Viola

Classification String instrument (bowed) Playing range Related instruments Violin family (violin, cello) Viol family (includes double bass) Musicians List of violists

The viola (French, alto; German Bratsche) is a bowed string instrument. A musical instrument is a device constructed or modified for the purpose of making Music. A string instrument (or stringed instrument) is a Musical instrument that produces Sound by means of Vibrating strings In the Hornbostel-Sachs In Music, a bow is moved across some part of a Musical instrument, causing Vibration which the instrument emits as Sound. In Music, the range of a Musical instrument is the distance from the lowest to the highest pitch it can play A musical instrument is a device constructed or modified for the purpose of making Music. The Violin family of Musical instruments was developed in Italy in the Sixteenth century. The violin is a bowed String instrument with four strings usually tuned in Perfect fifths It is the smallest and highest-pitched member The violoncello (abbreviated to cello, or 'cello, plural cellos or celli —the c is tʃ The viol (also called viola da gamba) is any one of a family of bowed, Fretted stringed Musical instruments developed in the 1400s The double bass is the largest and lowest-pitched bowed String instrument used in the modern symphony orchestra. A string instrument (or stringed instrument) is a Musical instrument that produces Sound by means of Vibrating strings In the Hornbostel-Sachs It is the middle voice of the violin family, between the violin and the cello. The Violin family of Musical instruments was developed in Italy in the Sixteenth century. The violin is a bowed String instrument with four strings usually tuned in Perfect fifths It is the smallest and highest-pitched member The violoncello (abbreviated to cello, or 'cello, plural cellos or celli —the c is tʃ

The casual observer may mistake the viola for the violin because of their similarity in size, closeness in pitch range (the viola is a perfect fifth below the violin), and identical playing position. The perfect fifth ( is the Musical interval between a note and the note seven Semitones above it on the musical scale However, the viola's timbre sets it apart: its rich, dark-toned sonority is more full-bodied than the violin's. In Music, timbre (ˈtæm-bər' like timber, or, from Fr timbre tɛ̃bʁ is the quality of a Musical note or sound that distinguishes different The viola's mellow voice is frequently used for playing inner harmonies, and it does not enjoy the wide solo repertoire or fame of the violin. In Western music, harmony is the use of different pitches simultaneously and chords actual or implied in Music.

The name of the instrument is properly pronounced /viːˈoʊlə/ ("vee-oh-la")^[1] but often incorrectly pronounced "vye-oh-la" as the woman's name "Viola" is spoken. Violas and violists are frequently the butt of musicians' jokes. This is a list of noted Viola players. Notable violists A Julia Rebekka Adler (b See also Mathematics of humor A joke is a short story or ironic depiction of a situation communicated with the intent of being humorous. [1] [2].

Contents 1 The form of the viola 2 Playing the viola 3 Tuning 4 Viola music 4.1 Reading music 4.2 The role of the viola in pre-twentieth century works 4.3 Twentieth century and beyond 4.4 Contemporary pop music 4.5 The viola in folk music 5 Violists 6 The viola in popular music 7 Electric violas 8 Audio examples 9 Bibliography 10 See also 11 External links

The form of the viola

The viola is similar in material and construction to the violin but is larger in size and more variable in its proportions. The violin is a bowed String instrument with four strings usually tuned in Perfect fifths It is the smallest and highest-pitched member A "full-size" viola's body is between one and four inches longer than the body of a full-size violin, with an average length of about 16 inches (41 cm). Small violas made for children typically start at 12 inches (30 cm), which is equivalent to a half-size violin. The violin is a bowed String instrument with four strings usually tuned in Perfect fifths It is the smallest and highest-pitched member Often, a fractional-sized violin will be strung with the strings of a viola (C, G, D and A) for those children who need even smaller sizes. Unlike the violin, the viola does not have a standard full size. The body of a viola would need to measure about 21 inches (53 cm) long to match the acoustics of a violin, making it impractical to play in the same manner as the violin. ^[2] For centuries, viola makers have experimented with the size and shape of the viola, often compensating by tweaking the proportions or shape of the instrument in order to make an instrument with a shorter scale length and lighter weight, but which still has a large enough sound box to create the unmistakable "viola sound. A sound box or sounding box, (sometimes written soundbox) is an open chamber in the body of a Musical instrument which alters the instrument's tone quality "

Experiments with the size of the viola have tended to increase it in the interest of improving the instrument's sound. These include Hermann Ritter's "viola alta", an instrument measuring about 18. 9 inches (48 cm) intended for use in Richard Wagner's operas. ^[3] The Tertis model viola, which has wider bouts and deeper ribs to promote a better viola tone, is another slightly "non-standard" shape which allows the player to use a larger instrument than normal. Lionel Tertis ( 29 December 1876 – 22 February 1975) was an English violist and one of the first viola players to find Many experiments with the acoustics of a viola, particularly increasing the size of the body, result in a much deeper tone of the instrument, making the instrument resemble the tone of a cello. Since many composers wrote for a traditional-sized viola, changes in the tone of a viola, particularly in orchestral music, can have unintended consequences on the balance in ensembles. Unintended consequences are outcomes that are not (or not limited to what the actor intended in a particular situation

