Three Centuries of Russian Viola Sonatas Basil Vendryes & William David

• Mikhail Glinka (1804 - 1857): Viola Sonata in D Minor (Ed. V. Borisovsky):
• 1 Glinka: Viola Sonata in D Minor (Ed. V. Borisovsky): I. Allegro moderato 09:20
• 2 Glinka: Viola Sonata in D Minor (Ed. V. Borisovsky): II. Larghetto, ma non troppo 07:43
• Revol Bunin (1924 - 1976): Viola Sonata in D Minor, Op. 26:
• 3 Bunin: Viola Sonata in D Minor, Op. 26: I. Allegro appassionato 09:24
• 4 Bunin: Viola Sonata in D Minor, Op. 26: II. Andantino semplice 05:33
• 5 Bunin: Viola Sonata in D Minor, Op. 26: III. Sostenuto - Allegro spirituoso 06:02
• Ivan Sokolov (b. 1960): Viola Sonata:
• 6 Sokolov: Viola Sonata: I. Allegro moderato 05:38
• 7 Sokolov: Viola Sonata: II. Andante 02:18
• 8 Sokolov: Viola Sonata: III. Allegro 01:13
• 9 Sokolov: Viola Sonata: IV. A tempo (Lugubre) 02:55
• Vissarion Shebalin (1902 - 1963): Viola Sonata in F Minor, Op. 51 No. 2:
• 10 Shebalin: Viola Sonata in F Minor, Op. 51 No. 2: I. Con libertà - Allegro 07:44
• 11 Shebalin: Viola Sonata in F Minor, Op. 51 No. 2: II. Andante con moto 04:58
• 12 Shebalin: Viola Sonata in F Minor, Op. 51 No. 2: III. Allegro assai 06:50
• Total Runtime 01:09:38

Info for Three Centuries of Russian Viola Sonatas

The Russian viola sonata is a rare bird, not least because the instrument itself was frowned upon by the Soviet authorities; as a result Russian music for the viola has a rather patchy history. It begins in earnest in 1931, when the 1825 Sonata by Mikhail Glinka, ‘the father of Russian music’, was reconstructed from his sketches by Vadim Borisovsky, ‘the father of the Russian viola’. Thereafter, musicians and composers worked together to expand the repertoire. The relationship between the composer Revol Bunin and the violist Rudolf Barshai resulted in a sonata of 1955 which deserves wider currency. Although half a century apart, the Shebalin and Sokolov sonatas have something unusual in common: both were created as part of a triptych, alongside sonatas for violin and cello. All four composers knew how to make the viola sing – though this lyricism is often animated by moments of drama and excitement.

Basil Vendryes, viola
William David, piano

Basil Vendryes
has been principal violist of the Colorado Symphony Orchestra since 1993. He is a former member of the San Francisco Symphony, the New York Philharmonic and the Rochester Philharmonic orchestras. As violist with the Aurora String Quartet (1986-95), Vendryes performed extensively, including recitals in New York, London and Tokyo. He currently serves on the faculties of the Lamont School of Music of the University of Denver, the Quartet Program at SUNY Fredonia, New York, Green Mountain Chamber Music Festival in Burlington, Vermont. Vendryes has served on the faculties of Biola University (CA), California Summer Music at Pebble Beach, the San Francisco Conservatory of Music, Green Valley Music Festival, Montecito International Music Festival, Interharmony International Music Festival in Italy and the Music and More Summerfest in Trebinje, Herzegovina. For 18 years, he was the founder/director of the Colorado Young Sinfonia, comprised of some of the best young talent in the Denver area.

Vendryes was born in 1961 to West Indian parents, and began his musical training in the public schools at the age of 11. He received scholarships to the Manhattan School of Music and the Eastman School of Music, where he studied with Sally O'Reilly, Francis Tursi and Heidi Castleman. He has appeared as soloist with the Colorado, Aurora, Jefferson, Littleton, Lamont, Centennial, and Biola Symphonies, among others. Festival appearances include Spoleto, Heidelberg, Sunflower, Midsummer Mozart, Ouray, Lake Winnepesaukee, Las Vegas, Taconic and the Grand Tetons. Working with promising talent is one of his passions, and Vendryes has given classes in viola and chamber music throughout the United States. Vendryes has been a juror for several competitions, including the Sphinx Competition for African American and Latino string players and the Hong Kong International Music Festival. He has also served as guest principal violist for the the Western Australia Symphony Orchestra and the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra.

Vendryes has recorded for Columbia, Phillips, Decca, RCA, BIS and Nonesuch, as well as chamber music for the Ariel, Cadenza Music, Centaur, CRI and Naxos labels. Vendryes plays on a rare Italian viola made in 1887 by Carlo Cerruti.

William David
After a distinguished 40-year career as founding member and pianist of the Ames Piano Quartet and faculty member at Iowa State University, William David retired and moved to Colorado in 2012. Since his relocation he has performed with members of the Colorado Symphony and faculty from Colorado State University and the University of Wyoming. He has also taught at the Lamont School of Music Summer Academy at the University of Denver. He recently served as a judge at the Fischoff National Chamber Music Competition.

During his years at Iowa State, David's primary performance focus was as a member of the Ames Piano Quartet. The APQ concertized in Austria, France, Mexico, Taiwan and South Africa, In January 2003 the Quartet spent a week performing and teaching in Havana, Cuba, the first American chamber music group to be invited there in over 40 years. They have recorded 15 critically acclaimed compact discs. Their Dorian CD of the two Dvorák Piano Quartets was named "one of the chamber music recording of the century" by Fanfare magazine.

Also a distinguished pedagogue, David served a semester as artist–in-residence at National Taiwan Normal University in Taipei, the most prestigious music school in Taiwan.

David received the Doctor of Musical Arts degree summa cum laude in piano performance from the University of Michigan. His major teachers there were Gyorgy Sandor and Eugene Bossart.

Booklet for Three Centuries of Russian Viola Sonatas