Difference between violin and viola. Music encyclopedia from A to Z What is the difference between violin and viola

Alto(English and Italian viola, French alto, German Bratsche) or violin viola - a string-bowed musical instrument of the same device as the violin, but somewhat larger, which makes it sound in a lower register. The viola strings are tuned a fifth below the violin and an octave above the cello - c, g, d1, a1 (to, salt of a small octave, re, la of the first octave). The most common range is from c (to a small octave) to e3 (mi of the third octave), in solo works it is possible to use higher sounds. Notes are written in alto and treble clefs.

Story

The viola is considered the earliest bowed instrument in existence today. The time of its appearance is attributed to the turn of the XV-XVI centuries. The viola was the first instrument that was exactly the shape that we are used to seeing. Designed by Antonio Stradivari.

Viola da braccio (Italian: viola da braccio), or viola for the hand, is considered the ancestor of the viola. This viola, like the current violins and violas, was held on the left shoulder, in contrast to the viola da gamba (Italian: viola da gamba), which were held on the knee or between the knees. Over time, the Italian name of the instrument was reduced to just viola, under which it entered, for example, English, or to Bratsche (distorted braccio), which was fixed in German and similar languages.

The design of the modern viola is almost the same as the violin, except for the size. The viola does not have a division in size, like the violin, the size of the viola is measured in millimeters. There are violas from 350 mm (this is less than a whole violin) to 425 mm. The choice of instrument size depends on the length of the performer's arms.

Of the entire violin family, the viola was the closest to the viola in terms of size and sound, so it quickly became part of the orchestra as a middle voice and harmoniously merged into it. Thus, the viola was a kind of bridge between the outgoing family of violas and the emerging violin instruments.

One capacious quatrain contained so many Names, whose hands created unique masterpieces among the instruments. The works of these masters are a dream for every musician. However, today we will not talk about the masters. Today we will talk about bowed string instruments, or rather, about how violins, cellos, violas, double basses and bows to them differ.

Modern children know how mobile phones are distinguished, but how things are with the classification of violins - even the all-knowing Google can be at an impasse. Well, the Site of the violin maker will try to make up for this unfortunate omission.

So, there are several types of bowed instruments:

Did you know that the great masters divided musical instruments according to their intended use? For example, violin for everyone and everyone or "mass" the idea was to be good-sounding, but in the production of such violins not much attention was paid to the choice of wood and meticulous workmanship. There is no need to talk about the quality of the final mount of parts and sound. Almost always, after acquiring such an instrument, a visit to a violin maker follows. In the production of mass-produced bows, alternative types of wood were used. Birch, hornbeam, cheap varieties of mahogany, as well as plastic for lasts. Sometimes artificial hair was inserted into mass-produced bows.

The next in terms of sound quality and, accordingly, in terms of production quality was violin intended for orchestral playing. The voice of such a violin should be soft so as not to stand out from the ensemble and standard enough in strength and color so as not to get lost in the overall sound. For these two types of violins, the master took maple for the manufacture of the bottom, sides, neck and stand. Spruce, a special blank, traditionally resonates well with maple, so soundboards were made from it. Ebony or cheaper hardwoods painted black were used for the tailpiece and tuning pegs. The wood on the body of the instrument was selected according to texture and color, and varnished in one color or with antique retouching with high-grade varnish. The requirements for orchestral bows were also somewhat different. Such bows had to be played with various strokes, respectively, in their production, a tree more appropriate in terms of playing characteristics was used. For example, the Brazilian tree.

Next comes violin and cello for solo and ensemble performances. Here the sound was given a special place and they worked on it for a long time and scrupulously. These tools are useful for chamber orchestras, quartets and various kinds of ensembles, where the sound of each individual instrument is noticeable to a greater extent than in a symphony orchestra. Bows for the solo category are made of fernambuco. This is a special kind of wood growing in South America. Historically, it is fernambuco that is best suited for the production of solo bows.

And the last one in this category is violin "artistic" where the name already speaks for itself. This is a concert violin with a unique sound, unique appearance and special, exquisite finds of the Master. If for the first two categories of instruments the beauty of wood does not play a role, then for the "solo" and "artistic" the master looked for more than just suitable tree, but also with a bright texture. And the neck, tailpiece and tuning pegs were made of high-quality ebony, rosewood, boxwood. Concert bows also have special requirements. They are mostly made from fernambuco, although there are interesting and noteworthy experiments with modern materials. Like carbon.

To summarize, violins and cellos can also be classified according to the purpose of use:

* mass;

* orchestral;

* solo;

* artistic.

Smoothly and imperceptibly, we approached the second point of classification - size.