More recent (and more radically-shaped) innovations address the ergonomic problems of playing the viola by making it shorter and lighter while finding ways to keep the traditional sound. These include Otto Erdesz "cutaway" viola (which has one shoulder cut out to make shifting easier);^[4] the "Oak Leaf" viola (which has two extra bouts); viol shaped violas like Joseph Curtin's "Evia" model (which also utilizes a moveable neck and a maple-veneered carbon fiber back to reduce weight):^[5] violas played in the same manner as cellos (see vertical viola); and the eye-catching "Dalí-esque" shapes of both Bernard Sabatier's violas in fractional sizes (which appear to have melted) and of David Rivinus' "Pellegrina" model violas. The viol (also called viola da gamba) is any one of a family of bowed, Fretted stringed Musical instruments developed in the 1400s The vertical viola, or alto violin, is a stringed instrument with the range of a Viola that is played vertically in the manner of a Cello. Salvador Domingo Felipe Jacinto Dalí i Domènech 1st Marquis of Púbol (May 11 1904 &ndash January 23 1989 was a Spanish Catalan Surrealist [3]

Other experiments besides those dealing with the "ergonomics vs. sound" problem have appeared. American composer Harry Partch fitted a viola with a cello neck to allow the use of his 43-tone scale. Harry Partch ( June 24, 1901 &ndash September 3, 1974) was an American Composer and instrument creator Recently, several luthiers created five-stringed violas, which allow a greater playing range. Modern music is played on these instruments, but viol music can be played as well.

Playing the viola

A person who plays the viola is called a violist or simply a viola player. While it is similar to the violin, the technique required for playing viola has many differences, although much of the fingering technique is comparable. The difference in size accounts for some of the technical differences, as notes are spread out farther along the fingerboard and the vibrato must be broader. The less responsive strings and heavier bow warrant a somewhat different bowing technique.

• Compared to a violin, the viola will generally have a larger body as well as a longer string length, which is why more younger violists or even some old tend to get smaller sized violas for easier playing. The most immediately noticeable adjustments a player accustomed to playing violin has to make are to use wider-spaced fingerings. It is common for some players to use a wider and more intense vibrato in the left hand and to hold the bow and right arm farther away from the player's body. Vibrato is a musical effect produced in singing and on musical instruments by a regular pulsating change of pitch, and is used to add expression and vocal-like qualities to In Music, a bow is moved across some part of a Musical instrument, causing Vibration which the instrument emits as Sound. The player must also bring the left elbow farther forward or around, so as to reach the lowest string. This allows the fingers to be firm and create a clearer tone. Unless the violist is gifted with especially large hands, different fingerings are often used, including frequent use of half position and shifting position, where on the violin staying in one place would suffice.
• The viola is generally strung with thicker strings than the violin. This, combined with its larger size and lower pitch range, results in a tone which is deeper and more mellow. However, the thicker strings also mean that the viola "speaks" more slowly than its soprano cousin. Practically speaking, if a violist and violinist are playing together, the violist must begin moving the bow a fraction of a second sooner than the violinist to produce a sound that starts at the same moment as the violinist's sound. The thicker strings also mean that more weight must be applied with the bow to make them speak.
• The thicker and longer strings demand that the violist use the pads of their fingers rather than the tips, moving towards cello technique.

• The viola bow has a wider band of horsehair than a violin bow, particularly noticeable near the frog (or "heel" in the UK). In Music, a bow is moved across some part of a Musical instrument, causing Vibration which the instrument emits as Sound. In Music, a bow is moved across some part of a Musical instrument, causing Vibration which the instrument emits as Sound. Viola bows (70 to 74 g) are heavier than violin bows (58 to 61 g). The profile of the outside corner of a viola bow frog generally is rounded, compared to the rectangular corner usually seen on violin bows.

See also: Playing the violin

Tuning

The viola's four strings are tuned in fifths: C3 (an octave below middle C) is the lowest, with G3, D4 and A4 above it. Playing the violin entails holding the instrument under the chin supported by the left shoulder (see below for variations of this posture In Music, an octave ( is the the use of which is "common in most musical systems C or Do is the first Note of the fixed-Do Solfege. In Western Music, the expression " Middle C " refers to the note This tuning is exactly one fifth below the violin, so that they have three strings in common—G, D, and A—and is one octave above the cello. The violoncello (abbreviated to cello, or 'cello, plural cellos or celli —the c is tʃ Although the violin and viola have three strings tuned the same, the tone quality or sound color is markedly different.

