Incantations: Viola
By Richard Meyer
Grade: 4
Item: 00-PC-0000559_VA1
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Description
"Energetic" and "hard-driving" best describe this tour de force for high school orchestra. Two solo violins and a solo viola introduce this piece through a haunting, lyrical theme. The theme is subsequently taken up by the entire orchestra and expanded, gradually morphing into a fast and frenetic second theme that is aggressive and virtuosic in nature. This second theme is developed in an equally vigorous pizzicato section. The two themes are then heard at the same time, each vying for attention. The pace slackens momentarily before a wildly frantic coda closes the piece. Full of color and intriguing tonalities, this highly original work gives every section of the mature string orchestra a chance to shine. This title is available in MakeMusic Cloud. (4:48)
Don't just read it, hear it, play along with it, and watch your students grow with it. In MakeMusic Cloud, Incantations: Viola comes alive with professional accompaniment, adjustable tempo, and built-in practice tools that turn solo practice into real progress.
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Additional Details
Series:
Highland/Etling String Orchestra
Publisher:
Alfred Music
Page Count:
124
SKU:
00-PC-0000559_VA1
More about this title
About the Composer: Richard Meyer
Richard Meyer brings three decades of string education experience to his work as a composer and conductor. He spent 22 years directing the orchestra program at Oak Avenue Intermediate School in Temple City, California, expanding the ensemble from 29 students to 200 and overseeing the district's elementary strings curriculum. His "Giving Bach" initiative, launched in 2009, has earned national recognition for using interactive concerts to reach special needs and underserved students across Southern California.
Beyond the classroom, Meyer has guest-conducted All-State orchestras in multiple states and served as music director of the Pasadena Youth Symphony Orchestra for 16 years, leading the ensemble on international tours to Vienna, Australia, and Canada. He is a prolific composer with nearly 200 published works and arrangements, and spent 16 years as string editor for Alfred Publishing Company. Meyer has also co-authored several string method resources, including the String Explorer Series and Sight-read It for Strings.
Why we love this
Meyer writes for the string orchestra with genuine understanding of what mature ensembles can accomplish. Incantations balances accessibility with real musical substance: the opening solo writing is grateful to perform, the layered thematic material rewards careful listening, and the technical demands feel earned rather than imposed. High school orchestras will find themselves stretched without feeling overwhelmed.
What to expect
Incantations casts a spell. It begins mysteriously, with soloists introducing a theme that is both hauntingly beautiful and slightly unsettling. The energy gradually builds as the orchestra claims this material and transforms it, escalating into aggressive virtuosity before collapsing into pizzicato intrigue. The final moments are wild and unhinged, like a musical incantation reaching its climax.
Who it's for
High school orchestras with secure fundamentals and the stamina for intense, sustained playing. The piece demands confident upper string voices and a rhythm section ready to anchor virtuosic material. This is an excellent choice for ensembles preparing for festival or contest.
How to get the most out of it
- Shape the lyrical opening theme with a singing tone in the solo violins and viola; this material is the emotional anchor of the entire piece, so establish its character clearly before the tutti enters.
- Keep the pizzicato section rhythmically tight and articulate. The vigor comes from precision and attack, not rushing; work the rhythm section separately until they lock completely.
- Balance the dual-theme section carefully so both ideas remain distinct. Have the faster theme "fight through" slightly while keeping the original theme present enough to be recognized.
- Build momentum steadily into the coda. The frantic energy should feel like a natural outgrowth of what preceded it, not an abrupt shift in tempo or character.
How to use it
Program this as a concert centerpiece or contest selection. Its four-minute-forty-eight-second runtime and emotional arc make it ideal for opening a second half or anchoring a themed program around contemporary string writing. The Halloween connection also works for fall festival performances.
Skills your students will build
- Playing lyrical, exposed solo passages with poise and tonal control
- Reading and executing rapid thematic transformation across multiple sections
- Executing articulate pizzicato rhythms at fast tempos
- Balancing independent thematic material when playing against other melodic lines simultaneously
- Sustaining focused energy and stamina through virtuosic passages