Lionel Tertis


Lionel Tertis, CBE was an English violist, and one of the first viola players to achieve international fame. He was also a noted teacher.

Career

Tertis was born in West Hartlepool, the son of Polish-Jewish immigrants. He first studied violin in Leipzig, Germany and at the Royal Academy of Music in London. There he was encouraged by the principal, Alexander Mackenzie, to take up the viola instead. Under the additional influence of Oskar Nedbal, he did so and rapidly became one of the best known violists of his time, touring Europe and the US as a soloist.
As Professor of Viola at the RAM, he encouraged his colleagues and students to compose for the instrument, thereby greatly expanding its repertoire. In 1906, Tertis was temporarily in the famous Bohemian Quartet to replace the violist/composer Oskar Nedbal and later he took the viola position in the Gerald Walenn Quartet.
Composers such as Arnold Bax, Frank Bridge, Gustav Holst, Benjamin Dale, York Bowen, Ralph Vaughan Williams, and William Walton wrote pieces for him. The Walton piece was his Viola Concerto; however, Tertis did not give the world premiere as he found it difficult to comprehend at the time; that honour went to Paul Hindemith.
He owned a 1717 Montagnana from 1920 to 1937 which he found during one of his concert tours to Paris in 1920, and took a chance in acquiring. According to his memoirs, it was "shown to me in an unplayable condition, without bridge, strings or fingerboard.... No case was available – it was such a large instrument 17 1/8 inches – so my wife came to the rescue by wrapping it in her waterproof coat, and that is how it was taken across the English Channel." Tertis preferred a large viola to get an especially rich tone from his instrument. Knowing that some would find a 17-1/8-inch instrument too large he created his own Tertis model, which provides many of the tonal advantages of the larger instrument in a manageable 16-3/4-inch size. Tertis sold the 1717 Montegnana to his pupil Bernard Shore in 1937, who in turn passed it on to his pupil Roger Chase.
Along with William Murdoch, Albert Sammons, and Lauri Kennedy, Tertis formed the Chamber Music Players. He also encouraged and coached Sidney Griller as he worked to found the Griller Quartet in 1928, and influenced the Griller's enthusiasm for the first Viennese School.
In 1937, while at the height of his powers, he announced his retirement from the concert platform to concentrate on teaching. He appeared as soloist only one more time, at a special concert in 1949 to an invited audience at the RAM to help raise money for his fund to encourage the composition of music for the viola.
He was appointed a Commander of the Order of the British Empire in the 1950 New Year's Honours.
Tertis composed several original works and also arranged many pieces not originally for the viola, such as Edward Elgar's Cello Concerto. He was the author of a number of publications about string playing, the viola in particular, and his own life. They include Cinderella No More and My Viola and I.
Lionel Tertis died in Wimbledon, London.

Legacy

The Lionel Tertis International Viola Competition was established in 1980 to honour his memory.
In February 2007 Roger Chase, along with his accompanist, pianist Michiko Otaki), initiated "The Tertis Project," a series of concerts devoted to works composed for Tertis. A CD, The Tertis Tradition, was issued in 2009.
In 2015, English Heritage unveiled a blue plaque at his Wimbledon, London home.

