest violists in the
twentieth century. He changed his style to a more serious and aggressive manner, which is very
reasonable if we put him into the bigger picture of that period in German history. He wrote six
viola sonatas in total three for solo viola and three for viola and piano. This is the earliest one,
and also the most lyrical one.

Bloch was a Swiss- American composer (b.1880, Geneva; d. 1959, Portland, Oregon) from a
Jewish background. During World War l, he moved to the USA. From 1916 to 1919 he taught
composition at Mannes. He composed this Suite for the Berkshire chamber music competition
in1919. And she won the first prize. Bloch wrote an analysis to explain this piece, saying that this
suite shouldnt be included is his Jewish works. This piece explores his imagination about
lands of the Far East, such as Java, Sumatra and Borneo. He intended to give a title to each
movement(1) In the Jungle; (2) Grotesques; (3) Nocturne; (4) The Land of the Sun, but
somehow he felt those words were too limited to express his feelings and imagination.8
This piece mainly used motifs to build up the structure. He also incorporates double bars, which
means when l play l should notice those changes and introductions of the new materials l can
also use theme to help me to analyze the piece. This is an Impressionist way to better draw a
picture with notes. There is no German traditional form anymore. In terms of structure, it gives a
composer much more freedom to display his fruitful creativity and fancy imagination.
The first movement is Lento-Allegro-Moderato He is depicting a complicated, primitive nature
scene. According to his analysis, the form of the whole movement has three divisions, with an

6 Rebecca Clarke Society, instrumental work list,

http://www.rebeccaclarke.org/worksi/ (March 29, 2015)
7 Liane Curtis, A Rebecca Clarke Reader,
8 Susanne Bloch, Suite, for Viola and Piano (or orchestra) (1919) in Book Ernest
Bloch: Creative Spirit (New York: Jewish Music Council of the National Jewish Welfare Board, 1976). 54

introduction and a conclusion.9 The very beginning is a ferocious cry of a wild bird, which starts
with an outburst on the piano part. Then viola enters with a meditative mood where he marked
misterioso This meditative motive part at the end of measure three and four appears at the end
of this movement, also shows at the end of the coda section of the whole piece. Here is the spot
where he described in his own analysis as a savage cry, like that of a fierce bird of prey. 10In
this opening, there is no key signature, and from the piano part B, C, E, A, G sharp, D sharp and
C sharp, we can tell this definitely doesnt belong to either the C major or a minor. The use of
second intervals are uniquely Eastern. The following part is a slow section. The opening of the
Lento Meno part material comes back at the end of this session playing an octave higher. Then
with the prolonged A and two transitional notes F sharp and E sharp then Bloch introduced a new
material for viola with sixteenth note and slurred eighth note.
The Allegro part starts with a cheerful mood with he marked gioioso. It begins on the piano
and is answered by a viola. It sounds very primitive with the use of grace notes; accented notes;
consecutive fifth internals; the dotted rhythm passage; the irregular dynamics;syncopated
rhythm;the special sul ponticello effect; the following energico passage with the use of
repetitive and accented sixteenths notes pattern, the dynamic marking is from forty to fortissimo.
The Largamente passage, according to Bloch should sound like a sun rising out of clouds in
the mystery of primitive nature. The whole movement ends with a meditative mood as it
begins.11Some of the motives from the first movement occur in the rest of the piece, such as in
the second movement and some places of the fourth movement.
The second movement is marked Allegro Ironico, which Bloch describes as a mixture of
grotesque and fantastic characters of sardonic and mysterious moods. 12There are other music
Bloch wrote which have a similar character, such as in the Scherzo of his string quartet and the
9 Ibid,55
10 Ibid,
11 Ibid,
12 Ibid,