Everyone who has ever learned to play the violin knows about the size, and on our website you will find a separate article on how to choose a violin “by size”. However, we repeat, we recall that violins and cellos are in size:

* 1/32

* 1/16

* 1/8

* 1/4

* 1/2

* 3/4

* 4/4

Size is an indicator focused on the individual data of students and performers. Therefore, this scale is so large, but ... few people know that there are two more sizes - 1/10 and 7/8. Each size comes with a matching length bow.

The division of violas by size is slightly different. The viola is a relatively young instrument and was finally formed only in the 19th century. The viola is mainly played by teenagers and adults, although there are 3/4-size training violas with a body length like a violin, but with an alto tuning. Whole violas are from 38 to 45 and even more centimeters. The length of the lower deck without the heel is measured. The most common are tools 40-41 cm. Sometimes the size is indicated in inches.

Double basses also come in different sizes, including children's. Oddly enough, but the most common double bass size played by adult musicians is 3/4. 4/4 double basses are played mainly in orchestras. It will also not be superfluous to know that double basses have different order. Solo and orchestral. And the number of strings: 4 and 5.

There is an opinion that every musical instrument and especially the violin in different hands sounds new. Even a good instrument in the hands of a mediocre musician can stall. Conversely, a talented violinist and cellist can extract a beautiful sound from the most simple and rootless instrument. This has its own, magical logic of the magic of sounds and the uniqueness of the talent of the Performer. And yet, this is a secret that every Master puts into his instrument with every breath, with every touch.

Alto- a musical instrument belonging to the string-bowed family. Outwardly, they are extremely similar to violins, but differ in size. Violas are much larger than violins, longer and wider.

The next difference is connected with the size: sound. The alto system is lower than the violin one by a fifth. If we compare the sound of instruments with human voices, then the violin is a soprano, the highest female voice, and the viola is the contralto, the lowest female voice, languid, chesty and expressive.

How alt works

The viola itself is made of wood of different species.

• The front surface of the product (top deck) on which holes are cut in the form latin letter"f", is made of spruce.
• The back, back, sides and sides are made from maple. The coasters are also made of maple rock - a special part on which the strings lie. Decks and shells are covered with a special oily varnish that protects the wood from corrosion.
• From a durable black, ebony wood, a fingerboard is cut out - an oblong board, to which the musicians press the strings with their fingers. The same tree is used to make pegs - peg, which are responsible for the tension of the strings.

The principle of operation of the viola is similar to the related violin, cello and double bass.

The bow is responsible for extracting the sound - a cane with white horsehair stretched over it.

During the game, the performing musician moves the bow along the strings, holding the bow in his right hand, and the body on his left shoulder. At the moment of friction of the bow, sound is born.

Each hair used to make bows has scales. They cause the string to vibrate when in contact with the string. The vibration is transmitted to the body of the instrument, the "sound box", which acts as a bell. The sound comes out of those carved holes on the top deck.

The alto sound is not as powerful as, for example, the violin, and therefore is rarely used for solo performance. However, classical musical groups, such as:

• quartet, which includes two violins, viola and cello,
• an orchestra, which, along with violins, includes a group of viola players, from four to six people,
• symphony orchestra, where the viola group includes from twelve to fourteen people.

Types of violas

The main criterion for distinguishing any string-bow is age. Traditionally, they are divided into ancient and modern.

Antiques made over fifty years ago are prized for their sound acquired over years of use. An old sample, the case of which is in good condition, is expensive and the price increases every year.

Modern products are valued for durability and reliability. In both cases, it is impossible to predict how the tool will "behave" over time.

Violas have different sizes and are selected according to the length of the musician's arms.

Size is in inches, the alto size range starts at 11 and ends at 17.5 inches.

In addition to physical comfort, the leading role is played by the sound that the sample is able to reproduce.

The size of the body, its "resonator box", does not correspond to the system, which is lower than the violin by a fifth. As a result, there are specimens with a "nasal" timbre. Fortunately, the percentage of such instruments is small, and it is possible to upgrade the sound with the help of accessories.

How to choose a viola

When choosing a viola, you should pay attention to the following points:

• appearance. The case must be free of cracks and patches, slight abrasions are acceptable and do not affect the sound,
• size and comfort of the game. Hands should not get tired during contact with it, the sound should be uniform on all strings, the sound transition from the lowest to the highest string should be smooth, imperceptible.

Having opted for a copy made today, you need to consider that its sound may change. More often it becomes brighter, richer - for this, the instrument should be “played out”, regularly exercising at a high sound volume.

When choosing an old copy made several tens or hundreds of years ago, the wear of wood should be taken into account.

An old viola should be operated with care, monitoring the level of humidity and avoiding the slightest mechanical damage.

The answer to the question "which viola is better?" does not exist. The instrument in the hands of a musician is his second voice. The voice can be different - bright or languid, lyrical or invocative. When choosing your second voice, it's worth spending a lot of time with it, exploring it, talking through it.