Violas are tuned by turning the pegs near the scroll, around which the strings are wrapped. A tuning peg is used to hold a string in the Pegbox of a stringed instrument. Tightening the string will raise the note (make it sharper) while loosening the string will lower the note (making it flatter). The A string is tuned first, typically to 440 Hz or 442 Hz (see pitch). The hertz (symbol Hz) is a measure of Frequency, informally defined as the number of events occurring per Second. Pitch represents the perceived Fundamental frequency of a sound The other strings are then tuned to it in intervals of perfect fifths, bowing two strings simultaneously. Most violas also have adjusters (also called fine tuners) that are used to make finer changes. These permit the tension of the string to be adjusted by rotating a small knob at the opposite end of the string, at the tailpiece. The tailpiece, found on many Musical instruments of the String instrument family anchors the tail end of the strings the end opposite the scroll or Such tuning is generally easier to learn than using the pegs, and adjusters are usually recommended for younger players, although they are usually used in conjunction with one another. Adjusters work best, and are most useful, on higher tension metal strings. It is common to use one on the A string even if the others are not equipped with them. The picture on the right shows normal stringing of the pegs. Some violists reverse the stringing of the C and G pegs, so the thicker C string does not turn so severe an angle over the nut, although this is uncommon. The nut of a String instrument is a small piece of hard material which supports the strings at the end closest to the Headstock or scroll.

Small, temporary tuning adjustments can also be made by stretching a string with the hand. A string may be tuned down by pulling it above the fingerboard, or tuned up by pressing the part of the string in the pegbox. These techniques may be useful in performance, reducing the ill effects of an out-of-tune string until the arrival of a rest or other opportunity to tune properly.

The tuning C-G-D-A is used for the great majority of all viola music. However, other tunings are occasionally employed both in classical music (where the technique is known as scordatura) and in some folk styles. Classical music is a broad term that usually refers to mainstream music produced in or rooted in the traditions of Western liturgical and Secular music A scordatura (literally Italian for "mistuning" also called cross-tuning, is an alternative Tuning used for the open strings of a String Folk music can have a number of different meanings including Traditional music: The original meaning of the term "folk music" was synonymous Mozart, in his Sinfonia Concertante for Violin, Viola and Orchestra, which is in E flat, wrote the viola part in D major and specified that the viola strings were to be raised in pitch by a semitone; his intention was probably to give the viola a brighter tone to avoid its being overpowered by the rest of the ensemble. The Sinfonia Concertante for Violin, Viola and Orchestra in E-flat major, K. Lionel Tertis, in his transcription of the Elgar cello concerto, wrote the slow movement with the C string tuned down to B flat, enabling the viola to play one passage an octave lower. Lionel Tertis ( 29 December 1876 – 22 February 1975) was an English violist and one of the first viola players to find Sir Edward Elgar 's Cello Concerto in E minor Op 85 was his last notable work and is a cornerstone of the solo Cello repertoire Occasionally the C string may also be tuned up to D.

Viola music

Reading music

Sheet music written for the viola differs from that of other instruments in that it primarily uses alto clef (sometimes called "viola clef"), which is otherwise rarely used. Sheet music is a hand-written or printed form of Musical notation; like its analogs -- books pamphlets etc A clef (from the French for "key" is a musical symbol used to indicate the pitch of written notes. Viola sheet music also employs the treble clef when there are substantial sections of music written in higher registers.

Mnemonic devices are sometimes used to teach students to remember the pitch names of the alto clef, for example:

• Lines: Fat Ants Catch Every Goodie
• Spaces: Green Bay Does Fine. A mnemonic device (nəˈmɒnɪk is a Memory aid Commonly met mnemonics are often verbal something such as a very short poem or a special word used to help a person remember

The role of the viola in pre-twentieth century works

In early orchestral music, the viola part was frequently limited to the filling in of harmonies with little melodic material assigned to it. An orchestra is an instrumental ensemble, usually fairly large with string brass woodwind sections and possibly a percussion section as well In Western music, harmony is the use of different pitches simultaneously and chords actual or implied in Music. In Music, a melody (from Greek μελῳδία - melōidía, "singing chanting" also tune, voice, or When the viola was given melodic parts in music of that era, it was often duplication in unison or octaves of whatever other strings played. A notable exception would be J. S. Bach's Brandenburg Concerto No. 6, which placed the two violas in the primary melodic role (it was scored for 2 violas, cello, 2 violas da gamba, and continuo). The viol (also called viola da gamba) is any one of a family of bowed, Fretted stringed Musical instruments developed in the 1400s

An example of a piece written before the 20th century which features a solo viola part is Hector Berlioz's Harold in Italy, though there are also a few Baroque and Classical concerti, such as those by Telemann (one of the earliest viola concertos known), Franz Anton Hoffmeister and Carl Stamitz. Harold en Italie (English Harold in Italy Symphony with Viola obbligato) Op Baroque art redirects here Please disambiguate such links to Baroque painting, Baroque sculpture, etc The dates of the Classical period in Western music are generally accepted as 1750 to 1810 Georg Philipp Telemann (March 14 1681 &ndash June 25 1767 was a German Baroque music Composer, born in Magdeburg. Franz Anton Hoffmeister ( May 12, 1754 &ndash February 9, 1812) was a German composer and music publisher Karel Stamic ( May 7, 1745 - November 9, 1801) who took the German form of his name Karl Philipp Stamitz and is now better known as

