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75-422: Giovanni Battista Guadagnini (often shortened to G. B. Guadagnini; 23 June 1711 – 18 September 1786) was an Italian luthier , regarded as one of the finest craftsmen of string instruments in history. He is widely considered the third greatest maker after Antonio Stradivari and Giuseppe Guarneri "del Gesù" . The Guadagnini family was known for their violins, guitars and mandolins . Giovanni Battista Guadagnini

150-409: 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. There are few well-known viola virtuoso soloists, perhaps because little virtuoso viola music was written before

225-1119: A close musician friend from his time in Piacenza, to a position with the Ducal Court . During his time in Parma Guadagnini was also closely connected to the court, and in particular to the musical patronage of the Prime Minister Guillaume du Tillot . In his later years in Parma Guadagnini even received a direct salary from the court. In 1771, with the Court's financial fortunes in decline, Guadagnini asked to be allowed to leave. He next moved to Turin . Two years later, in 1773, he began his historically important relationship with notable violin collector Count Cozio . Cozio purchased most, if not all, of Guadagnini's output during this time, and also supplied him with most of his wood and other materials. His business partnership with Cozio ended in 1777, though they continued to have dealings with each other. The Count

300-773: A few years after the master's death. David Tecchler , who was born in Austria, later worked in both Venice and Rome . Luthiers from the early 18th century include Nicolò Gagliano of Naples , Italy, Carlo Ferdinando Landolfi of Milan, and Giovanni Battista Guadagnini , who roamed throughout Italy during his lifetime. From Austria originally, Leopold Widhalm later established himself in Nürnberg , Germany. The Jérôme-Thibouville-Lamy firm started making wind instruments around 1730 at La Couture-Boussey , then moved to Mirecourt around 1760 and started making violins, guitars, mandolins, and musical accessories. The early 19th-century luthiers of

375-630: A guitar maker in Vienna, Austria and Martin & Co. was born, with the X bracing being developed in the 1850s. Martin & Co still produce acoustic guitars. Paul Bigsby 's innovation of the tremolo arm for archtop and electric guitars is still in use and may have influenced Leo Fender 's design for the Stratocaster solid-body electric guitar, as well as the Jaguar and Jazzmaster . Concurrent with Fender's work, guitarist Les Paul independently developed

450-527: A large five-movement work with piano, Pietà , Airat Ichmouratov Viola Concerto No. 1 , Op. 7 and Three Romances for Viola, Strings, and Harp , Op. 22. 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 10,000 Maniacs , Imagine Dragons , folk duo John & Mary , British Sea Power , The Airborne Toxic Event, Marillion , and others often with instruments in

525-483: A lengthy viola solo. Gabriel Fauré'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

600-481: A major role in orchestral music, a prominent example being Richard Strauss ' tone poem Don Quixote for solo cello and viola and orchestra. Other examples are the "Ysobel" variation of Edward Elgar 's Enigma Variations and the solo in his work, In the South (Alassio) , the pas de deux scene from act 2 of Adolphe Adam 's Giselle and the "La Paix" movement of Léo Delibes 's ballet Coppélia , which features

675-442: A moveable neck and maple-veneered carbon fibre back, to reduce weight: 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 David Rivinus' Pellegrina model violas. Other experiments that deal with the "ergonomics vs. sound" problem have appeared. The American composer Harry Partch fitted

750-830: A number of works for viola. Amplification of a viola with a pickup , an instrument amplifier (and speaker), and adjusting the tone with a graphic equalizer can make up for the comparatively weaker output of a violin-family instrument string tuned to notes below G3. There are two types of instruments used for electric viola: regular acoustic violas fitted with a piezoelectric pickup and specialized electric violas, which have little or no body. While traditional acoustic violas are typically only available in historically used earth tones (e.g., brown, reddish-brown, blonde), electric violas may be traditional colors or they may use bright colors, such as red, blue or green. Some electric violas are made of materials other than wood. Most electric instruments with lower strings are violin-sized, as they use

