Violas | Can’t Sleep? Learn About An Unsung Instrument

Violas have long occupied the middle voice of the string family, bridging the bright sound of the violin and the rich depth of the cello. This episode explores how violas developed, what gives them their distinctive tone, how they differ from violins, and the important role they play in orchestras and chamber music. Along the way, you’ll hear about instrument design, famous composers, playing techniques, and the enduring appeal of an instrument that has often lived just outside the spotlight.

It’s steady and consistent, with no whispering and no sudden changes, just enough to give your mind something to follow as you wind down. Happy sleeping!

Transcript

Welcome to the I Can't Sleep podcast, Where I help you drift off one fact at a time. I'm your host Benjamin Boster, And today's episode is about the viola. The viola is a string instrument of the violin family and is usually bowed when played. The viola is slightly larger than the violin and has a lower sound. Since the 18th century, It has been the middle or alto voice of the violin family, Between the violin, Which is tuned a perfect fifth higher, And the cello, Which is tuned an octave lower. The strings from low to high are typically tuned to C3, G3, D4, And A4. In the past, The viola varied in size and style, As did its names. The word viola originates from the Italian language. The Italians often use the term, Vio d'abbraccio, Meaning literally, Of the arm. Braco was another Italian word for the viola, Which the Germans adopted as braccia. The French had their own names. Saint-Guillaume was a small viola, Paul Contreux was a large viola, And Ty was a tenor. Today the French use the term auto, A reference to its range. The viola was popular in the heyday of five-part harmony up until the 18th century, Taking three lines of the harmony and occasionally playing the melody line. Music notation for the viola differs from most other instruments in that it primarily uses the alto clef. When viola music has substantial sections in a higher register, It switches to the treble clef to make it easier to read. The viola often plays the inner voices in string quartets and symphonic writing, And it is more likely than the first violin to play accompaniment parts. The viola occasionally plays a major soloistic role in orchestral or chamber music. Examples include the symphonic poem Don Quixote by Richard Strauss, The 13th Quartet by Dmitri Shostakovich, And a symphony with a main viola line, Arròre en Italie by Hector Bellios. 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 Turdus and William Primrose. English composers Arthur Bliss, Edwin York Bowen, Benjamin Dale, Frank Bridge, Benjamin Britten, Rebecca Clark, And Raefon Williams all wrote substantial chamber and concert works. Many of these pieces were commissioned or written for Turdus. William Walton, Bohuslav Martinu, Toru Takamitsu, Tibor Sirle, Alfred Schnitt, And Bela Bartok have written well-known Vila concertos. The concerti by Bartók, Paul Hindemith, Karl Stamets, Georg Philipp Tillemann, And Walton are considered major works of the viola repertoire. Hindemith, Who was a violist, Wrote a substantial amount of music for viola, Including the concerto Der schwanendere. The viola is similar in material and construction to the violin. A full-size viola's body is between 25 and 100 millimeters longer than the body of a full-size violin, With an average length of 41 centimeters. Villas for children typically start at 30 cm. For centuries, Viola makers have experimented with the size and shape of violas, Often to make a lighter instrument with shorter string lengths, But with a large enough sound box to retain the sound associated with the instrument. Prior to the 18th century, A large viola, Known as a tenor, Was designed to play lower notes. A smaller-sized viola, Alto viola, Was used for higher register. Several experiments have intended to increase the size of the viola to improve sound and harmony. Hermann Ritter's viola alta, Which measured about 48 centimeters, Was intended for use in Wagner's operas. The TURTIS model viola, Which has wider bouts and deeper ribs to promote a better tone, Is another slightly non-standard shape that allows the player to use a larger instrument. Many experiments with the acoustics of a viola, Particularly increasing the size of the body, Have resulted in a much deeper tone, Making it resemble the tone of a cello. Since many composers wrote for a traditional size viola, Particularly in orchestral music, Changes in the tone of a viola can have unintended consequences upon the balance in ensembles. One of the most notable makers of violas of the 20th century was Englishman A. E. Smith, Whose violas are sought after and highly valued. Many of his violas remain in Australia, His country of residence, Where during some decades the violists of the Sydney Symphony Orchestra had a dozen of them in their section. More recent and more radically shaped innovations have addressed the ergonomic problems associated with playing the viola by making it shorter and lighter while finding ways to keep the traditional sound. These include the Otto Erde's cutaway viola, Which has one shoulder cut out to make shifting easier. The Oakleaf Viola, Which has two extra bouds. Vial-shaped violas such as Joseph Curtin's Evia model, Which also uses a movable neck and maple-veneered carbon fiber back to reduce weight. Violas played in the same manner as cellos, And the eye-catching dolly-esque shapes of both Bernard Sabatier's violas in fractional sizes, Which appeared to have melted, And David Rivenness's Pellegrina model violas. Other experiments that deal with the ergonomics versus sound problem have appeared. The American composer Harry Parch fitted a viola with a cello neck to allow the use of his 43-tone scale, Called the adapted viola. Luthiers have also created five-stringed violas, Which allow a greater playing range. A person who plays the viola is called a violist or a viola player. The technique required for playing a viola has certain differences compared with that of a violin, Partly because of its larger size. The notes are spread out further along the fingerboard, Although they do not usually require