The viola plays an important role in chamber music. Chamber music is a form of Classical music, written for a small group of instruments which traditionally could be accommodated in a palace chamber Mozart succeeded in liberating the viola somewhat when he wrote his six string quintets, which are widely considered to include some of his greatest works. A string quintet is an ensemble of five String instrument players or a piece written for such a combination The quintets use two violas, which frees the instrument (especially the first viola) for solo passages and increases the variety and richness of the ensemble. Mozart also wrote for the viola in his Sinfonia concertante in which of the two soloists, the viola is equally as important as the violin. Sinfonia concertante is a Musical form that originated in the Classical music era, and is a mixture of the Symphony and the Concerto genres Another important contribution was a set of two duets for violin and viola. From his earliest works Johannes Brahms wrote music that features the viola prominently. Johannes Brahms ( pronounced ˈbʁaːms (May 7 1833 &ndash April 3 1897 was a German Composer His first published piece of chamber music, the sextet for strings op. 18 contains what amounts to a solo part for the first viola. Late in life he wrote two greatly admired sonatas for clarinet and piano, his Opus 120 (1894); later Brahms transcribed these works for the viola. The Clarinet Sonatas Nos 1 and 2 Op 120 by Johannes Brahms were written in 1894 for the Clarinetist Richard Mühlfeld, after Brahms had been captivated The clarinet is a Musical instrument in the Woodwind family The name derives from adding the suffix -et meaning little to the Italian word The piano is a Musical instrument played by means of a keyboard that produces sound by striking steel strings with Felt covered hammers Brahms also wrote Two Songs for Alto with Viola and Piano (Zwei Gesänge für eine Altstimme mit Bratsche und Pianoforte), Op. Alto is a musical term derived from the Latin word altus, meaning "high" that has several possible interpretations 91, "Gestillte Sehnsucht" or "Satisfied Longing" and "Geistliches Wiegenlied" or "Spiritual Lullaby," which was a present for the famous violinist Joseph Joachim and his wife, Amalie. Joseph Joachim (June 28 1831 &ndash August 15 1907 (ˈjoʊɑːxɪːm was a Hungarian Violinist, conductor, Composer and teacher Antonín Dvořák played the viola, and apparently said it was his favorite instrument; his chamber music is rich with important parts for the viola. Antonín Leopold Dvořák ( (often pronounced in English as; DVOR-zhahk; September 8 1841 – May 1 1904 was a Czech composer of Romantic music, who employed Another Czech composer, Bedřich Smetana, included a significant viola part in his quartet "From My Life"; the quartet begins with an impassioned statement by the viola. Czechs (Češi ˈt͡ʃɛʃɪ archaic Čechové) are a western Slavic people of Central Europe, living predominantly in the Czech Republic "Smetana" redirects here For the soured cream see Smetana (dairy product. String Quartet No 1 ( "From My Life",in Czech: "Z mého života") in E minor, written in 1876, is a four-movement

The young Felix Mendelssohn wrote a little-known viola sonata in C minor (without opus number, but dating from 1824). Jakob Ludwig Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy, born and generally known as Felix Mendelssohn (February 3 1809 &ndash November 4 1847 was a German Composer Felix Mendelssohn 's Viola Sonata in C minor was composed when he was only 14 years old Given the beauty of the melodies in this early work, it is perhaps surprising that this sonata has not been played more frequently in concert halls.

The viola occasionally has a major role in orchestral music, for example the sixth variation of the Enigma Variations by Edward Elgar, called "Ysobel". Variations on an Original Theme for orchestra Op 36 ("Enigma", commonly referred to as the "Enigma" Variations, is a set of a theme and its fourteen

While the viola repertoire is quite large, the amount written by well-known pre-twentieth century composers is relatively small. Violists may therefore be forced to choose to play solo arrangements of works transcribed from other instruments. In Music, an arrangement refers either to a rewriting of a piece of existing Music with additional new material or to a fleshing-out of a compositional sketch such

