Various Composers - Viola Revival (Jonathan Bagg)

Information

• Marion Bauer - Sonata for Viola and Piano, Op. 22
• Ulysses Kay - Sonata for Viola and Piano
• Margaret Bonds - Troubled Water

Jonathan Bagg, viola

Emely Phelps, piano

Mimi Solomon, piano

Date: 2026

Label: New Focus Recordings

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On Viola Revival, violist Jonathan Bagg, joined by pianists Emely Phelps and Mimi Solomon, brings renewed attention to three overlooked mid-20th-century chamber works by Marion Bauer, Ulysses Kay, and Margaret Bonds. The album highlights repertoire by significant African American composers whose influence on American concert music extended far beyond the recognition they received during their lifetimes. Through these performances, Bagg advocates for the artistic value and relevance of these works, aiming to encourage their inclusion in contemporary viola programs while expanding and enriching the instrument’s modern American repertoire.

Jonathan Bagg is Professor of the Practice at Duke University and an internationally active violist, educator, and artistic director. A longtime member of the Ciompi Quartet, he has performed hundreds of concerts worldwide and recorded extensively. He is founding Artistic Director of Electric Earth Concerts and former director of the Monadnock Music Festival. Bagg has appeared with major orchestras, including the Boston Symphony, and has served since 2015 as principal violist of CityMusic Cleveland. An advocate for contemporary music, he has commissioned and recorded numerous works. He holds degrees from Yale University and the New England Conservatory.

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