What sounds more beautiful viola or violin. Viola (string instrument)

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 hands.

Of the entire violin family, the viola was the closest in size and sound to the viola, 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 viols 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. It is appropriate to use such instruments in 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, fernambuco has been the best choice for making 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 not just a 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 a different system. Solo and orchestral. And the number of strings: 4 and 5.

There is an opinion that every musical instrument, and especially the violin, sounds different in different hands. 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, German Bratsche) or viola violin- a bowed stringed 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, d 1 ,a 1(do, salt of a small octave, re, la of the first octave). The most common range is from c(up to a small octave) up to e 3 (mi of the third octave), in solo works it is possible to use higher sounds. Notes are written in alto and treble clefs.

The history of the emergence and development of the instrument

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 for the instrument was shortened to just viola, under which he entered, for example, into the English language, or before Bratsche(distorted braccio), entrenched 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 in size and sound to the viola, so it quickly became part of the orchestra as a middle voice and harmoniously merged into it. The viola thus provided a sort of bridge between the outgoing viol family and the nascent violin instruments.

Viola playing technique

Viola playing techniques are slightly different from violin playing techniques in terms of sound production and technique, however, the playing technique itself is slightly more limited due to the larger size, and as a result, the need for more stretching of the fingers of the left hand. The timbre of the viola is less bright than the violin, but thick, matte, velvety in the lower register, somewhat nasal in the upper. Such a timbre of the viola is a consequence of the fact that the dimensions of its body (“resonator box”) do not correspond to its formation: with an optimal length of 46–47 centimeters (such violas were made by old masters of Italian schools), a modern instrument has a length of 38 to 43 centimeters. Larger violas, approaching the classical ones, are played mainly by solo players with stronger hands and developed technique.

Traditionally, they did not become violists from childhood, switching to this instrument at a more mature age (at the end of a music school, when entering a college or conservatory). Mostly violinists of large build with large hands and a wide vibration move to the viola. Some famous musicians have successfully combined violin and viola performances, such as Niccolò Paganini and David Oistrakh.

Famous violists

• Maurice Vieux
• Tertis Lionel

Works for viola

With an orchestra

• W. A. ​​Mozart. Concert Symphony for viola and violin and orchestra
• Sonata for Grand Viola by Niccolò Paganini
• G. Berlioz. Concerto symphony for viola and orchestra "Harold in Italy"
• B. Bartok
• Concerto for viola and orchestra "" Hindemith
• Viola Concerto by William Walton
• Concerto for viola and orchestra by E. Denisov
• Concerto for viola and orchestra by A. Schnittke
• Concerto for viola and orchestra (G-dur) by H. F. Telemann
• Symphony Concerto for viola, cello and orchestra (Symphony N1) A. I. Golovin

With clavier

• Sonatas for viola and clavier BWV 1027-1029 J.S. Bach
• Unfinished by M. I. Glinka (found and edited by V. V. Borisovsky)
• Sonata for Viola and Piano by Henri Vietain
• Sonata for viola and piano by D. D. Shostakovich
• 2 sonatas for viola (clarinet) and piano by Brahms
• Fairy paintings for viola and piano by Schumann
• Sonatas for viola and piano by Nikolai Roslavets
• Sonata for viola by A. Hovaness

Solo

• Suites for viola solo by Max Reger
• Sonata for viola solo by Moses Weinberg
• Sonata for viola solo by Ernst Krenek
• Sonatas for viola solo by Paul Hindemith

Solo in the orchestra

• Ballet "Giselle" by Adolphe Adam
• Ballet Coppelia by Leo Delibes
• Symphonic poem "Don Quixote" by Richard Strauss
• Ballet The Fountain of Bakhchisarai by Boris Asafiev
• Ballet The Firebird by Igor Stravinsky
• Capriccio for Piano and Orchestra by Igor Stravinsky

Viola in literature and other fields of art

• Vladimir Orlov - Violist Danilov

• Ivan Krylov - "Quartet"

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Notes

Literature

• // Encyclopedic Dictionary of Brockhaus and Efron: in 86 volumes (82 volumes and 4 additional). - St. Petersburg. , 1890-1907.
• Grinberg, M. Russian viola literature. - Moscow: Music, 1967.
• Manolova, I.M., Belenov, L.D. At the origins of the school of V. Borisovsky (Memories of the future). - M., Music and Time No. 4 2016, S. 32-39.
• Poniatowski, S. Alt. - M.: Music, 1974.

