The second and third volumes of the popular Pièces des concours series, featuring music from the scarce Romantic viola literature, have been released. The first volume was performed in final examinations at the Conservatoire de Paris between 1897 and 1969. The new publication is based on the first edition and has been made easier to play by adding modern fingerings and standard bowing instructions. This means that the pieces can now be played without prior practice.
The Pieces de Concours for Viola and Piano, a three-volume edition, is a valuable collection in the rare Viola repertoire of the Romantic era. Even today, the Conservatoire de Paris requires all instrumentalists to perform a contemporary piece, the 'piece de Concours', during their final examination. These pieces, which date back to 1896, were designed to highlight the technical, virtuosic and lyrical skills of the new 'masters'. Although many of these pieces have been forgotten, George Enescu's Konzertstuck (1908) and Hans Sitt's Concerto in G-Dur (1899) have become part of the standard viola repertoire. The present edition has modern fingerings and bowing indications added to the pieces to make them more accessible and facilitate sight-reading.