The same viola in the hands of two different musicians sounds different in timbres and colors. You need to choose the copy that is easy and pleasant to play both physically and mentally.

Accessories

Alto accessories include:

• bow,
• rosin,
• strings,
• string holder,
• pegs,
• stand,
• chin rest
• shoulder Bridge,
• case.

Bow- this is a component without which a special alto sound is impossible. In no case should you play the instrument with a violin bow - the viola bow is longer, heavier and stronger, and thanks to these properties, the sound becomes more expressive and deeper.

Traditionally, bows are made of fernambuco, mahogany, as this type of wood has sufficient elasticity and strength, which guarantees resistance to deformation.

Nowadays, bows made of Kevlar fabric, a modern substance with high strength, are gaining popularity.

The advantage of Kevlar lies in its resistance to changes in temperature and humidity, which a wooden bow cannot boast of. The bow is completed with white horsehair.

When choosing a bow, it is better to pay attention to the evenness of the reed, it should not have strong deflections, and to elasticity - the reed should “spring” when in contact with the strings.

Rosin- This is a piece of resin made using a special technology to adhere the bow to the string. Without rosin, the instrument will not sound, and the resulting sound depends on the degree of density of the substance. The denser the texture of the rosin, the harder it is - the harder and brighter the sound.

To play the viola, medium-density rosin is used. Important factor in the choice of rosin - its freshness.

Fresh, freshly made rosin will ensure tight bow contact.

Old, dried rosin gives a low degree of adhesion and affects the sound, adding unpleasant hissing overtones to it.

strings are responsible for coloring the sound of the instrument.

Distinguish:

• metal,
• synthetic,
• vein.

Metal have a bright, sonorous sound and have increased wear resistance. advantage metal strings is their low price, and the disadvantage is the sound, devoid of volume and depth.

Synthetic ones are made either from nylon or perlon, less often from Kevlar. Synthetic strings are popular with musicians all over the world.

They are subject to wear compared to metal, but in turn produce a colorful and rich sound.

Among the shortcomings - a rather high price and a short period of operation.

The veins are of organic origin and are made from animal veins. They are suitable only for ancient instruments and are extremely sensitive to changes in temperature and humidity. Guinted strings wear out faster than all possible types, and because of this they are not popular, but they have the highest cost.

Tailpieces its name describes its function - fixing the strings.

There are two types:

1. carbon fiber,
2. Ebony, made from black wood.

Complete with special machines fine tuning, which allow you to adjust the system without additional effort. For the viola it is important point- in the absence of machines, the musician has to correct the system with the help of tuning pegs, and given the size of the instrument, this is both uncomfortable and problematic.

The material from which the tailpiece is made has practically no effect on the sound of the product, and when choosing it, you should focus on the convenience of machines and the price that suits a potential buyer.

kolki fix the strings at the other end of the instrument, opposite the string holder and are responsible for their tension. The tuning pegs are made of ebony, and the main thing they do is hold the tension.

Over time, the holes into which the pegs are inserted become wider. If the pegs in the purchased product are “drowned” deep into the body, then they should be replaced in order to avoid weakening the string tension at the wrong moment. Ready-made pegs are “customized” to the instrument by a violin maker.

Stand- a special part on which the strings lie. The distance between the fingerboard and the string depends on the stand, and, consequently, the convenience of playing.

With a high lift, the musician needs more physical effort in order to press the string against the fretboard. A low position leads to overtones when playing, as the string will touch the fretboard. The height of the stand is correctable by a violin maker.

It is worth noting that the stand is in contact with the resonating deck, and affects the sound.

If the soundboard is thin (in the case of vintage products), then it is better to choose a thin stand to reduce the load on the soundboard. Modern designs are equipped with a wide stand - this helps the tool "play out".

Chinrest needed for a comfortable game on your copy. This accessory is a chin rest, the function of the chin rest is to relieve the pressure of the head on the instrument and reduce muscle tension in the neck.

A properly fitted chin rest will help to avoid the callus on the neck, which is typical for violinists and violists. Chinrests are made of ebony and carbon fiber. They have different shapes - round and oval, different sizes for different body types.

You should choose a chinrest “with fitting”, focusing on comfort in contact with the skin.

Modern carbon fiber chin rests are equipped with a hypoallergenic coating, this is a good solution for sensitive skin.

shoulder bridge or a bridge helps keep the instrument at eye level and keep the shoulder relaxed. The surface of the bridge in contact with the body, as a rule, repeats the shape of the shoulder and is completed with a foam insert. The bridge is attached to the surface of the viola with the help of special rubberized paws.

The shoulder bridge is selected based on the length of the neck - the longer it is, the more height adjustment the bridge should have. An incorrectly selected bridge leads to pain in the shoulder, so this accessory is very important for the performer.

