Viola Sonata

Henk Badings [1907-1987]

Viola Sonata [1951]

1. Allegro

2. Largo

3. Vivace

Henk Badings was one of the most prominent and versatile Dutch composers of the twentieth century. Apart from a brief period of study with Willem Pijper, as a composer he was an autodidact. He wrote no less than 700 works in almost all genres and for almost all conceivable ensembles. He usually employed the traditional Octatonic scale rather than the 12-note scale, but he also wrote electronic works. In that sense he was a renewer, though he retained the traditional classical forms, based his modern language on German romanticism, and was a skilled contrapuntist. Badings has been compared to Paul Hindemith, who considered himself a Baroque craftsman who had said farewell to romanticism, but Badings remained close to romantic expression, however dissonant some of his music may have sounded.

His Viola Sonata follows classical tradition with a three movement form and phrase structure. The dramatic first movement opens with a harsh motto theme whose march-like aggression is tempered by a gentler second theme. On the whole the viola takes second place to an active and exciting piano part. In the slow second movement, the viola leads the way with a yearning theme of unfulfilled desire until the piano breaks out with a series of fine flourishes before the sad song resumes. Jagged piano chords open the finale that explores several ideas before the exuberant close.

Francis Humphrys