Twentieth century and beyond

In the earlier part of the 20th century, more composers began to write for the viola, encouraged by the emergence of specialized soloists such as Lionel Tertis. Lionel Tertis ( 29 December 1876 – 22 February 1975) was an English violist and one of the first viola players to find Englishmen Arthur Bliss, York Bowen, Benjamin Dale, and Ralph Vaughan Williams all wrote chamber and concert works for Tertis. Sir Arthur Edward Drummond Bliss, CH, KCVO ( 2 August 1891 - 27 March 1975) was a British composer Edwin York Bowen ( February 22, 1884 – November 11, 1961) was an English composer and pianist Benjamin James Dale (b London 17 July 1885; d London 30 July 1943) was an English Composer and Educationalist Ralph (reɪf Vaughan Williams OM (12 October 1872 &ndash 26 August 1958 was an English Composer of symphonies, Chamber music William Walton, Bohuslav Martinů and Béla Bartók wrote well-known viola concertos. Sir William Turner Walton, OM ( March 29, 1902 &ndash March 8, 1983) was a British Composer and Bohuslav Martinů ( (December 8 1890 – August 28 1959 was a prolific Bohemian Czech Composer, who wrote six symphonies, 15 Operas Béla Viktor János Bartók (March 25 1881&ndashSeptember 26 1945 was a Hungarian Composer and Pianist, considered to be one of the greatest One of the few composers to write a substantial amount of music for the viola was Paul Hindemith; being himself a violist, he often performed the premieres of his own viola works. Paul Hindemith (16 November 1895 &ndash 28 December 1963 was a German Composer, Violist, violinist teacher music theorist and conductor. Debussy's Sonata for Flute, Viola and Harp has inspired a significant number of other composers to write for this combination. Achille-Claude Debussy (aʃil klod dəbysi (August 22 1862 &ndash March 25 1918 was a French Composer. Flute, Viola and Harp are the instruments of a Chamber music grouping that have become common through the establishment of ensembles that feature Elliot Carter also wrote extensively for the viola. Elliott Cook Carter Jr (born in New York City on December 11, 1908) is an American Composer from New York City. his Elegy is one of many fine compositions employing the viola; it was subsequently transcribed for clarinet. Ernst Toch wrote an Impromptu (opus 90b) for solo viola. Ernst Toch (pronounced) ( 7 December 1887 - 1 October 1964) was a Composer of classical music and Film scores Ernest Bloch, a Swiss-born American composer best known for his compositions inspired by Jewish music, wrote two famous works for viola, the Suite 1919 and the Suite Hebraique for solo viola and orchestra. Ernest Bloch (July 24 1880 &ndash July 15 1959 was a Swiss -born American Composer. Rebecca Clarke was a 20th century composer who also wrote extensively for the viola. WikipediaWikiProject Composers#Lead section --> Rebecca Clarke (Friskin (27 August 1886 &ndash 13 October 1979 was an English classical Lionel Tertis records that Edward Elgar (whose cello concerto Tertis transcribed for viola, with the slow movement in scordatura), Alexander Glazunov (who wrote an Elegy, op. Sir Edward Elgar 's Cello Concerto in E minor Op 85 was his last notable work and is a cornerstone of the solo Cello repertoire Aleksandr Konstantinovich Glazunov (Александр Константинович Глазунов Aleksandr Konstantinovič Glazunov; Glazounov Glasunow &ndash 21 March 44, for viola and piano), and Maurice Ravel all promised concertos for viola, yet all three died before substantial work on them. In the latter part of the 20th century a substantial repertoire has been produced for the viola; many composers including Alfred Schnittke, Sofia Gubaidulina, Giya Kancheli and Krzysztof Penderecki, have written viola concertos. Alfred Garyevich Schnittke (Альфре́д Га́рриевич Шни́тке November 24, 1934 Engels - August 3, 1998 Hamburg WikipediaWikiProject Composers#Lead section --> Sofia Asgatovna Gubaidulina, (София Асгатовна Губайдулина София Giya Kancheli (გია ყანჩელი born August 10 1935 in Tbilisi, is a Georgian composer resident in Belgium. Krzysztof Penderecki (ˈkʂɨʂtɔf pɛndɛrˈɛ͡tski born November 23 1933 in Dębica) is a Polish Composer and conductor of classical The viola concerto is a Concerto contrasting a Viola with another body of musical instruments usually a full Orchestra or String orchestra but The American composer Morton Feldman wrote a series of works entitled The Viola in My Life which feature concertante viola parts. Morton Feldman (January 12 1926 – September 3 1987 was an American Composer, born in New York City. Sinfonia concertante is a Musical form that originated in the Classical music era, and is a mixture of the Symphony and the Concerto genres

Contemporary pop music

The viola is sometimes used in contemporary popular music, mostly in the avant-garde. Avant-garde (avɑ̃gaʁd in French) means "advance guard" or "vanguard The influential group Velvet Underground famously used the viola, as do some modern groups such as 10,000 Maniacs, Defiance, Ohio, The Funetics, Flobots, and others. This article is about the band For their self-titled album see The Velvet Underground (album; for the book see The Velvet Underground (book Defiance Ohio is an anti-capitalist, largely acoustic punk (typically referred to as Folk-punk) band from Columbus Ohio. Flobots are an Alternative rock / Alternative hip hop group from Denver Colorado, formed in or around 2000 Jazz music has also seen its share of violists, from those used in string sections in the early 1900s to a handful of quartets and soloists emerging in from the 1960s onward. Jazz is an American Musical art form which originated in the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States It is quite unusual though, to use individual string instruments in contemporary popular music. It is usually the flute or rather the full orchestra appearing to be the favoured choice, rather than a lone string player. The upper strings could be easily drowned out by the other instruments, especially if electric, or even by the singer.

See The viola in popular music below.