Links

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Bowed Plucked percussion strings percussion keyboards plucked keyboards Friction keyboards Other

Main cast Woodwinds Brass Drums plucked strings Bowed strings Extended squad Woodwinds Brass Drums Bowed strings Keyboards

An excerpt characterizing viola

- Look, rogue, come! - Pierre heard the same gentle voice at the end of the booth. - The rogue has come, remembers! Well, well, you will. - And the soldier, pushing away the little dog that jumped towards him, returned to his place and sat down. In his hands was something wrapped in a rag.
“Here, eat, master,” he said, again returning to his former respectful tone and unwrapping and serving Pierre several baked potatoes. - There was stew at dinner. And the potatoes are important!
Pierre had not eaten all day, and the smell of potatoes seemed to him unusually pleasant. He thanked the soldier and began to eat.
- Well, so then? - the soldier said smiling and took one of the potatoes. - And here's how you are. - He again took out a folding knife, cut the potatoes into equal two halves in his palm, sprinkled salt from a rag and brought it to Pierre.
“Potatoes are important,” he repeated. - You eat like this.
It seemed to Pierre that he had never eaten food tastier than this.
“No, it’s all right for me,” said Pierre, “but why did they shoot these unfortunate ones! .. The last one was about twenty years old.
“Tsk, tsk…” said the little man. “That’s a sin, that’s a sin ...” he quickly added, and, as if his words were always ready in his mouth and inadvertently flew out of him, he continued: “What is it, sir, did you stay in Moscow like that?
I didn't think they would come so soon. I accidentally stayed, - said Pierre.
- But how did they take you, falcon, from your house?
- No, I went to the fire, and then they grabbed me, they tried me for an arsonist.
“Where there is judgment, there is untruth,” put in the little man.
– How long have you been here? asked Pierre, chewing the last potato.
- Am I? That Sunday I was taken from the hospital in Moscow.
Who are you, soldier?
- Soldiers of the Apsheron regiment. He died of a fever. They didn't tell us anything. There were twenty of our people. And they didn’t think, they didn’t guess.
- Well, are you bored here? Pierre asked.
- How boring, falcon. Call me Plato; Karataev’s nickname, ”he added, apparently in order to make it easier for Pierre to address him. - Nicknamed Falcon in the service. How not to be bored, falcon! Moscow, she is the mother of cities. How not to get bored looking at it. Yes, the worm is worse than cabbage, but before that you yourself disappear: that’s what the old people used to say, ”he added quickly.
- How, how did you say that? Pierre asked.
- Am I? asked Karataev. “I say: not by our mind, but by God’s judgment,” he said, thinking that he was repeating what he had said. And immediately he continued: - How do you, master, have patrimonies? And do you have a house? So, a full bowl! And is there a hostess? Are the old parents still alive? he asked, and although Pierre did not see in the dark, he felt that the soldier's lips were wrinkled with a restrained smile of affection while he was asking this. He, apparently, was upset that Pierre did not have parents, especially a mother.
- A wife for advice, a mother-in-law for greetings, but there is no sweeter mother! - he said. - Well, do you have kids? he continued to ask. Pierre's negative answer again, apparently, upset him, and he hastened to add: - Well, young people, God willing, they will. If only to live in the council ...
“But now it doesn’t matter,” Pierre involuntarily said.
“Oh, you are a dear person,” Plato objected. - Never refuse the bag and the prison. He settled himself better, cleared his throat, apparently preparing himself for a long story. “So, my dear friend, I was still living at home,” he began. “Our patrimony is rich, there is a lot of land, the peasants live well, and our house, thank God. The father himself went out to mow. We lived well. Christians were real. It happened ... - And Platon Karataev told a long story about how he went to a strange grove beyond the forest and got caught by the watchman, how he was flogged, tried and handed over to the soldiers. “Well, falcon,” he said in a voice that changed from a smile, “they thought grief, but joy!” Brother would go, if not my sin. And the younger brother himself has five guys, - and I, look, have one soldier left. There was a girl, and even before the soldiery, God tidied up. I came to visit, I'll tell you. I look - they live better than before. The yard is full of stomachs, women are at home, two brothers are working. One Mikhailo, the smaller one, is at home. The father says: “To me, he says, all the children are equal: no matter what finger you bite, everything hurts. And if Plato had not been shaved then, Mikhailo would have gone. He called us all - you believe - he put us in front of the image. Mikhailo, he says, come here, bow at his feet, and you, woman, bow, and bow to your grandchildren. Got it? He speaks. So, my dear friend. Rock heads looking. And we judge everything: it’s not good, it’s not okay. Our happiness, my friend, is like water in a nonsense: you pull - it puffed up, and you pull it out - there is nothing. So that. And Plato sat down on his straw.
After a few moments of silence, Plato stood up.
- Well, I'm tea, do you want to sleep? - he said and quickly began to cross himself, saying:
- Lord Jesus Christ, Saint Nicholas, Frola and Lavra, Lord Jesus Christ, Saint Nicholas! Frola and Lavra, Lord Jesus Christ - have mercy and save us! - he concluded, bowed to the ground, got up and, sighing, sat down on his straw. - That's it. Put, God, a pebble, raise a ball, - he said and lay down, pulling on his overcoat.
What prayer did you read? Pierre asked.
- Ash? - Plato said (he was already asleep). - Read what? He prayed to God. And don't you pray?
“No, and I pray,” said Pierre. - But what did you say: Frola and Lavra?
- But what about, - Plato answered quickly, - a horse festival. And you need to feel sorry for the cattle, - said Karataev. - Look, the rogue, curled up. You've warmed up, you son of a bitch," he said, feeling the dog at his feet, and, turning again, immediately fell asleep.
Outside, weeping and shouting were heard somewhere in the distance, and fire was visible through the cracks of the booth; but it was quiet and dark in the booth. Pierre did not sleep for a long time and with open eyes lay in the dark in his place, listening to the measured snoring of Plato, who lay beside him, and felt that the previously destroyed world was now being erected in his soul with new beauty, on some new and unshakable foundations.

