The viola is a noble instrument, but because it occupies the middle tessitura of the strings family, it tends to get compared with the violin and the cello. In that sense, it has a similar problem to the double bass, in that it is difficult to write well for it so that it sounds like the piece was actually written for that particular instrument.

If you try to make the double bass sound like a cello, you will probably fail, though doubtless someone will cite some exceptions. The double bass sounds at its best in repertoire written specifically for it, although unfortunately that repertoire itself isn't always the most musically satisfying. You then have the predicament of deciding whether to play cello transcriptions on the bass: better music most probably, but not entirely suited to the technical demands of the larger instrument.

I suspect that it is a similar scenario on the viola. There was something on R3 about Tertis recently: now, he could make the viola sound true to itself, and interestingly the best pieces in the programme (er, was it part of CD Review, I can't remember just now) were the pieces written especially for the viola. As my memory is off duty just now, I can't recall those either (sorry, not much help there) but I do think that Berio has written very well for viola.

I am sure, T-P, as long as you try to emulate the sound that somebody else makes, you will be missing the target (cue zen proverb: The goal is not the goal. The goal is how you approach the goal). I hope you will take some time to evaluate carefully where your strengths are as a performer, what kind of sound you want to hear, and focus on those points.

From most of your posts I suspect that you doubt that you have any real strengths as a performer. Perhaps identifying your strengths would be a good place to start. Recognize that there are some things you do exceptionally well, and remind yourself of that while you consider areas that you would like to improve.

What is it with people's attitide to the viola ? 

t-p referred to 'mysterious' and today for Composer of the Week we read:

John Woolrich talks to Donald Macleod about what drew him towards composing, the way in which his works form a dialogue with the music of the past, and his love of the shadowy world of the viola.

The viola is a fine, yet misunderstood instrument.  Popularly considered a poor-man's violin, in fact it's a soprano cello - tuned one octave above the standard instrument.   Although there have not, perhaps, been so many famous violists, there have been many famous musicians who have also been violists - Britten, Bridge, Rudolf Barshai, Hindemith, Mozart, and John Cale to name but a few of them.

As a Badge Of Honour, violists use the Alto Clef - a closed world to other instrumentalists, who look on in awe and respect at violists who can negotiate this recondite notation.  In fact violists are known as the "papa" of the orchestra.  This is because they are so frequently found playing "3/4 - pah-pah, - pah-pah, - pah-pah" etc.  There are many jokes about the viola; this is because its players are the only orchestral musicians with a sense of humour

Or a violin whose cojones have dropped

Tommo  (in a deeeeeep voice)

JS Bach, too, turned to the viola in his more advanced years.

I've heard it posited that the viola has a particular resonance (pun intended) to human ears because its register is closer to that of most human speaking voices than the other extant string instruments.  It's played with more attention to resonance than the violin (I'm thinking of "modern" instruments here) - not too much vibrato, more care in using slow bows that warm up the whole structure and draw a sound out, rather than bashing and pressing and playing higher and higher...

Viola clef a badge of honour?  Other instrumentalists looking on in awe and respect?  Huh.  I won't disillusion you, Reiner!   


***oops Ollie got there just before me.  I think I quoted some choice things Quantz had to say about the viola in the Violin/Viola thread a couple months ago - will look for it now***

They do though, I tell you, Strina!  All eyes are on the viola player as he plays the last two bars solo when all others around him have already finished

Is it trendy to compose a viola concerto? Why have so many been written in the last 25 years or so?