The Viola Concerto was written while Ritchie was Composer-in-Residence with the Dunedin Sinfonia in 1994, and first performed in Dunedin the following year, with Donald Maurice as the soloist.

It is a personal work in which the viola takes on various characters, and describes human relationships. The solo part speaks in a natural and uncontrived voice, and consequently there are few shows of virtuosity in the concerto.

The first movement, allegro tempestuoso, opens in turmoil and includes an idea inspired by one of Bach's Brandenburg concertos. A lighter, folk-like theme emerges and acts as a link to the second main theme which is cooler in mood and tinged with sadness.

The long theme at the start of the slow movement began life as a solo piece, and unfolds slowly on the dorian mode.

The third movement, a cadenza, follows and acts as a link to the finale. Dance-like in character, the finale provides a resolution to the tensions of the previous movements. Some of the themes are influenced by popular music styles, and near the end there is a slightly slower section which recalls Bluegrass music; this was inspired by the American group, the Blue Sky Mountain Boys. The concerto comes to a conclusion with strident and jazzy chords.

The viola concerto has become a popular work, and was first recorded commercially by Timothy Deighton with the Penn's Woods Festival Orchestra for a CD of NZ viola music Atoll ACD 202.
Read the New Music Connoisseur review of this CD.

Play sample First movement (532K)	Play sample Second movement (244K)

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