Emanuel Vardi, a Champion of the Viola, Dies at 95

By MARGALIT FOX

Published: February 7, 2011

Emanuel Vardi, an American violist who was an ambassador for the instrument in an era when it had few public champions, died on Jan. 29 at his home in North Bend, Wash. He was 95.

His wife, Lenore Vardi, confirmed the death.

With his recital debut in 1941, Mr. Vardi established himself as one of the world’s leading viola soloists, a group that included the Englishman Lionel Tertis; the Scotsman William Primrose; the German-born Walter Trampler; and few others.

Over half a century, Mr. Vardi performed on storied stages, including Carnegie and Town Halls in New York and Wigmore Hall in London, as well as at the White House, for President Franklin D. Roosevelt. He recorded widely and was heard often as a chamber musician.

Critics praised Mr. Vardi’s virtuosic technique, masterly control of color and tone, and willingness to perform music by 20th-century composers, a circumstance born partly of necessity, as the viola has suffered historically from a dearth of solo repertory.

In the public imagination, as Mr. Vardi was painfully aware, the viola was considered merely a humble alto cog in the vast orchestral machine. As a solo instrument it was long overshadowed by its soprano sibling, the violin, with its glittering trove of repertory, and more recently by its tenor one, the cello, with its dark brown, floor-shaking sonorities.

For a violist even contemplating a solo career, the paucity of literature was a perennial stumbling block. When Mr. Vardi began his work the very idea of a solo viola recital was unorthodox: finding enough worthwhile material to fill two hours seemed practically impossible.

To this problem Mr. Vardi brought a four-pronged approach. First, he adapted violin and cello literature for his instrument, a time-honored strategy by which violists have added arrows to their quivers.

An especially noteworthy achievement was his recording in the 1960s of Paganini’s 24 caprices for solo violin. On the violin, they are merely demonically difficult. On the viola, where the distance between notes is larger and the response time of the strings slower, they are harder still.

Second, he haunted archives in search of forgotten compositions — unearthing, for instance, a sonata by Alessandro Rolla (1757-1841), Paganini’s teacher and a composer of many works for viola.

Third, he solicited new music from contemporary composers, giving premieres of pieces by Henry Brant, Michael Colgrass, Alan Hovhaness, Alan Shulman and others.

Finally, he composed solo viola works, among them “Fantasy Variations on a Theme of Paganini.”

Partly through Mr. Vardi’s efforts, the viola emerged from the shadows, with solo recitals now a routine feature of classical concert programming.

Emanuel Vardi, familiarly known as Manny, was born in Jerusalem on April 21, 1915. His father was a violinist and painter, his mother a pianist.

As a small child, Emanuel studied the piano and violin. When he was about 4, the family settled in New York; at 6 ½ he made his recital debut on the piano at Aeolian Hall, on West 42nd Street in Manhattan. The New York Evening Mail called him a young pianist to watch.

He entered the Institute of Musical Art, a forerunner of the Juilliard School, as a violin student at 12, and studied there until he was about 20. Around that time he heard a recording by Primrose, had a conversion experience and took up the viola.

As a young violist, Mr. Vardi was a member of the NBC Symphony Orchestra under Arturo Toscanini; he made his solo recital debut in February 1941 at Town Hall to glowing notices. During World War II he was a soloist with the United States Navy Symphony Orchestra.

Mr. Vardi’s first marriage, to Margaret Bernhard, ended in divorce, as did his second, to Greta Mayer. In addition to his wife, the former Lenore Weinstock, a violinist and violist whom he married in 1984, he is survived by two daughters from his second marriage, Andrea Smith and Pauline Normand.

In 1993, after suffering a broken wrist and torn rotator cuff, Mr. Vardi retired from playing. He turned full time to painting, an art he had begun in boyhood, studied in Italy after the war and pursued throughout his musical career.

Over the years Mr. Vardi’s vivid canvases of musicians and cityscapes have been exhibited in galleries in New York City and elsewhere. Critics routinely praised his masterly control of color and tone.