825-409: A romance for viola and orchestra, his Op. 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

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900-634: A series of works entitled The Viola in My Life , which feature concertante viola parts. In spectral music , the viola has been sought after because of its lower overtone partials that are more easily heard than on the violin. Spectral composers like Gérard Grisey , Tristan Murail , and Horațiu Rădulescu have written solo works for viola. Neo-Romantic, post-Modern composers have also written significant works for viola including Robin Holloway Viola Concerto Op. 56 and Sonata Op. 87, Peter Seabourne

975-739: A solid-body electric guitar. These were the first fretted, solid-body electric guitars—though they were preceded by the cast aluminum " frying pan ", a solid-body electric lap steel guitar developed and eventually patented by George Beauchamp , and built by Adolph Rickenbacher . A company founded by luthier Friedrich Gretsch and continued by his son and grandson, Fred and Fred, Jr., originally made banjos, but now mainly produce electric guitars. Bowed instruments include: cello , crwth , double bass , erhu , fiddle , hudok , morin khuur , nyckelharpa , hurdy-gurdy , rabab , rebec , sarangi , viol ( viola da gamba ), viola , viola da braccio , viola d'amore , and violin . The purported inventor of

1050-961: A symphony with a main viola line: Harold en Italie , by Hector Berlioz . 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 and William Primrose . English composers Arthur Bliss , Edwin York Bowen , Benjamin Dale , Frank Bridge , Benjamin Britten , Rebecca Clarke and Ralph Vaughan Williams all wrote substantial chamber and concert works. Many of these pieces were commissioned by, or written for, Tertis. William Walton , Bohuslav Martinů , Tōru Takemitsu , Tibor Serly , Alfred Schnittke , and Béla Bartók have written well-known viola concertos. The concerti by Bartók , Paul Hindemith , Carl Stamitz , Georg Philipp Telemann , and Walton are considered major works of

1125-462: A traditional-sized 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 twentieth 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

1200-426: 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

1275-458: Is a string instrument of the violin family , and is usually bowed when played. Violas are slightly larger than violins , and have a lower and deeper 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 C 3 , G 3 , D 4 , and A 4 . In

1350-421: Is also available in a transcription for viola). Brahms also wrote " Two Songs for Voice, Viola and Piano ", Op. 91, "Gestillte Sehnsucht" ("Satisfied Longing") and "Geistliches Wiegenlied" ("Spiritual Lullaby") as presents for the famous violinist Joseph Joachim and his wife, Amalie . Dvořák played the viola and apparently said that it was his favorite instrument: his chamber music is rich in important parts for

1425-527: Is credited with creating the archtop guitar . The 20th-century American luthiers John D'Angelico and Jimmy D'Aquisto made archtop guitars. Lloyd Loar worked briefly for the Gibson Guitar Corporation making mandolins and guitars. His designs for a family of arch top instruments (mandolin, mandola, guitar, et cetera) are held in high esteem by today's luthiers, who seek to reproduce their sound. C. F. Martin apprenticed to Johann Georg Stauffer,

1500-466: Is equivalent to a half-size violin . For a child who needs a smaller size, a fractional-sized violin is often strung with the strings of a viola. Unlike the violin, the viola does not have a standard full size. The body of a viola would need to measure about 51 cm (20 in) long to match the acoustics of a violin, however it can only be played vertically like a Cello, hence the name Vertical viola . For centuries, viola makers have experimented with

1575-483: Is generally considered to be the last of the great historical makers, ranking just behind Stradivari and Guarneri. He is also possibly the last of historical makers to have used a varnish similar to what was used by classical Cremonese makers. His instruments have sold for over $ 2,000,000 at auction. Luthier The word luthier is originally French and comes from luth , the French word for " lute ". The term

