JAVS Spring 2026

Featured Article

Boccherini Before the Quartets: A Possible Early Violin–Viola Duet by Vanese McPherson

Introduction A Classical-period violin and viola duet attributed to Luigi Boccherini has recently been discovered in the viola collection at Brigham Young University. Boccherini (1743–1805), though especially known for his cello repertoire, composed prolifically for solo instruments, string chamber groups of varying sizes (occasionally including winds), small and large orchestras, ballets, and vocal music in both sacred and secular genres. Despite this extensive output, the viola occupies a comparatively limited role within his chamber works. While violas appear regularly in Boccherini’s quartets and larger ensembles, their use in trios, duets, and solo works is notably rare. Of the 81 known string trios, the viola appears in only twelve. 1 Moreover, no authenticated duets or solo works for viola by Boccherini are currently known. Against this backdrop, the recent acquisition by the L. Tom Perry Special Collections at Brigham Young University of a manuscript titled Notturno per violino e viola obbligati del signor Luigi Boccherini is of particular significance. If this nocturne can be credibly attributed to Boccherini, it would represent the first known duet for violin and viola in his oeuvre, expanding current understanding of both his compositional practice and his treatment of the viola as an obbligato instrument. Beyond questions of attribution, the work itself offers insight into Classical-era writing for the viola in an intimate chamber context and holds clear value for the modern concert violist. As such, this manuscript warrants careful examination not only as a potential addition to Boccherini’s catalog, but also as a meaningful contribution to the historical viola repertoire.

Viola Repertoire Origins An examination of the early history of the viola as an ensemble instrument helps to clarify the significance of the newly discovered duet for violin and viola. From its origins in the sixteenth century, the viola was known as the “instrument of the middle.” In ensembles of four players, two were often violas; in ensembles of five, three violas were common. Unlike the standardized instruments of today, violas of the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries were manufactured in a wide range of sizes to cover both alto and tenor ranges, resulting in many instruments that were unwieldy and physically difficult to play. As a consequence, “before 1740 there were no known outstanding viola players and virtually no repertory requiring them.” 2 From its earliest use, the viola functioned primarily as a supporting instrument, filling inner voices to reinforce melody and bass. This functional role largely explains why violas were seldom featured in ensembles smaller than four players. During the latter half of the eighteenth century—the period in which Boccherini was composing—this role began to change. Beginning in the early 1700s, instrument makers gradually reduced viola size, making the instrument more accessible and enabling greater technical facility. Prior to 1740, there was little to no music that required virtuosic viola playing. Although modern violists perform music written before this time, such repertoire typically survives through transcription or arrangement rather than original composition. It was only in the second half of the eighteenth century that concertos for viola and chamber genres such as viola duets began to emerge as recognized forms of musical literature. Even then, the transition was gradual. While composers such as Stamitz, Hoffmeister, and Rolla began writing for the viola as a solo instrument, the broader compositional community adopted this practice slowly.

Journal of the American Viola Society / Vol. 42, No. 1, Spring 2026

27