It is better to try all possible options and stop at the one with which holding the instrument becomes comfortable and free.

Case or case is a means to carry your viola and protect it from environment. Cases are made from plywood upholstered with foam, plastic, carbon fiber and Kevlar.

A durable case made of durable material helps protect the instrument from extreme weather and prevents damage in the event of a fall.

It is better to choose a case taking into account the climate and the range of transfers.

For home storage, an inexpensive plywood case is suitable. For travel, it is better to choose a durable carbon case that is resistant to damage.

Pros and Cons of Alts

The viola specialty is not the class of a music school in which students with early childhood. Musicians who master the art of playing the viola begin their journey by learning the violin, and only after mastering it does the transition to the viola take place.

Most suitable for playing the viola are young musicians who have:

• tall and long arms,
• large palms and long, strong fingers.

Among viola players, men dominate quantitatively, but women are also often found in musical groups.

The popularity of the instrument among performers of both sexes is associated with a large selection of sizes - they are small, "female" and larger, "male".

The technique of playing the viola, techniques and strokes are the same as on the violin. But due to the fact that the performer has to hold the instrument with the thumb of the left hand (for violinists, this finger does not perform such a function), the virtuosity of the violist is inferior to the virtuosity of the violinist.

The culture of sound and its philosophical beginning come to the fore, which requires the performer in the process of mastering the repertoire of thoughtful work, devoid of mechanical repetitions, such as when playing the .

Based on these features, the following advantages can be distinguished:

• a large selection of sizes for both women and men;
• viola is the specialty that you can choose at a later age and achieve success, since the playing technique is not distinguished by a high degree of virtuosity;
• viola is not a very common specialty, so it is in demand in most musical groups.

Do not neglect some unpleasant features of the tool, including:

• heavy weight - daily exercises in the skill of the game lead to discomfort in the left shoulder;
• having decided to learn how to play, one should first of all master the violin, without this it is impossible to become a violist.

Exploitation

Wood is a fragile material that reacts to falls with chips and cracks, so the tool should be protected from falls and damage. Case damage affects the sound and requires costly repairs.

Pay attention to paintwork. The instrument should be wiped down every time after playing, as rosin dust remains on it, which can damage the varnish.

The surface should be protected from exposure to alcohol-based products - the varnish that is used in the manufacture will dissolve with alcohol. Decks should be cleaned with specially designed products, they are easy to find in music stores.

Over time, traces of operation remain on the lacquer coating, and the lacquer is wiped off at the points of contact between the tool and hands. Do not leave the tree unprotected - it can be deformed.

Places in which the protective coating has been rubbed should be re-varnished by a violin maker.

Humidity has a profound effect on any wooden product. At home, you can not store a bowed string instrument near heating devices and in rooms with high humidity.

Direct sunlight is contraindicated. Professional musicians use a hygrometer - a device for measuring humidity. The norm is 40-60%.

In low humidity, the decks can dry out, causing cracks. At high humidity, there is a problem with the shells - they peel off.

Possible malfunctions

A common problem encountered by professional musicians is a malfunction of the upper strings, A and D. They are made of a thinner fiber, and are quickly frayed in places of frequent interaction with the fingers. Luckily, they are easy to replace on their own.

When replacing, you should not remove the old strings at the same time - this manipulation will drop the darling, the partition that keeps the decks in the right tension. They should be removed one by one, replacing the removed one with a new one immediately.

Before installing synthetic strings, lubricate the grooves in which they lie in the bridge and fingerboard, soft pencil. This will help avoid creases on the synthetic fiber and extend the life of the product.

Replacing strings is the only operation that musicians perform on their own without harm to the instrument.

The next problem encountered by musicians is the occurrence of cracks. Even careful operation does not guarantee the integrity of the wooden canvas. If a crack occurs, you should not take independent actions - cracks in the instruments are “healed” by the violin maker with the help of special glue.

The bow also needs maintenance. The scales covering the hair wear off over time, and the bow ceases to reliably contact the string, despite the rosin. This is eliminated by replacing the hair in the bow at the master.

It is impossible to change hair on your own - working with the material requires experience and skills. The hair is stretched using a special technology, subjecting it to heat treatment.

Inept actions can ruin the cane, and she - essential part bow.

It happens that the loop holding the string holder breaks. With the anguish of the loop and a sharp weakening of the tension of the strings, and the load on the body along with it, the darling falls. You can buy a loop, like any other alto accessory, on your own. And only the master can correctly install the faulty part.

There can be many malfunctions encountered during the operation of such a complex device as a viola. In order not to harm it and extend its service life, you should not trust the repair to unqualified persons, or troubleshoot it yourself.

Viola Producers

There are a large number of workshops and ateliers specializing in the manufacture and sale of violas and other examples of their family. bowed string instruments. There are also independent craftsmen who make tools to order.