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1650-479: Is likely responsible for Guadagnini's marked shift to a more Stradivari-like style during this time, both by pressuring Guadagnini to more closely copy Stradivari and by providing Guadagnini with access to examples of Stradivari's work. Giovanni Battista Guadagnini passed away in Turin on September 18, 1786. Guadagnini's work is divided into four distinct periods, which correspond to the four cities in which he worked over

1725-435: Is normally tuned first, to the pitch of the ensemble: generally 400–442 Hz. The other strings are then tuned to it in intervals of fifths, usually by bowing two strings simultaneously. Most violas also have adjusters — fine tuners , particularly on the A string that make finer changes. These adjust the tension of the string via rotating a small knob above the tailpiece . Such tuning is generally easier to learn than using

1800-587: 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 (e.g. " Venus in Furs "). Other notable players of the electric viola are Geoffrey Richardson of Caravan and Ramsey. Instruments may be built 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

1875-548: 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 Kegelstatt 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 Märchenbilder for viola and piano. He also wrote a set of four pieces for clarinet, viola, and piano, Märchenerzählungen . Max Bruch wrote

1950-487: 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. See "The Viola Project" at the San Francisco Conservatory of Music, where Professor of Viola Jodi Levitz has paired a composer with each of her students, resulting in a recital of brand-new works played for the very first time. In the earlier part of

2025-476: 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

2100-413: Is unclear from whom or where he learned his trade. Since he joined the woodworking guild, it is likely that he underwent an apprenticeship with a local woodworker; however, there is no evidence of any local instrument makers in Piacenza at the time. In 1749 Guadagnini moved to Milan , where he continued to make instruments. The reason for his move is unknown, but was perhaps economically motivated as Milan

2175-701: The Mirecourt school of violin making in France were the Vuillaume family, Charles Jean Baptiste Collin-Mezin , and Collin-Mezin's son, Charles Collin-Mezin, Jr. , Honore Derazey, Nicolas Lupot, Charles Macoutel, Charles Mennégand , and Pierre Silvestre. Nicola Utili (also known as Nicola da Castel Bolognese) (Ravenna, Italy, 1888–1962), beside traditional lute works, experimented the making of "pear-shaped" violins. Viola The viola ( / v i ˈ oʊ l ə / vee- OH -lə , Italian: [ˈvjɔːla, viˈɔːla] )

2250-630: 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 Erdesz "cutaway" viola, which has one shoulder cut out to make shifting easier; the "Oak Leaf" viola, which has two extra bouts; viol -shaped violas such as Joseph Curtin 's "Evia" model, which also uses

2325-587: The Tieffenbrucker family, Martin Hoffmann and Matteo Sellas . Two luthiers of the early 19th century connected with the development of the modern classical guitar are Louis Panormo and Georg Staufer . Antonio Torres Jurado is credited with developing the form of classical guitar still in use. C.F. Martin of Germany developed a form that evolved into the modern steel-string acoustic guitar. The American luthier Orville Gibson specialized in mandolins, and

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2400-417: 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

2475-530: The viola repertoire . Hindemith , who was a violist, wrote a substantial amount of music for viola, including the concerto Der Schwanendreher . The viola is similar in material and construction to the violin. A full-size viola's body is between 25 and 100 mm (1 and 4 in) longer than the body of a full-size violin (i.e., between 38 and 46 cm [15–18 in]), with an average length of 41 cm (16 in). Small violas typically made for children typically start at 30 cm (12 in), which

2550-411: The 20th century, more composers began to write for the viola, encouraged by the emergence of specialized soloists such as Tertis. Englishmen Arthur Bliss , Edwin York Bowen , Benjamin Dale , and Ralph Vaughan Williams all wrote chamber and concert works for Tertis. William Walton , Bohuslav Martinů , and Béla Bartók wrote well-known viola concertos. Hindemith wrote a substantial amount of music for

2625-439: 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 Op. 18 and Op. 36 contain what amounts to solo parts for both violas. Late in life, he wrote two greatly admired sonatas for clarinet and piano, his Op. 120 (1894): he later transcribed these works for the viola (the solo part in his Horn Trio

