Richard Lane

Song and Dance

Song and Dance
Richard Lane composed Song and Dance (1984) for Emanuel Vardi, the former Principal Violist in the NBC Orchestra under Arturo Toscanini. Vardi was one of the great masters of his instrument during the twentieth century. In addition to playing in the NBC Orchestra, Vardi was a very versatile musician and he played on several jazz recordings of Louis Armstrong and Quincy Jones. Vardi was also a faculty member at the Manhattan School of Music. Lane and Vardi were introduced through their mutual friend, Rosemary Glyde, the president of the New York Viola Society, and Song and Dance is one of five pieces Lane wrote for Vardi and his wife Lenore, also a violist.

Song and Dance is a lovely textured piece with a beautiful dialogue between the viola and piano. The piece begins with a lyrical sense of determination, inviting the listener to a journey of introspection and self-discovery. Almost like a drawing of medieval scenery, the viola and piano observe the inner and outer, within and without, embracing all that surrounds. A viola cadenza is unveiled and a melancholy piano interlude unfolds which is followed by a darker atmosphere. There is an air of reflection, with all its ebbs and flows, efforts and struggles, and the piece concludes with a happy dance of acceptance and resolution, like life itself.

The other pieces Lane wrote for Emanuel include Eight Viola Duos (1985), Concert Music (1988) for two violas and piano, Aria and Allegro (1990) for viola and string orchestra, and Recompense (1994) for six violas.

Demosthenes Dimitrakoulakos and Maria Giannakopoulou, May 2020