JAVS Spring 2026

to historically informed chamber music from a period in which such works remain scarce, regardless of the final resolution of its attribution. Conclusion Although questions surrounding authorship remain, several conclusions can now be stated with confidence. The newly surfaced Nocturne for violin and viola clearly originates from a period in which the viola was beginning to emerge as a solo instrument rather than functioning solely as an inner voice. Given the small number of works from the eighteenth century that require virtuosic viola playing, this duet represents a meaningful addition to the concert violist’s repertoire. Furthermore, the convergence of historical context, stylistic features, manuscript evidence, and attribution on the title page supports the inclusion of this work among the catalogued compositions of Luigi Boccherini, even if it must, for the present, be classified as a doubtful work. 22 The path toward clarifying the manuscript’s authorship is also well defined. Continued comparative analysis of handwriting may reveal the copyist’s identity through parallels with other authenticated Boccherini manuscripts. Likewise, further investigation into the manuscript’s provenance—particularly tracing its ownership prior to its purchase in 2006—may yield additional insight into its origins. While the attribution on the title page alone is insufficient at this time to justify inclusion of the work in Boccherini’s Opera Omnia , 23 it is sufficient to establish the Nocturne for violin and viola as a legitimate Classical-era composition deserving of scholarly attention and performance. Whether ultimately confirmed as Boccherini’s or attributed to a close contemporary, the work stands as a rare example of an eighteenth-century duet in which violin and viola function as equal partners, offering both performers and audiences valuable insight into the evolving role of the viola during this formative period. Those wishing to obtain an edition of Nocturne for violin and viola by Luigi Boccherini may find the score on the American Viola Society website.

Footnotes 1 Yves Gérard, Thematic, Bibliographical and Critical Catalogue of The Works of Luigi Boccherini (London: Oxford University Press, 1969), 77–157. 2 Grove Music Online , s.v. “Viola,” accessed December 11, 2024, Oxford Music Online. 3 Franz Zeyringer, Literatur für Viola (Austria: Julius Schönwetter Jr., 1976), 81–99. 4 Rudolf Rasch, Understanding Boccherini’s Manuscripts (Cambridge Scholars Publishing, 2014), 1, ProQuest. 5 Germaine de Rothschild, Luigi Boccherini: His Life and Work (London: Oxford University, 1965), xv. 6 Franz Zeyringer, Literatur für Viola, 86. 7 Yves Gérard, Thematic, Bibliographical and Critical Catalogue of The Works of Luigi Boccherini, 105–114 and 122–128. 8 Yves Gérard, Thematic, Bibliographical and Critical Catalogue of The Works of Luigi Boccherini. Franz Zeyringer, Literatur fur Viola. Hans Letz, Music for the Violin and Viola (New York: Rinehart & Company, 1948). WorldCat, https://firstsearch.oclc.org/. 9 According to dates provided for violin/viola duets in the Zeyringer repertory guide for viola the earliest known duet written originally for violin and viola appears in 1772 by Pankraz Huber. 10 “Introduction,” Primrose Viola Archive: PIVA, Brigham Young University, accessed December 11, 2024, https:// viola.lib.byu.edu/introduction. 11 Ulrich Drüner, The Ulrich Druner Collection of Viola Music Short Description, Ulrich Drüner Collection, L. Tom Perry Special Collections, Harold B. Lee Library, Provo. 12 Ulrich Drüner, The Ulrich Druner Collection of Viola Music Short Description, Ulrich Drüner Collection, L. Tom Perry Special Collections, Harold B. Lee Library, Provo. 13 Dr. Rudolf Rasch is a well published musicologist and Boccherini expert who played a major role in the publication of Luigi Boccherini’s Opera Omnia. 14 Rudolf Rasch, email message to author, December 3, 2024. 15 Loukia Drosopoulou, email message to author, December 10, 2024. 16 Loukia Drosopoulou, email message to author, December 10, 2024. 17 Loukia Drosopoulou, email message to author, December 10, 2024. 18 The term autograph is reserved “for those manuscripts of which we have absolutely no doubts.” If authenticity

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