2700-468: 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 must use an electric viola that uses a smaller violin-sized body. Cale, formerly of The Velvet Underground,

2775-502: 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 g (2.5–2.6 oz), are heavier than violin bows (58–61 g [2.0–2.2 oz]). The profile of the rectangular outside corner of a viola bow frog generally is more rounded than on violin bows. The viola's four strings are normally tuned in fifths:

2850-410: The earliest viola concertos known, and one for two violas ), Alessandro Rolla , Franz Anton Hoffmeister and Carl Stamitz . 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

2925-402: The fingerboard and often require different fingerings. The viola's less responsive strings and the heavier bow warrant a somewhat different bowing technique, and a 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. The viola, just like the violin, is placed on top of

3000-534: 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 an 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. Mozart , in his Sinfonia Concertante for Violin, Viola and Orchestra in E ♭ , wrote

3075-496: The great composers, several preferred the viola to the violin when they were playing in ensembles, the most noted being Ludwig van Beethoven , Bach and Mozart. Other composers also chose to play the viola in ensembles, including Joseph Haydn , Franz Schubert , Mendelssohn, Dvořák, and Benjamin Britten . Among those noted both as violists and as composers are Rebecca Clarke and Hindemith. Contemporary composers and violists Kenji Bunch , Scott Slapin , and Lev Zhurbin have written

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3150-405: 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. Viola music employs the treble clef when there are substantial sections of music written in a higher register. The alto clef is defined by

3225-455: The instrument reading "A&H". Antonio died having no known offspring, but Hieronymus became a father. His son Nicolò (1596–1684) was himself a master luthier who had several apprentices of note, including Antonio Stradivari (probably), Andrea Guarneri , Bartolomeo Pasta, Jacob Railich, Giovanni Battista Rogeri, Matthias Klotz , and possibly Jacob Stainer and Francesco Rugeri . It is even possible Bartolomeo Cristofori , later inventor of

3300-405: 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 so create a clearer tone. Different positions are often used, including half position. The viola

3375-402: The left shoulder between the shoulder and the left side of the face (chin). 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

3450-416: 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

3525-571: The mid-17th century include Giovanni Grancino , Vincenzo Rugeri , Carlo Giuseppe Testore , and his sons Carlo Antonio Testore and Paolo Antonio Testore , all from Milan . From Venice the luthiers Matteo Goffriller , Domenico Montagnana , Sanctus Seraphin , and Carlo Annibale Tononi were principals in the Venetian school of violin making (although the latter began his career in Bologna ). Carlo Bergonzi (luthier) purchased Antonio Stradivari's shop

3600-536: The most recent being in 1985. In 1980, Maurice Riley produced the first attempt at a comprehensive history of the viola, in his History of the Viola , which was followed with the second volume in 1991. The IVS published the multi-language Viola Yearbook from 1979 to 1994, during which several other national chapters of the IVS published respective newsletters. The Primrose International Viola Archive at Brigham Young University houses

3675-499: The only violist to ever win the Carl Flesch International Violin Competition , and Emanuel Vardi , the first violist to record the 24 Caprices by Paganini on viola. Many noted violinists have publicly performed and recorded on the viola as well, among them Eugène Ysaÿe , Yehudi Menuhin , David Oistrakh , Pinchas Zukerman , Maxim Vengerov , Julian Rachlin , James Ehnes , and Nigel Kennedy . Among

3750-506: The past, the viola varied in size and style, as did its names. The word viola originates from the Italian language. The Italians often used the term viola da braccio , meaning, literally, 'of the arm'. "Brazzo" was another Italian word for the viola, which the Germans adopted as Bratsche . The French had their own names: cinquiesme was a small viola, haute contre was a large viola, and taile

3825-449: 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 stringing of the C and G pegs, so that the thicker C string does not turn so severe an angle over the nut , although this is uncommon. 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

