Composed in 1975 by Evgeny Svetlanov, the Aria for Viola and Piano (Ария для альта и фортепиано) is a lyrical chamber piece that reflects the composer’s intimate, expressive side as both pianist and composer. Unlike Svetlanov’s larger orchestral works, this aria adopts the character of a vocal-inspired instrumental piece, centered on the viola’s warm, singing quality supported by a sensitive piano part.
The work was dedicated to Mikhail Nikolaevich Tolpygo, a leading violist and pedagogue whose artistry and advocacy for the instrument in the 1960s–1970s made him a remarkable performer of contemporary music at that time. He was also principal violist of the USSR State Symphony Orchestra from 1967.
Svetlanov’s Aria exploits the viola’s rich mid-range sonority and emotive potential, offering a reflective, melodic writing style that places emphasis on tone, phrasing, and contemplative depth over technical virtuosity.
Mikhail Nikolaevich Tolpygo
Tolpygo, Mikhail Nikolaevich (b. 1941, Chelyabinsk) is a Soviet violist and pedagogue. A graduate of the Moscow Conservatory under Vadim Borisovsky (1965), he has taught there since that year and was an active soloist and chamber musician. He collaborated with Natalia Gutman, Oleg Kagan, Eliso Virsaladze, Alexei Lyubimov, and others. He gave first performances of the viola version of Shostakovich’s Cello Concerto No. 1, Aram Khachaturian’s Sonata-Song, and several works dedicated to him. He is a laureate of the All-Union Competition of Performing Musicians (1963) and the International Competition in Munich (1967).