The viola in folk music

Although not as commonly used as the violin in folk music, the viola is nevertheless used by many folk musicians across the world. Extensive research into the historical and current use of the viola in folk music has been carried out by Dr. Lindsay Aitkenhead. Players in this genre include Cath James, David Lasserson, Eliza Carthy, Mary Ramsey, Ben Ivitsky, Gina Le Faux, Helen Bell, Jayne Coyle, Jim O'Neill, Jim Wainwright, Lindsay Aitkenhead, Mark Emerson, Miranda Rutter, Nancy Kerr, Pete Cooper and Susan Heeley. Eliza Carthy (born August 23, 1975 in Scarborough, North Yorkshire) is an English folk musician known for both singing John and Mary is a US Folk music act featuring Mary Ramsey and John Lombardo, formed after Lombardo left 10000 Maniacs in Helen Bell is an English folk musician playing mainly Viola and Fiddle. James Leo (Jim O'Neill ( February 23, 1893 - September 5, 1976) was a backup Shortstop in Major League Baseball who played Pete or Peter Cooper is the name of Peter Cooper, 19th century American industrialist inventor and philanthropist Pete Cooper (golfer, Clarence "Gatemouth" Brown was the viola's most prominent exponent in the genre of blues. Clarence "Gatemouth" Brown ( April 18 1924 — September 10 2005) was a Louisiana and Texan American The Blues is a vocal and instrumental form of Music based on the use of the Blue notes It emerged as an accessible form of self-expression

The viola is also an important accompaniment instrument in Hungarian and Romanian folk string band music, especially in Transylvania. Hungary (Magyarország 'mɔɟɔrorsaːg) officially in English the Republic of Hungary ( Magyar Köztársaság, literally Magyar (Hungarian Republic Romania ( dated: Rumania, Roumania Transylvania (Ardeal or ro ''Transilvania'' Erdély, see also other denominations) is a Central European region located in the eastern half of the Carpathian Here the instrument has three strings tuned g - d' - a (note that the a is an octave lower than found on the standard instrument), and the bridge is flattened with the instrument playing chords in a strongly rhythmic manner. In this usage, it is called a kontra or brácsa (pronounced "bra-cha").

Violists

Main article: Violist

There are only a few well known viola virtuosi, perhaps because the bulk of virtuoso viola music was written in the twentieth century. This is a list of noted Viola players. Notable violists A Julia Rebekka Adler (b In this category, the name of William Primrose readily comes to mind, as he brought the virtuoso aspect of viola playing to exceptional standards. William Primrose CBE ( August 23, 1904 - May 1, 1982) was a Scottish violist and teacher probably the best

In addition to Primrose, the most important viola pioneers from the twentieth century are Lionel Tertis, Paul Hindemith, Lillian Fuchs, Walter Trampler and Emmanuel Vardi - up to now, the only violist to have ever recorded the 24 Caprices by Paganini on viola. Lionel Tertis ( 29 December 1876 – 22 February 1975) was an English violist and one of the first viola players to find Paul Hindemith (16 November 1895 &ndash 28 December 1963 was a German Composer, Violist, violinist teacher music theorist and conductor. Lillian Fuchs ( November 18, 1901 - October 5, 1995) an American violist teacher and composer is considered to be among the finest Walter Trampler ( August 25, 1915, Munich &ndash September 27, 1997, Port Joli Nova Scotia) was a virtuoso performer Niccolò Paganini ( October 27, 1782 &ndash The contemporary well-known violists include Yuri Bashmet, Lawrence Power, Michael Kugel, Kim Kashkashian, Nobuko Imai, Rivka Golani, Tabea Zimmermann, and Paul Neubauer. Yuri Abramovich Bashmet ( Russian: Юрий Абрамович Башмет Ukrainian: Юрій Башмет born 24 January, 1953) is a leading Michael Kugel (born 1946 is a Russian Viola player He was born in Kharkov USSR born (December 5th 1946 Kim Kashkashian (born August 31, 1952 in Detroit, Michigan) is an Armenian-American Violist who won the 2nd place prize is a Japanese classical violist with an extensive career as soloist and chamber musician Rivka Golani (b Tel Aviv, 1946) is a Canadian violist. Born in Israel, Ms Tabea Zimmermann, born on October 8 1966 in Lahr, ( Germany) is a German Violist. Violist Paul Neubauer was the youngest principal player for the New York Philharmonic and currently teaches at the Juilliard School and performs with the From the younger generation, Nokuthula Ngwenyama, Cathy Basrak, Jennifer Stumm, Ori Kam, Viacheslav Dinerchtein, and Antoine Tamestit deserve a prominent mention. Cathy Basrak (born 1977 is one of the most prominent young Violists today Jennifer Stumm is a prominent young American concert violist. Viacheslav Dinerchtein is among the prominent violists of the new generation and an active promoter of little-known Viola repertoire Antoine Tamestit is a French Violist. Tamestit who studied at the Paris Conservatory, has performed at such venues as the Royal Concertgebouw

