One of the great viola players of the last century, Lionel Tertis (1876-1975) has been honoured with an English Heritage blue plaque at his former flat in Wimbledon. The plaque was unveiled by John Gilhooly (Director of Wigmore Hall and Chairman of the Royal Philharmonic Society), who said: 'Tertis’s legacy is profound and far outreaches the confines of viola playing, as it set a precedent for many other instruments and solo performers. It is a great honour to unveil this plaque in memory of an extraordinary man who stands in the company of Ysaÿe, Kreisler, Casals, Thibaud and Rubinstein as one of the greatest instrumentalists of his age.'

Gramophone interviewed Tertis whilst he was at the peak of his powers in December 1929, and gave an insight into his career up to that point:

'Lionel Tertis was born at West Hartlepool in 1876. He is the finest player of the viola in England, and has inspired many composers. York Bowen, McEwen, Carse, Bax, and Benjamin Dale have all written concertos for him. Lionel Tertis began by being a pianist. "My first platform appearance (in velvet and lace collar) was in 1882, when I was six years old. I took up the viola in 1898 in the following manner: a fellow student at the Royal Academy of Music wanted to play string quartets, and there was no viola player to be found – they were a rare speeies at that time. He asked me if I would. I did so, and with two other students formed a quartet. Three weeks later we played to Sir Alexander Mackenzie, then the Principal of the RAM. When we had finished he asked me how long I had been at it. I told him, and he replied: 'Well, in my opinion, you will never regret it.' I never have!

"The great attraction of the viola to me is its rich, satisfying, almost human tone. I am firmly convinced that the cause of its neglect as a solo instrument is that at the time the great masters lived there were no viola players to interest them. Had there been we should certainly have had viola concertos by Haydn, Bach, Mozart, Beethoven, Brahms, etc, and, as a natural consequence, plenty of viola soloists.

"The viola literature of the great masters is practically nil. I do not let that worry me at all. I arrange their works, if suitable for the viola, and see nothing sacrilegious in so doing (as some Pecksniffians would have us believe). I cannot understand why violinists in general (especially professionals) do not take up the viola, and so have two fiddles to their bow! The clef is easily mastered, and one soon gets the hang of the instrument. I doubt not that once the violinist takes it up it will not be long before its attractions will induce him to play solos and do as I have done – arrange music for it. 

"We have only one classic in its original form, the Mozart Double Concerto for violin and viola, which I have played with many great violinists. We can, however, boast of the most important library in the world of modern music for the viola – the English school. Our composers have written more for the viola than any other nation." 

Lionel Tertis would no doubt have been delighted with the honour that English Heritage have given him this week.

For more on viola music, visit our guide to the Top 10 viola works, which includes a Tertis recording of Bax's Viola Sonata.