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Harold in Italy, Op. 16, is a four-movement programmatic symphony composed by Hector Berlioz, premiering in 1834. The piece was initially requested by the virtuoso Niccolò Paganini, who sought a work to showcase his new Stradivarius viola, though he ultimately declined to perform it due to its exten...
Walton's Viola Concerto is a 1929 British concerto premiered by Paul Hindemith, now a central 20th-century work for the instrument.
Berlioz’s *Harold in Italy*, Op. 16, is a significant Romantic-era symphony notable for its ambitious programmatic style. The work utilizes a solo viola prominently to evoke scenes inspired by Byron's *Childe Harold’s Pilgrimage*. It was initially commissioned by the violinist Paganini and remains a...
Yuri Temirkanov (1938–2023) was a Russian conductor who served as principal conductor and artistic director of the St. Petersburg Philharmonic Orchestra from 1988 until his death. He was music director of the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra from 2000 to 2006. Born in Nalchik, Kabardino-Balkaria, he stu...
Yuri Bashmet is a Russian violist and conductor known for bringing the viola greater prominence as a solo concert instrument. He founded the Moscow Soloists chamber orchestra in 1992 and has performed and recorded as both soloist and conductor. His repertoire includes established viola works as well...
Brett Dean is an Australian composer, violist, and conductor whose career combines orchestral performance with contemporary composition. He was a violist in the Berlin Philharmonic from 1985 to 1999 before concentrating more extensively on composing and conducting. His catalog includes chamber, orch...
