Unveiling the fascinating history of the viola

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When thinking of string instruments, one instrument in particular often gets overlooked over the others. In other words, it does not receive as much star power compared to other string instruments.

In orchestral music, the viola plays a crucial role by providing depth to the music. It was traditionally used to fill harmonies between violin and cello melodies, but this is no longer the case.

Moreover, this instrument is often the subject of jokes and often seen as the awkward child of the string family.

A viola (pronounced "vee-oh-la") is a stringed instrument that is larger than the violin, but much smaller than the cello. It is held between the left shoulder and the chin and is played with a bow with the opposite hand.

The body of the viola is similar to the violin's hourglass shape in terms of its construction. It features of a cinched waist and broader areas above and below the waist, known as bouts. The ribs run along the outer edge of the body and joins the front and back of the instrument. Along both sides of the bridge, which is a piece of wood that raises the strings above the fingerboard, are two sound holes commonly referred to as f-holes. The tailpiece, situated at the bottom of the viola, attaches the strings upward toward the neck to the pegbox, where they are tightly wrapped around four pegs and tuned individually to achieve different sounds. On the top of the viola is a decorative piece called the scroll.

The sound of the viola is frequently compared to an alto, or middle voice because it sounds lower and more mellow than the violin, thanks to its thicker strings. It consists of four strings tuned to C, G, D and A (all tuned a fifth apart), which is the same string tuning as the cello. However, violas produce the sound one octave higher than the cello.

The viola uses a special clef, or a musical symbol used to indicate pitch of notes, called the alto clef. However, the treble clef is used occasionally when playing in higher registers. Although the alto clef was widely used during the Baroque period, it is rarely used by instruments other than the viola in the present day.

Another difference is in the bow, an important tool needed to produce sound on the strings on all string instruments. One way to tell a viola bow apart from a violin one is by looking at the frog, which is the part of the bow that is held in the hand. The frog on a viola bow is rounded, while the violin bow is pointed.

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Throughout the mid-sixteenth century, the viola was developed alongside other string instruments of the violin family. The viola originated in northern Italy between 1530 and 1550, evolving from an earlier Renaissance instrument known as the viol, which was played vertically.

The term "viola" referred to one of two string instruments by the sixteenth century: the viola da gamba and the viola da braccio. The former was played on the musician's leg while the latter was played on the musician's arm.

Both instruments had distinct designs. The viola da braccio contained f-shaped sound holes and its shape was a rounded back with lower ribs. Four strings were suspended, which made it easy to play each string individually. In addition, it did not have frets to indicate finger positions on the fingerboard. On the other hand, the viola da gamba featured c or f-shaped sound holes with a flat back and higher ribs. Its fingerboard had seven frets and it featured five to seven strings, which allowed the player to play two or more neighboring strings at the same time.

The viola da gamba was popular during the Renaissance, while the viola da braccio dominated the string instrument scene. This is in part due to the skilled craftsmanship of luthiers (string instrument makers) such as Andrea Guarneri and Antonio Stradivari.

Luthiers started giving a curvier shape to the viola after earlier versions of the instrument had a square-shaped design. In addition, early violas were significantly larger than their contemporary counterparts.

As baroque orchestras procured popularity, the viola da braccio (shoulder viola) was made an instrument of choice due to its ability to produce louder and stronger sounds.

By the 1700s, works specifically composed for viola began to circulate, although it did not achieve the same status as the violin. In addition, the instrument is generally to have considered to have reached something resembling its modern form around that time period.

The turn of the century also marked improvements to the violin family, even the viola. To accommodate the growing demand in concert hall performances, the viola underwent structural improvements, such as adding heavier strings for a greater sound projection and elongating the fingerboard for easier finger positioning.

While violas are popular in classical music, the instrument has also been used in the popular realm. Bands and modern artists that have featured the viola on various songs include The Goo Goo Dolls, Van Morrison, Velvet Underground and Vampire Weekend.

Composers have written some music specifically for the viola. Some of the most popular pieces include:

• Hector Berlioz's "Harold en Italie"

• Richard Strauss's "Don Quixote," in which the viola takes on the role of Sancho Panza, Don Quixote's buffoonish sidekick

• Bela Bartok's "Viola Concerto"

• Rebecca Clarke's "Viola Sonata"

Famous violists include, but not limited to, Lionel Tertis, Paul Hindemith, William Primrose, Yuri Bashmet, Kim Kashkashian and Tabea Zimmerman. Specifically, Tertis, Primrose and Hindemith were considered to be the three pioneers in modern viola playing.

Tertis, in particular, was one of the first players to achieve national fame. He addressed the issue with the viola's size by decreasing the body length while keeping its rich, deep sound. He also advocated for raising the viola to be on the same level as the violin. To this day, the Tertis viola model remains deeply respected.

All in all, the viola is frequently regarded the unsung hero. Its expressive and warm sound contributes profusely to the textural of orchestral and chamber music throughout history. According to violist Ruth Gibson, the viola's awkwardness and its mournful sound are often part of the instrument's appeal.