different fingerings. The viola's less responsive strings and the heavier bow warrant a somewhat different bowing technique, And the violist has to lean more intensely on the strings. The viola is held in the same manner as the violin. However, Due to its larger size, Some adjustments must be made to accommodate it. The viola, Just like the violin, Is placed on top of the left shoulder, Between the shoulder and the left side of the face. Because of the viola's size, Violists with short arms tend to use smaller sized instruments for easier playing. The most immediately noticeable adjustments that a player accustomed to playing the 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, Facilitated by employing the fleshier pad of the finger rather than the tip, And to hold the bow and right arm further away from the player's body. A violist must bring the left elbow further forward or around so as to reach the lowest string. Which allows the fingers to press firmly and create a clearer tone. Different positions are often used, Including half position and most commonly third position. The viola is strung with thicker gauge strings than the violin. This combined with its larger size and lower pitch range results in a deeper and mellower tone. However, The thicker strings also mean that the viola responds to changes in bowing more slowly. 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. The thicker strings also mean that more weight must be applied with the bow to make them vibrate. The viola's bow has a wider band of horsehair than a violin's bow, Which is particularly noticeable near the frog or heel in the UK. Viola bows at 70-74 grams are heavier than violin bows. The profile of the rectangular outside corner of a viola bow frog generally is more rounded than the violin bows. The viola's four strings are normally tuned in fifths. The lowest string is C, An octave below middle C, With G, D, And A above it. 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. Each string of a viola is wrapped around a peg near the scroll and is tuned by turning the peg. Tightening the string raises the pitch. Loosening the string lowers the pitch. The A string is normally tuned first to the pitch of the ensemble, Generally 400 to 442 Hz. The other strings are then tuned to hit in intervals of fifths, Usually by bowing two strings simultaneously. Most violas also have adjusters, Fine tuners that make finer pitch adjustments. Some violists will choose to only have one fine tuner on the A string. Others choose to have fine tuners on all strings. These adjust the tension of the string viola rotating a small knob above the tailpiece. Such tuning is generally easier to learn than using the pegs, And adjusters are usually recommended for younger players and put on smaller violas, Though pegs and adjusters are usually used together. Some violists reverse the tuning of the C and G strings so that the thicker C string does not turn so severe an angle over the nut, Although this is rare. 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 peg box. These techniques may be useful in performances such as live concerts, Producing the dissonance of an out-of-tune string or viola until a proper opportunity to tune. The tuning C3, G3, D4, A4, From lowest to highest, Is used for the great majority of all viola music. The strings are tuned perfect fifths apart. However, Other tunings are occasionally employed, Both in classical music where the technique is known as scordatura, And in some folk styles. Mozart, In his Sinfonia concertate for violin, Viola, And orchestra in E flat, Wrote the violin part in D major, And specified that the violist raises the strings in pitch by a semitone. Probably intended to give the viola a brighter tone so the rest of the orchestra would not overpower it. Turtus, 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. A renewal of interest in the viola by performers and composers in the 20th century led to increased research devoted to the instrument. Paul Hindemith and Vadim Voroshkovsky made an early attempt at an organization in 1927. It was the Violas World Union. But it was not until 1968, With the creation of the Viola Forschungsgesellschaft, Now the International Viola Society, IVS, That a lasting organization took hold. The IVS now consists of 12 chapters around the world, The largest being the American Viola Society, AVS, Which publishes the Journal of the American Viola Society. In addition to the journal, The AVS sponsors the David Dalton Research Competition and the Primrose International Viola Competition. The 1960s also saw the beginning of several research publications devoted to the viola, Beginning with Franz Zeringer's Literatura for Viola, Which has appeared in several versions, The most recent being in 1985. In 1980, Maurice Reilly produced the first attempt at a comprehensive history of the viola. In his, History of the Viola, Which was followed by a second volume in 1991. The I. V. S. Published the multi-language Viola Yearbook from 1979 to 1994, During which several other national chapters of the I. V. S. Published respective newsletters. The Primrose International Viola Archive at Brigham Young University houses the greatest amount of material related to the viola, Including scores, Recordings, Instruments, And archival materials from some of the world's greatest violists. Music that is written for the viola primarily uses the alto clef, Which is otherwise rarely used. The note that resides on the lowest line on the alto clef stave is F3, Whereas in treble clef it is E4. Viola music employs the treble clef when there are substantial sections of the music written in a higher register. The autoclave indicates the placement of C4 on the middle line of the staff. As the viola is tuned exactly one octave above the cello, Music that is notated for the cello can be easily transcribed for alto clef without any changes in key. For example, There are numerous editions of Bach's cello suites transcribed for viola. The viola also has the advantage of smaller scale lengths when compared to the cello. This means that the stretches needed by cellists to play certain notes are easier to achieve on the viola. However, Occasional changes must be made due to differences in the