Scherzo of his first symphony. 13 The piano playing those appreciated chords, complimented by
a muted viola playing creates a dreamy sound. This movement is in a ternary form. The
beginning theme clearly comes back at figure six.
The third movement is marked Lento. Bloch says this simple movement is his imagination of
a tropical night in Java, according to one of his friends travel experience many years before. 14
The fourth movement is marked Molto Vivo. This movement is in an A-B-A form. Bloch used
a pentatonic scale in the first motif. The second part from figure 11, which marked Moderato
assai, was constructed based on the materials from the first and the third movements. The third
part, he introduced some new joyful material, and then leads back to the meditative subject from
the first movement, finally ended with a cheerful tune.
His own musical language draws from his Jewish background, and he says he didn't intend to use
Jewish element in this piece, but a careful ear can identify elements that are inherent to his
composition even if he didnt mean to include them. In order to better understand Bloch, l
listened some Jewish prayer music and Israeli national anthem, Hatikvah. In my observation,
Jewish music is calming, and sacred sounding. Israel belongs to the Near East, which has certain
music elements similar to Far East music. Such as the distant feeling and the use of nontraditional scales. In other words, his music depicting Far East themes inevitably sound
Jewish, because both cultures are similar geographically and musically.
As a virtuoso violist himself, Hindemith debuted the sonata on June 2, 1919 in Frankfurt. 15In the
Sonata for viola and Piano Op.11 No.4, Hindemith abandoned consistent key signature and time
signatures. In the seconded movement, the 4th variation has key signatures of F sharp and G
13 Ibid,
14 Ibid,
15 Erica Solano, Hindemith sonata for viola, Op.11, No.4 a compositional and
historical perspective (M.M. diss., Bob Cole Conservatory of Music California State
University, Long Beach, May, 2012), 1

sharp. This piece is about sixteen minutes and the three movements are attacca together. In total
there are seven variations. I think playing three movements without any break between
movements was a very innovative composing style. So at the very beginning, Hindemith marked
clearly that The sonata is played without a break between movements, especially the second
and the third movement should also be well connected. The listener doesnt have the feeling that
there is an ending and have to understand the last phrase of the second movement is a
continuation of the variation.16
The most impressive aspect of this piece is the freedom within the traditional German structure
frame. On the traditional aspect, it still has the traditional three movements, though, since the
second and the third movement are both variations of the same theme, and the change of the
second and the third movement occurs in the middle of the variation No.4. Hindemith could have
only marked two movements for the whole sonata but he somehow still gave it three movements.
Another fact is that he still used a ternary form for the theme part. He repeats the theme at the
beginning twice, then, with a viola transitional measure, he introduced more vivid material with
eighth notes. Then measures later, after the piano plays one measure of transitional chromatic
chords, he introduces the third theme material, which is a melody consisting descending half-step
half step scale. At the end of the theme part, the first material comes back.
The freedom is this piece is presented clearly in the key signature, the time signature, the
Cadenza passage in the 1st movement, and when he introduces a new idea he gives the
transitional passage to only one instrument. When we play this piece, the solo melody allows the
players to do something new and interesting.
To be clearer about the characters for each variation, Hindemith marked them clearly that
variation one has the same tempo as the theme; the second variation should be played with a
little capricious ; the third variation should be lively and flow; the fourth variation should be
more vivid then the previous one; the fifth variation is quiet and flow, the sixth is a fugato

16 Paul Hindemith, Sonata for Viola and Piano (London: Schott, 1950), 2

with bizarre character and moving forward. Leisurely tempo. The last one is a Coda with a
very vivid and excited mood. 17
The opening of Hindemiths sonata Op.11 No.4 is a lyrical folk melody. The piano part and the
viola part intervene together. Later, the piano part plays some main chords while viola plays the
Cadenza part. To me, it sounds very Impressionistic because of the pentatonic scale he uses.
After the fermata on the first page, he uses 4th intervals and pentatonic scales-- from B to E and
the descending imitation of this pattern and G, A, B, G, F, E. The following runs are also using
pentatonic scales in the rest of the first movement. The whole first movement is based on the
beginning theme with transpositions and decorations occurring back and forth between viola and
piano. When I perform this movement I should notice weather the theme is on the viola part or
the piano part.

The second movement begins on B flat, which is enharmonic with the last note of the first
movement, A sharp. This note lasts six beats, with 5 beats by viola solo. On the last beat, the
piano joins the viola and starts the second movement. This invisible transition is smart. And this
is a very good example of what I mentioned before that he gives the melody to only one
instrument when there is a transitional phrase.
The time signature of the second movement is unique. Hindemith marked 2/4 3/4. They
irregularly change back and forth between this two. This movement is in a Theme and Variation
form. The theme parts consists three materials. Variation one is based one material two with
transposition and decoration. Variation two is developed from the first material. Variation three is
based one the third material. Variation four, five, six and seven are based on the first material.
Rebecca Clarke (1886-1979)18 was 23 years old when she wrote this sonata. Compared to the
other two sonatas, Clarke is the most conservative one in terms of structure, which could be
considered as late Romantic style. There are three movements in this piece and each of them has
17 Ibid, 6-26
18 Rebecca Clarke, http://www.rebeccaclarke.org (April 8, 2015)

