Viola Sonata No. 2, Op. 15, nO. 2
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This three-movement work was written in the spring of 1962 at the end of Baber’s senior year at Michigan State University. It was first performed by the composer and Rita Fuszek on May 14 on a program of student works. The piece is spring-like and buoyant. It requires a professional level of performance of both the solo player and the accompanist, though it is not out of reach for college student performers. The middle movement, which reworks one of the composer’s finest melodies, contains a Scherzo as its middle section. The playful last movement Rondo has at its center a portrait of Baber’s mentor, Gomer Jones, a student of Elgar’s who was a passionate Bach enthusiast. Thus, that section reflects those two composers.
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