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3900-419: The piano, apprenticed under him (although census data does not support this, which paints this as a possible myth). Gasparo Duiffopruggar of Füssen , Germany, was once incorrectly credited as the inventor of the violin. He was likely a maker, but no documentation survives, and no instruments survive that experts unequivocally know are his. Gasparo da Salò of Brescia (Italy) was another early luthier of

3975-405: The piece 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

4050-427: The placement of C 4 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-length, which means that the stretches needed by cellists to play

4125-417: The size and shape of the viola, often adjusting proportions or shape to make a lighter instrument with shorter string lengths, but with a large enough sound box to retain the viola sound. Prior to the eighteenth century, violas had no uniform size. Large violas (tenors) were designed to play the lower register viola lines or second viola in five part harmony depending on instrumentation. A smaller viola, nearer

4200-431: The size of the violin, was called an alto viola . It was more suited to higher register writing, as in the viola 1 parts, as their sound was usually richer in the upper register. Its size was not as conducive to a full tone in the lower register. Several experiments have intended to increase the size of the viola to improve its sound and harmony. Hermann Ritter 's viola alta , which measured about 48 cm (19 in),

4275-540: The slow movement in scordatura), Alexander Glazunov (who wrote an Elegy , Op. 44, for viola and piano), and Maurice Ravel all promised concertos for viola, yet all three died before doing any substantial work on them. In the latter part of the 20th century a substantial repertoire was produced for the viola; many composers including Miklós Rózsa , Revol Bunin , Alfred Schnittke , Sofia Gubaidulina , Giya Kancheli and Krzysztof Penderecki , have written viola concertos . The American composer Morton Feldman wrote

4350-452: The span of his career, Piacenza, Milan, Parma, and Turin. His work in each new city changed in response to the availability of materials, the needs of the local musicians, and finally in Turin, his relationship with Count Cozio. Stylistically Guadagnini's work is generally less refined and polished than that of makers such as the Amatis or Stradivari, however with the same focus on tonal success. He

4425-448: The twentieth century. Pre-twentieth century viola players of note include Stamitz, Rolla, Antonio Rolla , Chrétien Urhan , Casimir Ney , Louis van Waefelghem , and Ritter. Important viola pioneers from the twentieth century were Tertis, William Primrose , Hindemith, Théophile Laforge , Cecil Aronowitz , Maurice Vieux , Borisovsky, Lillian Fuchs , Dino Asciolla , Frederick Riddle , Walter Trampler , Ernst Wallfisch , Csaba Erdélyi,

4500-642: The viola by performers and composers in the twentieth century led to increased research devoted to the instrument. Paul Hindemith and Vadim Borisovsky made an early attempt at an organization, in 1927, with the Violists' 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 twelve chapters around

4575-467: The viola part in D major, and specified that the violist raises the strings in pitch by a semitone. He probably intended to give the viola a brighter tone so the rest of the ensemble would not overpower it. Tertis, in his transcription of the Elgar cello concerto , wrote the slow movement with the C string tuned down to B ♭ , enabling the viola to play one passage an octave lower. A renewal of interest in

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4650-416: The viola. Two Czech composers, Bedřich Smetana and Leoš Janáček , included significant viola parts, originally written for viola d'amore , in their quartets " From My Life " and " Intimate Letters " respectively: the quartets begin with an impassioned statement by the viola. This is similar to Bach, Mozart, and Beethoven all occasionally played the viola part in chamber music. The viola occasionally has

4725-400: 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. Charles Wuorinen composed his virtuosic Viola Variations in 2008 for Lois Martin. Elliott Carter also wrote several works for viola including his Elegy (1943) for viola and piano; it

4800-492: The violin family), is commonly divided into the two main categories of makers of stringed instruments that are plucked or strummed and makers of stringed instruments that are bowed . Since bowed instruments require a bow, the second category includes a subtype known as a bow maker or archetier. Luthiers may also teach string-instrument making, either through apprenticeship or formal classroom instruction. Early producers of lutes , archlutes , theorbos and vihuelas include

