Return to America – 80th birthday celebrations – Soloist with the Hallé – Hoing–Tertis correspondence in The Strad

In october 1956 The Strad announced that ‘Lionel Tertis, the veteran British violist, is emerging from his retirement to fly to the United States. The object of his visit is to introduce and demonstrate the Tertis Model viola.’ He was invited to stay with friends in New York – Dr and Mrs Fairchild. Mary Fairchild had studied viola with Tertis in London and, though small in stature, was an advocate of the ‘T.M.’ viola. Tertis's visit included lecture-recitals, talks, cocktail parties, sightseeing and much more, from 10 a.m. until well after midnight most days. He opened his American visit by promoting his new viola in front of an illustrious audience at the Mannes School of Music; those present included Louis Persinger, Joseph Fuchs, William Primrose and the luthier Rembert Wurlitzer, who, having heard Tertis play and inspected his Saunders viola, was so enthusiastic about the instrument that he ordered one from Saunders in England. Wurlitzer also gave Tertis a list of 300 violin-makers in the USA; Tertis sent copies of his drawings of the viola together with specifications to all these. Within a few years more than sixty had produced Tertis Model violas.

The entertainments Mary Fairchild organized for Tertis included tea with the pianist James Friskin and his wife, the violist and composer Rebecca Clarke. These two English musicians had both studied at the Royal College of Music, and many years later had settled in the USA and married in middle age. James was also a composer; his Elegy for viola and piano was published by Stainer & Bell in 1915. Rebecca Clarke, who had studied with Tertis before the First World War, had virtually given up composing, and was completely forgotten by her former public. Only after her death would her fine viola sonata, piano trio and other compositions be rediscovered.

The Violin, Viola, Violoncello Teachers’ Guild Incorporated, as part of their sixteenth season, invited Tertis to give a demonstration recital of the new Tertis Model viola, which was in such demand in England and on the Continent. This was followed by a short question period.

On Monday 5 November 1956 Tertis gave a lecture-recital on string quartet playing to the Society of Chamber Music Associates at the Brooklyn Academy of Music.