its own theme. In the third movement after he states the theme for the third movement, she
brings materials from the previous two movements back.
At the very beginning of the piece Clarke quoted from French poet Alfred de Mussets poem La
Nuit de mai(1835), which means May Night. Poete, prends ton luth; le vin de la jeunesse,
Fermente cette nuit dans les veines de Dieu. The English translation is Poet, take up your lute;
Fermente cette nuit dans les veines de Dieu. The English translation is Poet, take up your lute;
the wine of youth tonight fermenting in the veins of God.19
The first movement Clarke marked Impetuously which means impulsive. From this very
beginning to figure 1 Poco agitato is an improvisational passage. The piano is holding a chord
when the viola is playing the melody. After figure 1, the piano is playing triplets, which gives an
impulsive feeling. Even though the overall structure is in a traditional style, but within it, the
music is flexible. Clarke gave the first movement one harp for key signature--e minor. Later she
changed the key signatures several time. At figure 7, she wrote two flats for key signature, but it
neither belongs to B flat major or g minor. She also uses changing time signatures frequently. In
the calmato passage at figure 14, the use of string crossing is similar to the Cadenza passage in
the second movement of Bloch.
The second movement she marked Vivace. This is a very playful movement with some extended
viola playing technique, such as the viola playing alternating left hand and right hand pizz.;
natural and artificial harmonics; con sordino., while piano plays glissando.
The third movement starts with the piano states the profound theme. Compared to the previous
two movements, the opening is more feminine, until two bars before figure 31, while the viola
playing the lowest note -- C on the open string with tremolo and ponticello effect, when the
theme of the first movement comes back. Later with the help of sixteenth notes acting as a
transitional passage, at figure 33 the material from the second movement comes back. In general
this movement is developed from the themes from all three movements with variations. The
ending is echoing the very beginning.
The use of extended technic and freedom in the tonality, structure, time and key signatures are
the reasons I put this piece into the Impressionism category.
19 Jessica Wyatt ,Programme Notes from Lunchtime Recita, 2012.
https://jesswyatt.files.wordpress.com/2012/02/programme-notes-fromlunchtime-recital-1-2-12.pdf (April 8, 2015)

Bibliography:
Bloch, Susanne. Suite, for Viola and Piano (or orchestra) (1919) in Book Ernest
Bloch: Creative Spirit .New York: Jewish Music Council of the National Jewish Welfare Board,
1976.

"Claude Debussy." Bio. A&E Television Networks, 2015.

http://www.biography.com/people/claude-debussy-9269290#later-years-and-death (March
30,2015)
Hugh, Brent. Claude Debussy and the Javanese Gamelan. 1998.
http://brenthugh.com/debnotes/gamelan.html (March 29, 2015)
Hindemith, Paul. Sonata for Viola and Piano. London: Schott, 1950.
Monet and Japanese Art. 2008.
http://collections.tepapa.govt.nz/exhibitions/monet/monetslife.japaneseart.as
px (March 29, 2015)
Office of the Historian, Bureau of Public Affairs. United States Department of
State. The United States and the Opening to Japan.1853.
https://history.state.gov/milestones/1830-1860/opening-to-japan (March
29,2015)
Rebecca Clarke Society.instrumental work list.
http://www.rebeccaclarke.org/worksi/ (March 29, 2015)
Rebecca Clarke Society. The Life of Rebecca Clarke.
http://www.rebeccaclarke.org/her-life/ (March 29, 2015)
Rebecca Clarke Society.Rebecca Clarke, http://www.rebeccaclarke.org (April
8, 2015)
Solano, Erica. Hindemith sonata for viola, Op.11, No.4 a compositional and
historical perspective. M.M. diss., Bob Cole Conservatory of Music California
State University, Long Beach, May 2012).
Sherman, Robert.

10

Wyatt, Jessica. Programme Notes from Lunchtime Recita. 2012.

https://jesswyatt.files.wordpress.com/2012/02/programme-notes-from-lunchtime-recital-1-212.pdf (April 8, 2015)

11

Appendix

12

{Figure 1}

13

{Figure 2}

14

{Figure 4}

15

{Figure 5}

16

{Figure 6}

{Figure 1}

17