Among the great composers, several preferred the viola to the violin when playing in ensembles, the most noted being Ludwig van Beethoven, J.S. Bach^[6] and Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. Ludwig van Beethoven ( English ˈlʊdvɪg væn ˈbeɪtoʊvən, 16 December 1770 &ndash 26 March 1827 was a German Composer and Pianist. WikipediaWikiProject Composers#Lead section.2 This article is written in British English including maximised use of "-ise" Numerous other composers also chose to play the viola in ensembles, including Joseph Haydn, Franz Schubert, Felix Mendelssohn, Antonín Dvořák, and Benjamin Britten. Jakob Ludwig Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy, born and generally known as Felix Mendelssohn (February 3 1809 &ndash November 4 1847 was a German Composer Antonín Leopold Dvořák ( (often pronounced in English as; DVOR-zhahk; September 8 1841 – May 1 1904 was a Czech composer of Romantic music, who employed Edward Benjamin Britten Baron Britten, OM CH (22 November 1913 – 4 December 1976 was an English Composer, conductor, Among those noted both as violists and as composers are Rebecca Clarke and Paul Hindemith. WikipediaWikiProject Composers#Lead section --> Rebecca Clarke (Friskin (27 August 1886 &ndash 13 October 1979 was an English classical Paul Hindemith (16 November 1895 &ndash 28 December 1963 was a German Composer, Violist, violinist teacher music theorist and conductor. Many noted violinists have publicly performed and recorded on the viola as well, among them Pinchas Zukermann, David Oistrakh, Eugene Ysaye, Yehudi Menuhin, Maxim Vengerov, and Nigel Kennedy. Pinchas Zukerman (פנחס צוקרמן born July 16, 1948) is a noted Israeli Violinist violist, and conductor who was David Fyodorovich Oistrakh (Russian Давид Фёдорович Ойстрах) David Fiodorovič Ojstrah; &ndash October 24, 1974 Eugène Ysaÿe ( July 16 1858 &ndash May 12 1931) was a Belgian Violinist, Composer and conductor Yehudi Menuhin Baron Menuhin, OM, KBE (April 22 1916 – March 12 1999 was an American -born Violinist and conductor who spent Maxim Alexandrovich Vengerov (מקסים וונגרוב born August 20, 1974) is an Israeli Violinist who was born in the Soviet Union Nigel Kennedy (born 28 December 1956 in Brighton England) is a Violinist and Violist.

The famous rock guitarist Jimi Hendrix played the viola before undertaking the guitar. James Marshall Hendrix (born Johnny Allen Hendrix) (November 27 1942 – September 18 1970 was an American Guitarist, Singer and Songwriter

The term violist is not universally used in English; some players, generally British, prefer viola player, since the word "'violist" is used in the UK to mean "player of the viol". This is a list of noted Viola players. Notable violists A Julia Rebekka Adler (b The viol (also called viola da gamba) is any one of a family of bowed, Fretted stringed Musical instruments developed in the 1400s

The viola in popular music

The viola sees limited use in popular music. It was sometimes part of popular dance orchestras in the period from about 1890 to 1930, and orchestrations of pop tunes from that era often had viola parts available. The viola largely disappeared from pop music at the start of the big band era. A big band is a type of Musical ensemble associated with playing jazz music and which became popular during the Swing Era from the early 1930s until the late With the Charlie Daniels Band, Charlie Daniels has played viola instead of violin for some of the fiddling "Redneck Fiddlin' Man. "

John Cale, a classically trained violist, played the instrument to great effect (amplified and often distorted) on some Velvet Underground tracks, most notably on "Venus in Furs", "Heroin", "The Black Angel's Death Song", "Stephanie Says", and "Hey Mr. Rain". John Davies Cale (born March 9, 1942) better known as John Cale, is a Welsh Musician, Composer, Singer-songwriter This article is about the band For their self-titled album see The Velvet Underground (album; for the book see The Velvet Underground (book " Venus in Furs " is a song by The Velvet Underground, written by Lou Reed and originally released on the 1967 album The Velvet Underground " Heroin " is a song by The Velvet Underground, released on their 1967 debut album The Velvet Underground and Nico. " The Black Angel's Death Song " is a song by The Velvet Underground, from their 1967 debut album The Velvet Underground and Nico. VU is an Outtakes Compilation album by The Velvet Underground. Another View is an outtakes Compilation album by The Velvet Underground. He also played viola on "We Will Fall" a track on the debut Stooges album which he also produced. The Stooges is the self-titled debut of the Protopunk band The Stooges.

Producer and songwriter Don Kayvan is classically trained violist and regularly uses the viola on rap, r&b, alternative and pop songs.

Singer-songwriter Patrick Wolf is a trained violinist and viola player, and regularly uses viola in his songs and onstage. Patrick Wolf (born Patrick Denis Apps on June 30, 1983) is an English Singer-songwriter from South London.

Kansas' "Dust in the Wind", as well as other tracks by the band, features a viola melody. Kansas is an American Progressive rock band which became a popular Arena rock group in the 1970s with hit singles such as " Carry On Wayward " Dust in the Wind " is a hit single released by the American Progressive rock band Kansas in 1977 Robby Steinhardt played violin, viola, and cello on the song, and he or David Ragsdale play at least one of these on most Kansas songs during their membership. Robby Steinhardt (born May 25, 1950) is a rock Violinist, and Singer best known for his work with the group Kansas, for David Ragsdale, violinist for Kansas, started violin at the age of three

Dave Swarbrick of the English Folk-Rock group Fairport Convention has been known to contribute viola among other stringed instruments to the band, most notably on the Liege & Lief album on the track "Medley. David Cyril Eric 'Dave' Swarbrick (born 5 April 1941 in New Malden) is an English folk musician Liege & Lief, released in 1969 is the fourth Electric folk album released by Fairport Convention and established British folk-rock as a distinct and . . " where he plays violin with an overdubbed viola playing the same part an octave lower.