4875-654: The violin family. About 80 of his instruments survive, and around 100 documents that relate to his work. He was also a double bass player and son and nephew of two violin players: Francesco and Agosti, respectively. Da Salò made many instruments and exported to France and Spain, and probably to England. He had at least five apprentices: his son Francesco, a helper named Battista, Alexander of Marsiglia, Giacomo Lafranchini and Giovanni Paolo Maggini . Maggini inherited da Salò's business in Brescia. Valentino Siani worked with Maggini. In 1620, Maggini moved to Florence. Luthiers born in

4950-584: The violin is Andrea Amati . Amati was originally a lute maker, but turned to the new instrument form of violin in the mid-16th century. He was the progenitor of the Amati family of luthiers active in Cremona, Italy until the 18th century. Andrea Amati had two sons. His eldest was Antonio Amati ( circa 1537–1607), and the younger, Girolamo Amati ( circa 1561–1630). Girolamo is better known as Hieronymus, and together with his brother, produced many violins with labels inside

5025-827: 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 Zeyringer's, Literatur für Viola , which has undergone several versions,

5100-430: Was a tenor . Today, the French use the term alto , a reference to its range. The viola was popular in the heyday of five-part harmony , up until the eighteenth century, taking three lines of the harmony and occasionally playing the melody line. Music 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

5175-434: Was a much larger city with a larger and more active music scene. During this time a few of his instruments bear labels implying a relationship to Cremona —the home of the renowned violin makers Amati , Stradivari , and Guarneri —however no evidence exists that Guadagnini ever lived in Cremona. In 1758 Guadagnini moved again, this time to Parma . He may have been drawn to the city by the recent appointment of Carlo Ferarri,

5250-550: Was born on June 23, 1711, in the hamlet of Bilegno , in what is now the Province of Piacenza in Northern Italy. Both his life and his career can be divided into four distinct periods, which correspond to the four cities in which he would live and work, Piacenza, Milan, Parma, and Turin. Almost nothing is known about his early years until he moved to the nearby city of Piacenza in 1738. In 1742, his first violins start to appear. It

5325-469: Was in unison with) the melody played by other strings. The concerti grossi, Brandenburg Concertos , composed by J. S. Bach , were unusual in their use of viola. The third concerto grosso, scored for three violins, three violas, three cellos, and basso continuo, requires virtuosity from the violists. Indeed, Viola I has a solo in the last movement which is commonly found in orchestral auditions. The sixth concerto grosso, Brandenburg Concerto No. 6 , which

5400-474: Was intended for use in Wagner 's operas. The Tertis model viola, which has wider bouts and deeper ribs to promote a better tone, is another slightly "nonstandard" 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

5475-522: Was originally used for makers of lutes, but it came to be used in French for makers of most bowed and plucked stringed instruments such as members of the violin family (including violas , cellos , and double basses ) and guitars . Luthiers, however, do not make harps or pianos; these require different skills and construction methods because their strings are secured to a frame. The craft of luthiers, lutherie (rarely called "luthiery", but this often refers to stringed instruments other than those in

5550-523: Was scored for 2 violas "concertino", cello, 2 violas da gamba , and continuo, had the two violas playing the primary melodic role. He also used this unusual ensemble in his cantata, Gleichwie der Regen und Schnee vom Himmel fällt, BWV 18 and in Mein Herze schwimmt im Blut, BWV 199 , the chorale is accompanied by an obbligato viola. There are a few Baroque and Classical concerti, such as those by Georg Philipp Telemann (one for solo viola , being one of

5625-548: Was subsequently transcribed for clarinet. 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 Hébraïque for solo viola and orchestra. Rebecca Clarke was a 20th-century composer and violist who also wrote extensively for the viola. Lionel Tertis records that Elgar (whose cello concerto Tertis transcribed for viola, with

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