Tower: Purple Rhapsody (Concerto for Viola and Orchestra)

Category: Viola and Piano ** Composer: Tower, Joan ** Title: Purple Rhapsody (Concerto for Viola and Orchestra) ** Publisher: Associated Music Publishers Edition ** Difficulty: A6.

Purple Rhapsody is a viola concerto in a single movement by contemporary American composer Joan Tower. It was premiered in 2005 by violist Paul Neubauer, for whom Tower has written other works for solo viola. Why the name Purple Rhapsody? The composer elaborates:

"The sound of the viola has always reminded me of the color purple - a deep kind of luscious purple...In the concerto, I try to make the solo viola "sing" - trying to take advantage on occasion (not always) of the violas inherent melodic abilities." (from the Introduction to this edition)