Igor Stravinsky - Elegie for Solo Viola (1944) {Nobuko Imai}

Igor Fyodorovich Stravinsky (sometimes spelled Strawinski, Strawinsky, or Stravinskii; Russian: И́горь Фёдорович Страви́нский, tr. Igorʹ Fëdorovič Stravinskij; 17 June [O.S. 5 June] 1882 – 6 April 1971) was a Russian-French-American composer, pianist, and conductor. He is widely considered one of the most important and influential composers of the 20th century.

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Elegie, K072 for Solo Viola (1944)
Dedicated to the memory of Alphonse Onnou

Nobuko Imai, viola

Elegy is a composition by Igor Stravinsky for solo viola composed in 1944. It was dedicated to the memory of Alphonse Onnou, the founder of the Pro Arte Quartet. The score bears no time signature, but the metronome marking sets the tempo at eighth note = 56. The opening section is in the style of a chant above a rippling accompaniment. The middle section contains elements of a fugue, though there are never more than two independent voices. After its climax, the Elegy closes with a recapitulation of its opening. The viola is directed to play with mute throughout.

The piece can alternately be played by a solo violin pitched a fifth higher.

Elegy was later choreographed as a neoclassical ballet by George Balanchine. He made three versions of the ballet, which premiered in 1948, 1966, and 1982 respectively.