In addition to modern music world antique samples of the 17th, 18th, 19th centuries are used everywhere.

The following are the most popular modern ateliers involved in the manufacture of violas:

• Italian atelier Scrollavezza&Zanre Master,
• French atelier Aubert Lutherie. There is no official site, but information about the manufacturer can be obtained at the link Codamusic.ru

  Buying a product "from hand" or in a private workshop, you do not receive a guarantee. It is issued for a particular product purchased in a specialized store or official workshop. It is usually five years.

  The warranty covers defects in manufacturing, and given that the tools are almost entirely handmade, this percentage is extremely small.

  Mechanical damage due to improper operation and sound properties of the product are not included in the warranty service.

  Possible malfunctions, which are various kinds of delaminations and cracks, occur no earlier than 7-10 years after manufacture. Thus, when buying a tool, you take full responsibility for what happens to it next in your own hands.

  Therefore, the choice of the product you are interested in and its sound must be approached with particular care, since the country and the manufacturer are of secondary importance.

  
  

The viola is a philosopher's instrument, a little sad and quiet. Alt is always ready to help other instruments, but never tries to draw attention to himself. Albert Lavignac (1846-1916)

It can be said that the most unlucky instrument of the modern orchestra was for a long time definitely alt. The viola is a stringed bowed instrument of the violin family, it is somewhat larger than the violin in size. The earliest examples of this instrument belong to XVI century. The outstanding Italian master A. Stradivari played a huge role in developing the best design for the viola. This instrument has 4 strings tuned in fifths, just a fifth lower than the violin: C-sol-re-la. In the beginning, all viola strings were made of strands, but nowadays their core is made of both strands and steel, which is covered with a metal braid on top. In comparison with the violin, the viola is a less mobile instrument, it has a muffled, dull, but soft and expressive timbre. Since ancient times, the viola has been used in the string quartet and symphony orchestra to fill medium, melodically "neutral" voices in overall sound harmony and therefore was usually kept at the level of the least developed instrument. The reason for such a strange phenomenon was the fact that, on the one hand, the composers themselves did not strive to develop middle voices, and on the other hand, they did not want to notice those natural qualities of the viola that he possessed.

Even Beethoven, who did a lot to reveal the orchestral possibilities of individual instruments and well developed their means artistic expressiveness, in his quartets, kept the alto at the level of a subordinate voice. Naturally, such an attitude by the composer towards the viola, as an equal member of the symphony orchestra, gave rise to an equally indifferent attitude towards it on the part of the musicians themselves. Nobody wanted to learn to play the viola, considering this instrument destitute, and in the orchestra those unfortunate and rather mediocre violinists who could not even overcome the part of the second violins became violists. In a word, violists were looked upon as violinists-losers, resolutely unable to overcome their already simple parts, and the instrument itself in the eyes of enlightened musicians did not enjoy any respect. There is such an anecdote: a conductor is walking through the desert and suddenly he sees: a violist is standing in the sands and playing divinely. The conductor was scared. And then he thinks: “Well, no, this cannot be. Thank God it's just a mirage."

Let's ask ourselves, was such a dismissive attitude towards the viola deserved by him? Of course not. This tool has such rich possibilities that it contains, that only one bold and decisive step was needed, the tool came out of the artificial stupor that had seized it. And the very first such unusual step in this direction was the daring experience of Etienne Mayul (1763-1817), who wrote the whole opera "Uthal" without the first and second violins and instructed the violas to perform the main and highest part of the strings. And twenty-eight years later, in 1834, Hector Barlioz, who was a passionate admirer of the viola and its great connoisseur, wrote big symphony"Harold in Italy", where he commissioned the viola main party. According to legend: Barlioz, delighted with Paganini's playing, intended this outstanding solo just for him, but Paganini himself never managed to play it in concert. It was first played in the "Padel Concerts" by Ernesto-Camillo Sivori (1815-1894), and in the "Conservatory Concerts" by Joseph-Lambert Massard (1811-1892).

The viola occupies an intermediate position between the violin and the cello, but it is closer to the violin than to the cello. Therefore, those who think that the viola, by the nature of its sound, is more like the cello, are mistaken because it is built an octave higher than the cello. Viola in its structure, string tuning and playing techniques, of course, belongs to the violin more than to any other bowed instrument. Viola to a few more violin, is held during the game in exactly the same way, and its four strings, located a perfect fifth below the violin ones, have three common strings with them, sounding completely identical with them. For some reason, in everyday life, the opinion has been established that the viola sounds a little nasal and a little dull. If the viola really is like a violin, then where did it acquire those “qualities” that the violin did not have at all?