ways that the two instruments are played, As well as their differences in range. In early orchestral music, The viola part was usually limited to filling in harmonies, With very little melodic material assigned to it. When the viola was given a melodic part, It was often duplicated or is in unison with the melody played by other strings. The Brandenburg Concertos, A set of concerti grossi composed by J. S. Bach, Are unusual for their time and their use of viola. The third Concerto Grosso, Scored for three violins, Three violas, Three cellos, And basso continuo, Requires virtuosity from the violas. Indeed, Viola 1 has a solo in the last movement, Which is commonly required in orchestral auditions. In the sixth concerto grosso, Brandenburg Concerto No. 6, Scored for two violas concertini, Cello, Two violas da gamba, And continuo, The two violas play the primary melodic roles. Bach also used this unusual ensemble in his cantatas, Gleich wie der Regen und Schnee von Himmelfeld, BWV 18, And Mein Herze schwimmt im Blut, BWV 199, In which the chorale is accompanied by an obbligato viola. There are a few Baroque and Classical concerti, Such as those by Georg Philipp Tillemann, One for solo viola, Being one of the earliest viola concertos known, And one for two violas, Alessandro Rola, Franz Anton Hofmeister, And Karl Stamets. The viola plays an important role in chamber music. Mozart used the viola in more creative ways when he wrote his six-string quintets. The viola quintets use two violas, Which frees them, Especially the first viola, For solo passages, And increases the variety of writing that is possible for the ensemble. Mozart also wrote for the viola in his Sinfonia Concertante, A set of two duets for violin and viola, And the Kegelstadt Trio for viola, Clarinet and piano. The young Felix Mendelssohn wrote a little-known viola sonata in C minor, Without opus number, But dating from 1824. Robert Schumann wrote his Märchenbilde for viola and piano. He also wrote a set of four pieces for clarinet, Viola, And piano. Max Bruch wrote a romance for viola and orchestra, His Opus 85, Which explores the emotive capabilities of the viola's timbre. In addition, His eight pieces for clarinet, Viola, And piano, Op. 83, Features the viola in a very prominent solo aspect throughout. His concerto for clarinet, Viola, And orchestra, Op. 88, Has been quite prominent in the repertoire and has been recorded by prominent violists throughout the 20th century. From his earliest works, Brahms wrote music that prominently featured the viola. Among his first published pieces of chamber music, The sextets for strings, Opus 18 and opus 36, Contain what amounts to solo parts for both violas. Late in life, He wrote two greatly admired sonatas for clarinet and piano, His opus 120. He later transcribed these works for the viola. Brahms also wrote two songs for voice, Viola and piano, Opus 91, Gestellte Sehnsucht and Geistliches Wiegenlied, As presents for the famous violinist Joseph Joachim and his wife Amelie. Dvorak played the viola and apparently said that it was his favorite instrument. His chamber music is rich in important parts for the viola. The viola occasionally has a major role in orchestral music, A prominent example being Richard Strauss's tone poem, Don Quixote, For solo cello and viola and orchestra. Gabriel Faure's Requiem was originally scored in 1888 with divided viola sections, Lacking the usual violin sections, Having only a solo violin for the Sanctus. It was later scored for orchestra with violin sections and published in 1901. Recordings of the older scoring with violas are available. While the viola repertoire is quite large, The amount written by well-known pre-20th century composers is relatively small. There are many transcriptions of works for other instruments for the viola, And the large number of 20th century compositions is very diverse. 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 Tertus. Englishmen Arthur Bliss, Edwin York Bowen, Benjamin Dale, And Ralph Vaughan Williams all wrote chamber and concert works for Turtis. William Walton, Bohuslav Martinu and Bela Bartok wrote well-known viola concertos. Hindemith wrote a substantial amount of music for the viola. Being himself a violist, He often performed his own works. Claude Debussy's sonata for flute, Viola, And harp has inspired a significant number of other composers to write for this combination. The viola is sometimes used in contemporary popular music, Mostly in the avant-garde. John Cale of the Velvet Underground used the viola as do some modern groups, Such as alternative rock band Ten Thousand Maniacs, Imagine Dragons, Folk duo John and Mary, British Sea Power, The airborne Toxic Event, Marillion, And others often with instruments in a chamber setting. 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 from the 1960s onward. It is quite unusual, Though, To use individual bowed string instruments in contemporary popular music. To amplify the sound produced, Regular acoustic violas are fitted with a piezoelectric pickup. Specially designed electric violas have little or no body. Unlike traditional violas, They can be made of materials other than wood, And of any color. Electric violas are mostly violin sized, As they use the amp and speaker to create a big sound, So they do not need a large soundbox. Indeed, Some electric violas have little or no soundbox, And thus rely entirely on amplification. Fewer electric violas are available than electric violins. It can be hard for violists who prefer a physical size or familiar touch references of a viola-sized instrument when they misuse an electric viola that uses a smaller violin-sized body. John Cale, Formerly of the Velvet Underground, Is one of the more notable users of such an electric viola, And he has used them both for melodies in his solo work and for drones in his work with the Velvet Underground. Other notable players of the electric viola are Jeffrey Richardson of Caravan and Ramsey. Instruments may be billed with an internal preamplifier or may put out an unbuffered transducer signal. While such 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. In rock and other loud systems, The electric viola player may use effects units, Such as reverb or overdrive.