A performance and pedagogical guide for the viola sonata op.147 by Dmirti Shostakovich

Abstract

The purpose of this thematic paper is to provide a performance and pedagogical guide for the Viola Sonata, Op. 147 by Dmitri Shostakovich. This thematic paper aims to guide performers with respect to interpretation and understanding the historical background of the piece. It also includes discussions about pertinent string techniques and examples of exercises that can help violists practice this piece. Furthermore, it provides a pedagogical guide, for which the author has chosen challenging passages from each of the three movements of the Shostakovich Viola Sonata with illustrations from the score and it will provide examples of how to teach and practice based on the author’s research, covering issues such as ensemble concerns between the violist and pianist, discussion of spots that might have an issue of ensemble and how to fix them, and also comparisons of the interpretive strategies employed by different performers in three selected recordings of the piece.