Journal of the American Viola Society Volume19 Online, Summer ...

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Timothy Gallwey, (1986) which deals with musicians reaching their potential in performance and learning which has sold over 200,000 copies worldwide. He has written seven InnerGame of Music Workbooks published by GIA Music for keyboard, voice, instruments and ensembles. Green seminars workshops and personal appearances sometimes include a unique lecture/concert called Journey into the Mind and Soul of the Musician that demonstrates concepts in Green's Inner Game of Music book and his new book The Mastery of Music. VOLUME 19 SUMMER 2003 ONLINE ISSUE 16
MMichaell Balllingg 18666– 1925 by Donalld Maurice [Editor’ss note: Excer rpt of lecturee presented by Donalld Maurice at a the 31st Innternational Viola Coongress in Kr ronberg, Gerrmany June 11, 2003] ] Introducction PIO ONEERR GERRMAN SSOLO VVIOLISST WITTH A NNEW ZEEALANND INTEERLUDDE Today’s lecture has been b inspiredd by the story of a 19th centur ry German vviolist who in 1894 cconsolidated d in Nelson, NNew Zealand, a German tr radition of sttring playing tthat was to continue until the 1940s. He had inn fact been preceded p in NNelson by four yearrs, by anothe er German sttring player, Herr vonn Zimmerman n. As well aas telling tha at story, I alsso intend to demonstrrate that this s violist, Micchael Balling, wwas ahead of o the Britishh violist, Lionel Teertis, by several years, inn establishing the viola a in the UK aas a solo instrumennt. In 1980 I was appoin nted as the eiighth Principall of the Nelso on School of Music in New Zeaaland. This school, foundded in 1894, was the ffirst music co onservatoriuum in Australassia. Its first Principal P waas the German vviolist and conductor c Michael Balling. AAfter returni ing to Europpe in 1896, Balling wwas followed d as Principaal by two more Gerrman string players, firsttly Gustav Handke aand then Juli ius Lemmer, , who remainedd as Principa al until 1945. Michael Balling and d the Viola- Alta Michael Balling (pho oto) was born in Heidingssfeld, Germa any in 1866, the VOLUMME 19 SUMMMER 2003 17 younngest of six children, intto a poor Bavvarian familyy. Although hhe was expected to beecome a shooemaker on lleaving schoool, he wwon entry to the Royal School of Muusic at WWürzburg as a singer. As a violin studdent of HHermann Rittter (1849-19926) (photo), , he wonn a viola-altaa as a prize aand was encoouraged to taake up this innstrument ass a serioous pursuit. At ffirst he resistted, fearing iit would harmm his violiin playing buut, after folloowing Ritterr's adviice and practtising long sslow notes foor six monnths he masteered the insttrument and becaame determined to prommote it widelyy as beinng superior too the standarrd smaller viiola. By tthe late 18800s he had esttablished himmself in GGermany as a viola playeer of some noote. The idea of a larrger viola waas not new, t haviing been tenor and alto vviolas in existence since eearly baroquue times. The Ritteer model howwever was sspecifically designed on a mmodel describbed in Anton Baggatella's Regaale peria Connstruzione d Viollini, publisheed in Padua in 1786. belieeved his neww version "ga resoonance and a more brillia 1 there e nio di Riitter ave improveed ant tone". Soonn after joininng the viola section of th Bayyreuth Orchestra as its yooungest mem Ballling's abilitiees were noticced by the condductor, Felixx Mottl, whoo brought him the ffront of the ssection, wheere he was of askeed to play thee solos. Acccording to the accoount of J. Cuuthbert Haddden, situaation apparently arose w reheearsal of Trisstan, a viola there was silencce. Balling, fr 2 he mber, m to ften e this when, during a solo arrivedd and from his seatt at ONLINE ISSUE
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Page 8 and 9: hand of the piano, and a Bach-like
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