The viola has made a slight comeback in modern pop music; aided and abetted by string groups, bond and Wild. Bond (often typeset as bond in deference to the owners of the 007 Wild were a five-piece classical female group They were often compared to Bond, due to the very similar makeup and style of both groups The Flobots make extensive use of the viola on nearly all of their songs as bandmember Mackenzie Roberts is a violist. Flobots are an Alternative rock / Alternative hip hop group from Denver Colorado, formed in or around 2000 In her latest album, Lonely Runs Both Ways, Alison Krauss uses the viola in many of her songs. Lonely Runs Both Ways is the twelfth Album by Bluegrass music group Alison Krauss & Union Station, released November 23 Alison Krauss ( born July 23 1971 is an American bluegrass - country singer and Fiddle player Vienna Teng, a folk/indie artist, used the viola as a solo instrument in two of her songs from her recent album Dreaming Through the Noise (2006). Vienna Teng (born Cynthia Yih Shih on October 3, 1978 is a Taiwanese American Pianist and Singer-songwriter based in New York Dreaming Through the Noise is Singer-songwriter Vienna Teng 's third album

Norwegian noise rock band Noxagt had a viola player until very recently; this musician left the band and was replaced by a baritone guitarist. Noxagt is a Norwegian rock band. It started as a Kjetil Brandsdal solo project in 1999 but was expanded to a Power trio in 2002 with Brandsdal on bass The baritone guitar is a variation on the standard guitar with a longer Scale length that allows it to be tuned to a lower range New indie pop band The Funetics, use two violas and guitar for its instrumentation. The Six Parts Seven also used a viola. For a similarly named band see Six by Seven. The Six Parts Seven are an American Post-rock band formerly based in Kent Neo-new wave indie rock band The Rentals features classically trained violist Lauren Chipman. The Rentals are a rock band fronted by Matt Sharp, former bass player for Weezer.

Electric violas

Amplification and equalization can make up for the weaker output of a violin string tuned to notes below G3, so most electric instruments with lower strings are violin-sized, and as such, are called "violins. " Comparatively fewer electric violas do exist, for those who prefer the physical size or familiar touch references of a viola-sized instrument.

Instruments may be built with an internal preamplifier, or may put out the unbuffered transducer signal. A preamplifier (preamp or control amp in some parts of the world is an Electronic amplifier which precedes another amplifier to prepare an electronic A buffer amplifier (sometimes simply called a buffer) is one that provides Electrical impedance transformation from one circuit to another A transducer is a device usually electrical, electronic, Electro-mechanical, Electromagnetic, Photonic, or Photovoltaic In the fields of communications, Signal processing, and in Electrical engineering more generally a signal is any time-varying or spatial-varying quantity While such raw signals may be fed directly to an amplifier or mixing board, they often benefit from an external preamp/equalizer on the end of a short cable, before being fed to the sound system

Audio examples

Bibliography

• Dalton, David. "The Viola & Violists. " Primrose International Viola Archive. Retrieved Oct 8, 2006
• Chapman, Eric. "Joseph Curtin and the Evia". Journal of the American Viola Society, Vol. 20, No. 1, Spring 2004, pp. 41-42.
• Curtin, Joseph. "Otto Erdesz Remembered". The Strad, November 2000. Retrieved July 30, 2006
• Curtin, Joseph. "Project Evia" (Retrieved Oct 8, 2006). American Lutherie Journal, No. 60, Winter 1999.
• Maurice, Joseph. "Michael Balling: Pioneer German Solo Violist with a New Zealand Interlude. " Journal of the American Viola Society, Summer 2003. Retrieved July 31, 2006.

See also

• Vertical viola
• Viola d'amore

External links

• Primrose International Viola Archive library website
• Viola web site, with links to resources & viola societies
• Rivinus- David Rivinus' site with pictures of his oddly shaped violas
• Curtin - Joseph Curtin's "Evia" (Experimental viola) model
• Viola in music - The role of viola in music. The vertical viola, or alto violin, is a stringed instrument with the range of a Viola that is played vertically in the manner of a Cello. The viola d'amore ( Italian: love Viol) is a 7- or 6- stringed Musical instrument with Sympathetic strings used chiefly in the Information, description of works, videos, free sheet music, MIDI files, RSS update.
• Anechoic Recordings of Viola Tones - University of Iowa Electronic Music Studios
• Brothers Gahl fighting violism – a film made by the Oslo String Quartet
• Dr. Lindsay Aitkenhead's folk viola research page. Oslo String Quartet was formed in 1991 by Geir Inge Lotsberg and Per Kristian Skalstad (violins Are Sandbakken (viola and Øystein Sonstad (cello

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