The fact is that a real viola, created in the correct and corresponding to exact calculations, was not used in the orchestra in those days only because it would have turned out to be a completely inaccessible instrument for those “failed” violinists who, due to necessity, had to play in the recent past. change your violin to viola. Therefore, it is quite natural that all these “violinists”, being expelled from the second violins, were not going to waste their time and effort on a deep mastery of a new and rather complex instrument, but generally preferred to “somehow” fulfill their duties, so as not to go into case details. Thanks to the circumstances that had arisen, the violin makers very quickly adapted to the “new circumstances” and decided of their own free will to reduce the size of the viola as much as the “failed violinist’s” hand, which was of little use for the viola, demanded. Hence, there was a discrepancy in the size of the instrument, of which, until very recently, there were almost seven varieties. And so it happened that the violin makers quite simply solved the problem, but also simply “spoiled” the instrument, depriving it of those inherent qualities that no viola-undersized could have at its disposal.

At the same time, the instrument remade in this way acquired new qualities that the original viola did not have. These newfound qualities appealed greatly to musicians who did not want to hear about persistent attempts to revive the true size of the viola. This disagreement arose only because the undersized viola made it possible for all violinists to use it, whom the vicissitudes of fate turned into violists and the change of the instrument did not entail any consequences for the performer, and even more so because the sonority of the undersized viola acquired such a characteristic “nasal” , muffledness and severity, that neither the composers nor the musicians themselves wanted to part with it. How strong these sentiments turned out to be can be judged by at least one fact that the Paris Conservatory not only accepted the alt-undersized in their classes, but even admitted that the middle of the seven varieties that have already been mentioned is generally the best tool. Justice demands to admit that the alto undersized invariably continues to act as an "obligatory viola" in the hands of violinists who study it in order to expand their musical and performing horizons. As for the “genuine viola”, it is used only by those violists who devote themselves completely to this instrument, as their direct and only “profession”. It is in this sense that the “viola class”, as an independent instrument, has existed in Russian conservatories since 1920, thus contributing to the great commitment of young musicians to this amazing voice of the modern orchestra.

But this did not satisfy true connoisseurs of the art of playing the viola. And already in the first half of the 19th century, the French violin maker Jean-Baptiste Vuillaume (1798-1875) created a new type of viola, which had an unusually strong and full tone. He gave it the name contralto, but without meeting due recognition, he transferred his instrument to the museum. Such a failure did not greatly upset the zealous defenders of the genuine viola. More fortunate was the German Harman Ritter (1849-1926), who restored the correct dimensions of the viola and named it viola alta - "alto viola". This instrument, like the contralto created by William, sounds full, juicy and without any overtones. It was this kind of viola that came into general use, and the peculiarity of this modification is that the student to play this instrument must have a sufficiently large and strong hand and devoting himself to the viola, he should not regret the violin, which turned out to be for him for some reason out of reach.

It is known for certain that such great violinists as Paganini, Sivori, Vieuxtan (1820-1881) and Alar (1815-1888) were very fond of playing the viola part in quartets and were not at all ashamed of it. Moreover, Vieuxtan was the owner of a wonderful viola by Paolo Magini (1581-1628) and quite often performed on it in his concerts. One of the chronicles tells that the old teacher of Paganini, the violinist Alesandro Rolla (1757-1841), owned the viola with great skill, and this invariably delighted his listeners. In the orchestra, the viola has long since taken its well-deserved place, although it continued to be subjected to infringement more than once. If at the time of the “birth of the orchestra” the viola performed very modest duties and was rather invisible, then in the polyphonic music of Bach and Handel the viola was equal in rights with the second violin, performing duties quite equivalent to it. By the middle of the 18th century, under the influence of the composers of the "Neapolitan school", the importance of the viola in the orchestra gradually falls and it switches to the support of middle voices, mainly performed by second violins. Under such circumstances, the viola often finds itself out of work, and composers more and more often entrust it with amplifying the bass voice. At one time, the authors took the trouble to indicate the real duties of the viola with the words viola col basso, and at other times they relied on "custom", believing that the actions of the viola are already implied by themselves. In this last case, the viola always doubled the cello and the lower voice turned out to sound in three octaves at once. Such cases in the presentation of violas can be found not only in Gluck, but also in Haydn and even in Mozart. In some Russian composers, such as Glinka and Tchaikovsky, one can find examples of leading violas together with double basses as the lowest voice of harmony, set out in an octave. But this use of violas was caused by the desire to separate the cellos for some responsible solo, and not at all by the desire to “stick” the violas, which for some moment could be unoccupied. In this case, the altos honorably fulfilled the duties of the lower voice, but due to the great difference in sound with the double bass, they were most often content with only a few measures.

