William Primrose, a Scottish violist, significantly advanced viola virtuosity, appearing on equal terms with renowned violinists and cellists like Jascha Heifetz and Gregor Piatigorsky.
Performer Biography
The Belgian master Eugène Ysaÿe suggested to William Primrose that he should switch from violin to viola, a pivotal moment in Primrose's career.
Composition History
The 'Handel' Concerto on this album is a pastiche created by Henri Casadesus, a distinguished viola and viola d'amore player, and not a genuine work by Handel.
Composition History
The 'Wilhelm Friedemann Bach' Sonata was misattributed and is actually identical to a manuscript by Johann Gottlieb Graun found in the German State Library.
Performer Biography
William Primrose initially studied violin and made his Queen's Hall debut playing Lalo's Symphonie Espagnole and Elgar's Concerto on a borrowed 'Betts' Stradivarius.
Recording & Production
The recordings of Roy Harris's 'Soliloquy and Dance' and Arthur Benjamin's triptych by William Primrose and his collaborators are considered definitive.
Composition History
William Primrose collaborated with American symphonist Roy Harris, who composed works like 'Soliloquy and Dance' specifically for Primrose to play with Harris's wife, Johana Harris.