Works

Original compositions

For viola and piano unless otherwise noted
Original composerTitleRemarks
Anton Arensky Berceuse
Johann Sebastian Bach Air on the C-Stringoriginal from Orchestral Suite No. 3
Johann Sebastian Bach Aria "Come Sweet Death"from Cantata 191
Johann Sebastian Bach Adagio from Toccata in C majorpublished 1935; original for organ
Ludwig van Beethoven Menuetpublished 1912; original for orchestra; from 12 Menuette, WoO 7
Ludwig van Beethoven Theme and Variations , Op. 66 original for cello and piano
Johannes Brahms Minnelied, Op. 71 No. 5 original for voice and piano
Johannes Brahms Wir wandelten for violin or viola and piano, Op. 96 No. 2 original for voice and piano
Willy Burmester Französisches Lied aus dem 18. Jahrhundert original for violin and piano
Eric Coates Ballad in G major, Op. 13
Eric Coates First Meeting: Souvenir
Frederick Delius Caprice and Elegy for viola and orchestra original for cello and orchestra
Frederick Delius Double Concerto for violin, viola and orchestra original for violin, cello and orchestra
Frederick Delius Serenade from the drama Hassan
Frederick Delius Sonata No. 2 original for violin and piano; 1929 transcription
Frederick Delius Sonata No. 3 original for violin and piano; 1932 transcription
Ernő Dohnányi Sonata in C minor, Op. 21 original for violin and piano
Edward Elgar Concerto in E minor for viola and orchestra, Op. 85 original for cello and orchestra
Gabriel Fauré Après un rêve, Op. 7 No. 1original for voice and piano
Gabriel Fauré Élégie for viola and orchestra, Op. 24original for cello and orchestra
Baldassare GaluppiAria Amorosa
Giovan Battista Grazioli Sonata in F majororiginal for cello and continuo
Edvard Grieg Ich liebe Dich, Op. 5 No. 3 original from Hjertets Melodier, 4 songs for voice and piano
George Frideric Handel Ariettapublished 1910; transcription by Hamilton Harty of "Si che lieta goderò" from Rodrigo; viola part by Tertis
George Frideric Handel Sarabandetranscription of "Sorge nel petto" from Rinaldo
George Frideric Handel Sonata in F major original for violin with basso continuo
Joseph Haydn Capricciopublished 1912; transcription by Willy Burmester from String Quartet No. 49, Op. 64 No. 2; viola part by Tertis
Joseph Haydn Menuetpublished 1912; original for orchestra; transcription by Willy Burmester from Symphony No. 96; viola part by Tertis
William Yeates Hurlstone 4 Characteristic Pieces original for clarinet and piano
John Ireland The Holy Boypublished 1918
John Ireland Sonata in G minor original for cello and piano; 1941 transcription
John Ireland Sonata No. 2 in A minor original for violin and piano; 1918 transcription
Fritz Kreisler La Chasse, Caprice in the Style of Cartieroriginal for violin and piano
Franz Liszt Liebestraum No. 3 in A major, S. 541 published 1954; original for piano
Étienne Méhul Gavottepublished 1912
Felix Mendelssohn Duettooriginal for piano: Song without Words, Op. 38 No. 6
Felix Mendelssohn Fleecy Cloudoriginal for piano: Song without Words, Op. 53 No. 2
Felix Mendelssohn Gondola Songoriginal for piano: Song without Words, Op. 19 No. 6
Felix Mendelssohn On Wings of Song, Op. 34 No. 2 original for voice and piano: Auf Flügeln des Gesanges
Felix Mendelssohn Spring Songoriginal for piano: Song without Words, Op. 62 No. 6
Felix Mendelssohn Sweet Remembranceoriginal for piano: Song without Words, Op. 19 No. 1
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart Menuet
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart Sonata in A major, K. 305: Allegro molto; Tema con variazioneoriginal for violin and piano
Gabriel Pierné Sérénade, Op. 7original for piano
Nicola Porpora Aria in E majorextracted from the collection I Classici Violinisti Italiani, freely developed and harmonized by Mario Corti
Anton Rubinstein Melody in F, Op. 3 No. 1 original for piano
Camille Saint-Saëns Melody for viola or violin or cello and piano
Franz Schubert Allegretto, Duet for violin or viola or 2 violins or 2 violas and piano original from the String Quartet No. 15 in G major, Op. 161, D. 887
Franz Schubert Ave Maria, Op. 52 No. 6 original for voice and piano
Franz Schubert Du bist die Ruh, Op. 59 No. 3 original for voice and piano
Franz Schubert Nacht und Träume, Op. 43 No. 2 original for voice and piano
Robert Schumann Abendlied in D major, Op. 85 No. 12 original for piano 4-hands
Robert Schumann Romance, Op. 28 No. 2original for piano
Robert Schumann Schlummerlied in E major, Op. 124 No. 16original for piano
Cyril Scott Cherry Ripe
Alexander Scriabin Étude, Op. 42 No. 4original for piano
Joseph Sulzer Sarabande: Air on the G-string, Op. 8original for cello and piano
Karol Szymanowski Pieśń Roksany from the opera Król Roger
Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky Chanson triste, Op. 40 No. 2original for piano
Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky June , Op. 37b No. 6 original for piano
Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky None But the Lonely Heart, Op. 6 No. 6 original for voice and piano
Francis Thomé Sous la feuillée, Op. 29original for piano
traditionalLondonderry Air "Farewell to Cucullain" for viola or violin and piano
traditionalOld Irish Air for viola or violin and piano
William Wolstenholme Allegretto in E major, Op. 17 No. 2published 1900; original for organ
William Wolstenholme Canzona in B major, Op. 12 No. 1original for organ
William Wolstenholme Die Antwort, Op. 13 No. 2original for organ
William Wolstenholme Die Frage, Op. 13 No. 1original for organ
William Wolstenholme Romanza, Op. 17 No. 1published 1900; original for organ

Recordings

Lionel Tertis made recordings in ensembles:
and as a soloist:
Tertis died on February 22, 1975 at Wimbledon and London, 313 days before his 99th birthday and several years after suffering a stroke.

Other reading