In the booth, which Pierre entered and in which he stayed for four weeks, there were twenty-three captured soldiers, three officers and two officials.
All of them then appeared to Pierre as if in a fog, but Platon Karataev remained forever in Pierre's soul the most powerful and dearest memory and personification of everything Russian, kind and round. When the next day, at dawn, Pierre saw his neighbor, the first impression of something round was completely confirmed: the whole figure of Plato in his French overcoat belted with a rope, in a cap and bast shoes, was round, his head was completely round, back, chest, shoulders, even the arms that he wore, as if always about to embrace something, were round; a pleasant smile and large brown gentle eyes were round.
Platon Karataev must have been over fifty years old, judging by his stories about the campaigns in which he participated as a longtime soldier. He himself did not know and could not in any way determine how old he was; but his teeth, bright white and strong, which kept rolling out in their two semicircles when he laughed (as he often did), were all good and whole; not a single gray hair was in his beard and hair, and his whole body had the appearance of flexibility and especially hardness and endurance.
His face, despite the small round wrinkles, had an expression of innocence and youth; his voice was pleasant and melodious. But the main feature of his speech was immediacy and argumentativeness. He apparently never thought about what he said and what he would say; and from this there was a special irresistible persuasiveness in the speed and fidelity of his intonations.
His physical strength and agility were such during the first time of captivity that he did not seem to understand what fatigue and illness were. Every day in the morning and in the evening, lying down, he said: “Lord, put it down with a pebble, raise it up like a ball”; in the morning, getting up, always shrugging his shoulders in the same way, he would say: "Lie down - curled up, get up - shake yourself." And indeed, as soon as he lay down to immediately fall asleep like a stone, and as soon as he shook himself, in order to immediately, without a second of delay, take up some business, the children, having risen, take up toys. He knew how to do everything, not very well, but not badly either. He baked, steamed, sewed, planed, made boots. He was always busy and only at night allowed himself to talk, which he loved, and songs. He sang songs, not like songwriters sing, knowing that they are being listened to, but he sang like birds sing, obviously because it was just as necessary for him to make these sounds, as it is necessary to stretch or disperse; and these sounds were always subtle, tender, almost feminine, mournful, and his face was very serious at the same time.

