Meditation and Processional

Viola and Piano

By Ernest Bloch

This work for Viola and Piano is a perfect piece to introduce talented students to music written for the viola that explores its full range in Romantic style. The Meditation is beautiful and intense music that will challenge students on a different expressive level than the traditional Baroque literature - but...

it is very accessible technically. A "must" in your teaching repertoire for serious viola students.

Meditation is a gorgeous, richly romantic melody with dissonant chromatic inflections, in the style of Jewish chant. The cross-rhythms are difficult to match for an inexperienced student, and there are a few extremely complex spots for an unprepared player (including the end, which is perhaps best played using false...

harmonics, although this is not included in the part). After the wailing chromaticism of the Meditation, the straightforward modal canon of the Processional is almost refreshingly simple.The Meditation and Processional, apart from making a good recital piece, serves as a stellar introduction to Bloch's compositional voice. A more advanced student is encouraged to examine the Suite Hebraïque if this is interesting, and the 1910 Suite.

This is a good piece for someone like me to play out. I'm a professional violinist, violist and teacher with infrequent opportunities to play solo viola. "Meditation and Processional" is a very expressive piece that is not too difficult, yet moves through a wide range of moods - introspection to...

outright wailing - very spiritual and satisfying.

The music may look hard to play but if you think about it, it's not, since it's a bit slow, just to give it that dramatic feel. When I first listened to it, I didn't like it at all... but after you've heard it several more...

times, you feel the passion that pours out the music. It's a very good audition piece. I recommend it.

When i first sight read this piece i didn't like at all, by the time i had played it four times i was totally engaged by the ammount of music that you are able to make with this piece of music. some of the shifts are a little bit...

tricky however with a bit of practise its not a very difficult piece!