One of the first works in which we meet the viola solo part was written in 1779 " Symphony Concert» Mozart, in which the composer considered viola and violin as equal partners. Beginning with Beethoven, the viola acquired in the orchestra the importance that it, in fact, should have occupied by right. Since then, the alto part was often divided into two voices, which made it possible to use genuine polyphony. The first case of this interpretation of the violas is easy to meet at the very beginning of Mozart's Sol-minor symphony, and the second - in the "Adagio ma non troppo" of the finale of Beethoven's Ninth Symphony. If you want to entrust the most responsible voice to the viola-solo, a natural need arose to attach all other violas as accompaniment to the violins. Just such a case occurs in "The Song of Ankhen" in the third act of Weber's Magic Shooter. However, in the modern orchestra, and with the exception of the one already mentioned, the viola before Richard Wagner was still at a rather low stage of development. For the first time, it was he who assigned the viola to a party of great complexity, and one of such cases occurs in his "Overture" to the opera Tannhäuser, in the place where the author plays the music accompanying the scene known as the "Grotto of Venus".

Since that time, the complexity and fullness of the viola parts in the orchestra has been continuously increasing, and now the “technique” of the viola is on the same level with all other instruments of the orchestra. Alts often began to entrust quite responsible solo parts, which they perform with amazing penetration. Sometimes, the viola part is performed by one instrument - then the rest of the violas accompany it. Sometimes, the whole community of violas performs the melodic pattern entrusted to them, and then they sound amazingly beautiful. Sometimes, finally, the altos are entrusted with the conduct of the "middle voices", set out in many voices. The softness and sincerity of the viola is often enhanced by the use of a mute, which, muffling the sonority of the instrument a little, gives it a lot of charm and genuine charm.

The viola is especially well combined with its closest neighbors in the string orchestra. Sometimes the violas join the cellos, and then the sonority of such a combination acquires extraordinary expressiveness. It was this technique that Tchaikovsky used twice when he commissioned the combination of these instruments to perform a polyphonic church hymns at the very beginning of the 1812 overture and, conversely, the funeral singing of the nuns at the beginning of the fifth scene Queen of Spades, where, through the sounds of winter weather, Herman imagines a funeral procession. But this composer achieves an absolutely incredible, oppressive, boring and chilling sonority of the violas when he entrusts the violas with the monotonous pattern of the first pages of the fourth picture of the same opera, unbearable by its stubborn persistence. Mysterious horror is filled with the sonority of the separated strings with a mute, to which Tchaikovsky entrusts the music of The Countess's Room.

However, such "gloomy" tasks do not always fall to the share of the viola. In contrast, altos sound very transparent when called upon to perform duties. low voices harmony, with silent cellos and double basses. What amazing freshness permeated the delightful "Introduction" to the ballet The Nutcracker, where the violas are entrusted with the entire main bass line.

In a modern orchestra, the duties of the viola are already inexhaustible. He sounds somewhat different in chamber music, where he is entrusted with much more complex tasks. As a "chamber ensemble" instrument, except for string quartet and the quintet, the viola was used quite little, but penetratingly. There is no great need to list all these works. Suffice it to recall that among the composers who paid special attention to the viola, there are such names as Mozart, Beethoven and Schumann. Of more later composers it is fair to mention Anton Rubinstein (1829-1894), Claude Debussy (1862-1918) and A. K. Glazunov, and from the modern and still living Sergey Vasilenko and Vladimir Kryukov (1902-), whose works for viola gained great fame due to frequent their execution by Vadim Borisovsky (1900-).

So, the modern viola is a violin enlarged in size. In the past, as has already been said, these ratios were not as large as required by unconditional calculation. The old viola, thanks to the somewhat reduced bulge of the "resonance box" and this inaccuracy in size, was distinguished by its peculiar nasality and muffled sound, peculiar only to it. On the contrary, the modern viola, restored in its "voluminous rights", sounds full, majestic, juicy, bright and by no means "nasally". In this case, he not only lost all the features of his somewhat harsh, hazy sound, characteristic of the "undersized" viola, but no performer with a small hand would be able to use it. The old “reduced” viola is a thing of the past, and the restored “ordinary” viola is stubbornly striving to take a more solid place in the symphony orchestra of modern times. Justice, however, requires to say that this "reborn" viola also exists in several sizes. They differ quite a lot only in their extreme values, although they are very close to each other in terms of the sound quality characteristic of the “ideal” viola. It is this, more than successful, property of “size difference” that enables performers to use in the orchestra that variety of viola that best suits their data. So, like the violin, the viola has four strings tuned in fifths and sounding a fifth below the violin ones. The three high strings of the viola coincide exactly with the three low countries of the violin, and the names assigned to the extreme strings of the violin are exactly preserved on the viola. Notes for the viola are written in the alto or Do key on the third line, and in other cases, to avoid an excessive number of additional lines at the top, in the Sol key.

String tuning on the viola in the orchestra is used very rarely, and then only in relation to the “basque”, when the Do string is tuned to Si of a large octave.