Emanuel Vardi, a Champion of the Viola, Dies at 95By MARGALIT FOXPublished: February 7, 2011
Emanuel Vardi, an American violist who was an ambassador for the instrument in an era when it had few public champions, died on Jan. 29 at his home in North Bend, Wash. He was 95.
His wife, Lenore Vardi, confirmed the death.
With his recital debut in 1941, Mr. Vardi established himself as one of the world’s leading viola soloists, a group that included the Englishman Lionel Tertis; the Scotsman William Primrose; the German-born Walter Trampler; and few others.
Over half a century, Mr. Vardi performed on storied stages, including Carnegie and Town Halls in New York and Wigmore Hall in London, as well as at the White House, for President Franklin D. Roosevelt. He recorded widely and was heard often as a chamber musician.
Critics praised Mr. Vardi’s virtuosic technique, masterly control of color and tone, and willingness to perform music by 20th-century composers, a circumstance born partly of necessity, as the viola has suffered historically from a dearth of solo repertory.
In the public imagination, as Mr. Vardi was painfully aware, the viola was considered merely a humble alto cog in the vast orchestral machine. As a solo instrument it was long overshadowed by its soprano sibling, the violin, with its glittering trove of repertory, and more recently by its tenor one, the cello, with its dark brown, floor-shaking sonorities.
For a violist even contemplating a solo career, the paucity of literature was a perennial stumbling block. When Mr. Vardi began his work the very idea of a solo viola recital was unorthodox: finding enough worthwhile material to fill two hours seemed practically impossible.
To this problem Mr. Vardi brought a four-pronged approach. First, he adapted violin and cello literature for his instrument, a time-honored strategy by which violists have added arrows to their quivers.
An especially noteworthy achievement was his recording in the 1960s of Paganini’s 24 caprices for solo violin. On the violin, they are merely demonically difficult. On the viola, where the distance between notes is larger and the response time of the strings slower, they are harder still.
Second, he haunted archives in search of forgotten compositions — unearthing, for instance, a sonata by Alessandro Rolla (1757-1841), Paganini’s teacher and a composer of many works for viola.
Third, he solicited new music from contemporary composers, giving premieres of pieces by Henry Brant, Michael Colgrass, Alan Hovhaness, Alan Shulman and others.
Finally, he composed solo viola works, among them “Fantasy Variations on a Theme of Paganini.”
Partly through Mr. Vardi’s efforts, the viola emerged from the shadows, with solo recitals now a routine feature of classical concert programming.
Emanuel Vardi, familiarly known as Manny, was born in Jerusalem on April 21, 1915. His father was a violinist and painter, his mother a pianist.
As a small child, Emanuel studied the piano and violin. When he was about 4, the family settled in New York; at 6 ½ he made his recital debut on the piano at Aeolian Hall, on West 42nd Street in Manhattan. The New York Evening Mail called him a young pianist to watch.
He entered the Institute of Musical Art, a forerunner of the Juilliard School, as a violin student at 12, and studied there until he was about 20. Around that time he heard a recording by Primrose, had a conversion experience and took up the viola.
As a young violist, Mr. Vardi was a member of the NBC Symphony Orchestra under Arturo Toscanini; he made his solo recital debut in February 1941 at Town Hall to glowing notices. During World War II he was a soloist with the United States Navy Symphony Orchestra.
Mr. Vardi’s first marriage, to Margaret Bernhard, ended in divorce, as did his second, to Greta Mayer. In addition to his wife, the former Lenore Weinstock, a violinist and violist whom he married in 1984, he is survived by two daughters from his second marriage, Andrea Smith and Pauline Normand.
In 1993, after suffering a broken wrist and torn rotator cuff, Mr. Vardi retired from playing. He turned full time to painting, an art he had begun in boyhood, studied in Italy after the war and pursued throughout his musical career.
Over the years Mr. Vardi’s vivid canvases of musicians and cityscapes have been exhibited in galleries in New York City and elsewhere. Critics routinely praised his masterly control of color and tone.

Abierto a violistas y violinistas de nivel intermedio y avanzado, el Taller constará de 9 horas que cubrirán aspectos de técnica, musicalidad y presencia escénica. La actividad se celebrará en las facilidades del Conservatorio de Música de Puerto Rico en Miramar, del jueves 13 al sábado 15 de enero. El horario de las clases será de 9:30 am a 12:30 pm. Habrá un concierto especial el sábado 15, a las 3:00 pm en la Sala Sanromá, con la participación de los profesores.

La matrícula es libre de costo para estudiantes de la Escuela Libre de Música Ernesto Ramos Antonini. Los demás pagarán una cuota módica. El cupo es limitado por lo que recomendamos reservar su espacio con prontitud.

2. Subdividir los problemas: en vez de tocar el pasaje como está escrito, trata de separarlo en problemas más pequeños y simples. Por ejemplo, los golpes de arco se pueden estudiar en cuerdas al aire y luego añadirle la mano izquierda.

3.  Divide el tiempo en objetivos precisos: cada cinco a diez minutos debes haber logrado un progreso, por pequeño que sea. Por ejemplo, subir la velocidad un pasaje de 50 a 55 bpm. Para esto puedes usar un reloj de cocina para mantenerte al tanto del uso del tiempo.

4. No te tranques: si estás estancado en algo cambia de estrategia o practica otro pasaje. Así evitas frustarte.

5. La mayoría de los problemas caen en una de estas categorías: ritmo, afinación o sonido.

Para el ritmo, trata de decirlo con ta, marchar mientras lo marcas con las manos, y practica ritmos desiguales (notas con puntillo) cuando una pasaje no te salga con fluidez.

Para la afinación, lo más recomendable es tocar muy lentamente (una nota cada dos clicks a 40) en martelé (cortas), para poder juzgar la afinación, y tener tiempo de preparar la próxima nota con calma. Luego ir subiendo la velocidad con metrónomo cautelosamente, siempre exigiéndote afinación perfecta.

