Viola Al-Mashura: The Enchanted Viola
Acis, 2026
9/10
Listen Viola Al-Mashura: The Enchanted Viola
The violist Christina Ebersohl-Van Scyoc and pianist Melissa Terrall come together for this cultured effort that aims to instill more peace in the world via their thoughtful and meticulous interactions across these 7 pieces.
‘Le bédouin, Op. 12” starts with Scyoc’s meticulous strings that radiate much sophistication in the stirring opener, and “Two Beds For Viola And Piano” follows with a playful interaction between the keys and viola that’s cinematic.
Further along, “Egyptian Song, Op. 1” sees Terrall’s warm keys complementing Scyoc’s intimate string presence with much emotion, while “Improvisations On A Peddler’s Tune” emits a soft ambience of sublime playing.
Arriving near the end, the 5 movements of “Today And Yesterday: Suite In Five Movements For Viola And Piano” carries a dreaminess amid the delicate instrumentation but that can also get bright and animated, too. “Les réves du chat (The Cat’s Dreams)” exits, and illustrates so much detail from Scyoc, where gentle dynamics and curious picking makes an impression.
Scyoc fills the gap in notable Egyptian composers in the area of viola centered classical music with this debut album, and Terrall’s contributions sure do add much to the enlightening experience.
Travels well with: Agave- Harmony Unchained; Greg Sandow- Three Quartets