THE MULTI-FACETED ARTISTRY OF VIOLIST EMANUEL VARDI

Tang, Lydia

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https://hdl.handle.net/2142/90993 Copy

Description

Title

THE MULTI-FACETED ARTISTRY OF VIOLIST EMANUEL VARDI

Author(s)

Tang, Lydia

Issue Date

2016

Director of Research (if dissertation) or Advisor (if thesis)

Associate Professor Katherine Syer

Doctoral Committee Chair(s)

Associate Professor Rudolf Haken

Committee Member(s)

• Associate Professor Scott Schwartz
• Professor Stephen Taylor
• Clinical Assistant Professor Elizabeth Freivogel

Department of Study

School of Music

Discipline

Music

Degree Granting Institution

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Degree Name

A.Mus.D. (doctoral)

Keyword(s)

• music
• viola
• emanuel
• vardi

Language

en

Abstract

As a pioneer viola virtuoso of the 20th century, Emanuel “Manny” Vardi (c. 1915-2011) is most widely recognized as the first violist to record all of Paganini’s Caprices. As a passionate advocate for the viola as a solo instrument, Vardi premiered and championed now-standard repertoire, elevated the technique of violists by his virtuosic example, and inspired composers to write more demanding new repertoire for the instrument. However, the details of his long and diverse career have never to date been explored in depth or in a comprehensive manner. This thesis presents the first full biographical narrative of Vardi’s life: highlighting his work with the NBC Symphony under Arturo Toscanini, his activities as a soloist for the United States Navy Band during World War II, his compositional output, visual artwork, an analysis of his playing and teaching techniques, as well as his performing and recording legacies in classical, jazz, and popular music. Appendices include a chronology of his life, discography, lists of compositions written by and for Vardi, registered copyrights, and a list of interviews conducted by the author with family members, former students, and colleagues. This project fills in many gaps in existing documentation of Vardi’s life and work, and brings for the first time this multi-faceted artist into full view.

Type of Resource

text

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http://hdl.handle.net/2142/90993

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