El lograr un sonido hermoso debe ser siempre la primera prioridad. Hay que planificar el uso del arco en todo momento: velocidad, peso, distancia del puente e inclinación. Además hay que cotejar que usamos el peso del codo para producir el sonido. De lo contrario obtenemos un sonido “forzado” y nos exponemos a lesiones.

Karen Tuttle, una de las más renombradas pedagogas de la viola en los Estados Unidos, murió el pasado 16 de diciembre en Philadelphia. El New York Times publica lo siguiente:

By Margalit Fox:
Publicado el 24 de diciembre de 2010

Karen Tuttle, a violist and teacher whose singular approach to her instrument — which entailed the expression of deep feeling, the attainment of great physical comfort and occasionally the literal rending of garments — drew disciples from around the world, died on Dec. 16 at her home in Philadelphia. She was 90. The cause was complications of Alzheimer’s disease, her daughter, Robin Herskowitz Heald, said.
For decades a ubiquitous soloist and chamber musician, Ms. Tuttle was praised by critics for her incisive musicianship and large, luminous sound. She was variously a member of the Schneider, Galimir and Gotham Quartets. She recorded widely and taught at the Juilliard School, the Curtis Institute of Music, the Peabody Institute and elsewhere.
Ms. Tuttle’s students have included some of the best-known violists in the world, among them Kim Kashkashian, Jeffrey Irvine and Carol Rodland. She collaborated with the violinists Yehudi Menuhin and Isaac Stern, the pianist Rudolf Serkin and the cellist Pablo Casals, among other eminent musicians.
The viola is the Delilah of the musical world. With its smoky alto voice, it is a seductive mistress, yet few instruments are better equipped to cause harm. Larger and heavier than a violin, the viola forces players to extend the left arm fully to support the instrument while simultaneously twisting it to get at the strings. Over time, the combination can wreak havoc on wrist, elbow and shoulder.
Ms. Tuttle’s approach, which came to be known as the Karen Tuttle Coordination Technique, emphasized the release of tension, both physical and mental, while playing. The technique not only helped keep the violist injury-free but also concentrated the body in such a way as to give a richer sound.
So ardent was Ms. Tuttle about sound production that for a time she had students remove the chin rests from their violas and cut holes in the left shoulders of their shirts. This let them experience the vibrations of the instrument — which is ultimately a box of air, set in motion — directly against the skin.
The free-spirited unorthodoxy that appeared to define Ms. Tuttle’s life was in place early on. She was born Katherine Ann Tuttle in Lewiston, Idaho, on March 28, 1920. She deplored the name Katherine and changed her name to Karen as a young woman.
An accomplished violinist as a child, the young Ms. Tuttle chafed in the classroom. In seventh grade she made a deal with her mother: if she were home-schooled, she would practice the violin four hours a day.
The mother agreed, and the daughter kept her word. At 14 she began performing professionally, though she lost her first job — playing in a funeral parlor — when she dissolved in giggles on catching sight of the organist filing his nails during the sermon. While still in her teens she was a freelance violinist in Hollywood, playing on motion-picture soundtracks.
As skilled as she was, Ms. Tuttle contemplated giving up music altogether. The violin, too, can cause injury, and she was fast becoming a casualty. Then she attended a concert by the virtuoso violist William Primrose, and was entranced by his relaxed approach to his instrument.
She asked him for lessons. Mr. Primrose agreed, on two conditions: that she forsake the violin for the viola, and that she move to Philadelphia, where he was on the Curtis faculty. She agreed at once.
In the early 1950s, Ms. Tuttle was a member of the NBC Symphony Orchestra, a highly unusual engagement for a woman then. She made her Carnegie Recital Hall debut in 1960, in a program of Vaughan Williams, Hindemith, Bach and Brahms.
Reviewing the concert in The New York Times, Harold C. Schonberg called Ms. Tuttle “a superb instrumentalist with decided ideas.”
Besides her daughter, Ms. Heald, Ms. Tuttle is survived by her husband, Morton Herskowitz, a Reichian psychiatrist, and two grandchildren.
Ms. Tuttle was married twice before, at the ages of 18 and 25. Both marriages ended in divorce, the second one in spectacular fashion. As her daughter recounted last week, Ms. Tuttle was practicing one day when her husband ran an incriminating finger over the furniture and thrust it, dust-covered, under her nose.
Ms. Tuttle hit him over the head, though not, thankfully, with her viola. She used a frying pan.

Otra fuente útil para el violista que está buscando nuevo repertorio es el libro de Franz Zeyringer (1920-2009) Literatur für Viola, el cual pueden conseguir en bibliotecas de música. El mismo enumera más de 14,000 obras para viola en todo tipo de combinación. Zeyringer fundó además la primera sociedad de violistas, la Viola- Forschungsgssellschaft en 1968, que luego derivó en la International Viola Society y sus todos capítulos nacionales.

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Pueden verlo en este enlace.