The modern volume of the viola not so long ago was determined by three full octaves - from do small to do third. Now it has expanded somewhat and, with the exception of harmonics, it can be brought up to the third octave fa - a sound difficult to extract, but sounding quite satisfactory. In the orchestra, this step now appears more insistently and more often. In a symphony orchestra, these "extreme steps" of the viola volume are used very rarely. Their services are usually resorted to in cases where the author wants to keep the sonority of the viola at the very top, or when he is forced to resort to just such a measure.

Which has a similar device with the violin. However, it is slightly larger, which is why its sound has a lower register. The viola strings are tuned in a special way. They are lower than the violin ones by a fifth, while they are higher than the cello ones by an octave. Notes for viola are written in treble and viola clefs.

History of occurrence

The viola instrument is considered the earliest of the existing bowed ones. Its origin dates back to the 15th-16th centuries. This tool was the first to receive the usual today shape. Designed by Antonio Stradivari. Viol for the hand is considered to be the ancestor of the viola. This instrument was held at the left shoulder. It should be mentioned that the closest relative - viola da gamba was held on his knee. The Italian name for the musical instrument was shortened over time to viola. In this form, it was preserved in English language. Bratsche got into German and similar to it. The viola instrument is measured in millimeters. There are specimens from 350 to 425 mm. The choice of size depends on the length of the hand of the performer. Of the violin series, it was the viola that most closely approached the violas, given the size and sound. Therefore, he quickly appeared in the orchestra, as middle voice, he joined the symphony very harmoniously. The viola, thus, was a bridge between the disappearing kind of viola and violin instruments, which were emerging at that time.

Game technique

Viola - a musical instrument that requires a special on it different from that inherent in the violin. The difference lies in the way the sound is produced. A playing technique that is more limited due to the large size and the need for significant stretching of the fingers. The timbre of the viola is matte, thick, less bright compared to the violin one, velvety in the lower register, somewhat nasal in the upper register. The dimensions of the body of the musical instrument do not correspond to the system. This is what creates an unusual timbre. With a length of 46 to 47 centimeters, the instrument has a length of 38 - 43 cm. Violas with large sizes, which are close to classical ones, are mainly played solo artists. They possess strong arms, as well as the developed technique. As a solo instrument, the viola is used relatively rarely. The point here is a small repertoire. However, relatively recently, many good violists have appeared, such as: Yuri Kramarov, Kim Kashkashyan. The main scope of this musical instrument remains the string and symphony orchestras. Here solo episodes are dedicated to the viola, as well as middle voices. This musical instrument is an obligatory member of the string quartet. Can be used in other chamber compositions. For example, a piano quintet or quartet, or a string trio. Traditionally, they did not become violists from childhood, but switched to this instrument at a relatively mature age. As a rule, after graduating from a music school, during admission to a conservatory or college. Most often, violinists switch to viola with a large physique, wide vibration and large hands. Some great musicians combined two instruments. For example, David Oistrakh and Niccolo Paganini.

famous musicians

The viola instrument was chosen by Yuri Abramovich Bashmet. Among the others famous musicians who preferred our hero, it should be noted, Vladimir Romanovich Bakaleinikov, Rudolf Borisovich Barshai, Igor Isaakovich Boguslavsky, Vadim Vasilyevich Borisovsky, Fedor Serafimovich Druzhinin, Yuri Markovich Kramarov, Tertis Lionel, Maurice Vieux, Maxim Rysanov, Kim Kashkashyan, Paul Hindemith, Tabea Tsi mmerman , Dmitry Vissarionovich Shebalin, William Primrose, Mikhail Benediktovich Kugel.

Artworks

The viola instrument with an orchestra sounds in the “Concert Symphony” by W. A. ​​Mozart, “Sonata” by Niccolo Paganini, as well as in B. Bartok, Hindemith, William Walton, E. Denisov, A. Schnittke, G. F. Telemann, A. I. Golovina. The combination with the clavier is found in the works of M. I. Glinka, D. D. Shostakovich, Brahms, Schumann, Nikolai Roslavets, A. Khovaness. Solo can be heard in the works of Max Reger, Moses Weinberg, Ernst Ksheneck, Sebastian Bach. Adolphe Adam's ballet "Giselle" could not do without our hero. It also sounds symphonic poem Richard Strauss "Don Quixote". The ballet Leo Delibes "Coppelia" did not do without it. We should also remember Janacek's opera The Makropulos Affair. It also sounds in Boris Asafiev's ballet The Fountain of Bakhchisarai.

different principle

There is also a fundamentally different viola - It is customary to call it althorn. It's about about copper musical instrument. It belongs to the saxhorn family. Range - A - es 2. Due to the inexpressive and dull sound, the scope of use is limited only to brass bands. There, as a rule, he is assigned medium voices.