Violin- an instrument that is called both the "queen of instruments" and the "queen of the orchestra". A huge number of works have been written for violin solo and accompanied by an orchestra, even musical notation begins with the study of the key, called the violin.

Alto, although it is a close relative of the violin, it does not receive such attention. Most often, it is perceived simply as a large violin, and not as an independent instrument. For a long time, the viola was the "violin of the loser", it was believed that if the violinist does not show promise, he can be retrained to become a violist. Recently, the viola has become popular, really talented musicians have appeared, gathering full houses.

The appearance of the violin is rather vague. Let's dwell on one of the generally accepted versions: the ancestors of both the violin and the viola were stringed instruments called violas. They differed from the violin in that they had a flatter shape, six or seven strings, and played on them, resting the instrument on the knee. In the sixteenth century there was already a clear division into two families: viols and violins. But some researchers argue that the first in the family of violins were not violins at all, they appeared a little later, but violas. It was they who were the first to be introduced into orchestras and began to gradually replace the soft-sounding viols.

Structure

The violin belongs to the high register strings and consists of a body and neck. The body is two decks connected by strips of wood, shells. Inside the case there is a darling that transmits vibration between the decks. Attached to the top deck is a neckboard, on which the strings are attached. On the one hand, the neck is attached to the body, its lower part is attached to the neck, which passes into the head of the violin. The neck has special holes for tuning pegs, with the help of which the violin is tuned.

Outwardly, the viola is easy to confuse with the violin: soundboards, fretboard, four strings. But it is much larger than the body of the violin, from 385 to 445 mm, the neck is also longer. This instrument is more massive than the violin. And the musician who plays this instrument must also be of a fairly strong constitution, and have strong hands.

sound

The violin is a four-string musical instrument tuned in fifths. The smallest details affect the sound of the violin: the material of manufacture, lacquer, symmetry. The violin's sound range is from the salt of a small octave to the fourth la.

The viola sounds a fifth below the violin. The range of this instrument is from to a small octave, to a third octave. The notes for this instrument are written in a special alto clef, but they can also be in the violin clef.

Findings site

1. The viola and violin have a similar structure, but the viola is much larger in size and has an elongated neck.
2. The viola is not taught to play from childhood, like the violin. To play the viola, you need a person with strong hands, so they switch to this instrument already in adulthood.
3. The viola is tuned a fifth below the violin.

“The viola is a philosopher's instrument, a bit sad and quiet.

The viola is always ready to help other instruments, but

never tries to draw attention to himself"

Albert Lavignac

Viola (English, Italian), alto (French), Bratsche (German)

Build the viola a fifth below the violin. Range from to a small octave to mi of the third octave. In solo works it is possible to use higher sounds. The viola part is written in alto and treble clefs.

Alto Timbre has compared to the violin more severe, courageous shade. The first string has a poetic chest timbre. The second one has a dull, gentle timbre. The third string has a thick, harsh sound. The fourth is distinguished by gloominess, density of sound.In general, the timbre of the viola is less bright than the violin, but thick, matte, velvety. This is due to the fact that dimensions his bodies do not match his line up: with an optimal length of 46-47 centimeters (such violas were made by old masters of Italian schools), a modern instrument has a length of 38 to 43 centimeters. Large violas, approaching the classical ones, are mainly played by solo performers with stronger hands and developed technique.

Techniques for playing the viola are slightly different from those for playing the violin due to the larger size and greater stretch of the fingers of the left hand. The volume of an alt position is equal to a perfect fourth.

The main field of application of violas is symphony and string orchestras, where they are assigned, as a rule, medium voices, but also solo episodes. Viola is an obligatory member of the string quartet, often used in other chamber compositions, such as string trio, piano quartet, piano quintet. Traditionally, violists have become violinists of large build with large hands and a wide vibration. However, some well-known musicians (Niccolò Paganini, David Oistrakh) successfully combined violin and viola playing. Due to the small repertoire, the viola was relatively rarely used as a solo instrument. In our time, quite a few good violists have appeared, among them Vadim Borisovsky, Fedor Druzhinin, Yuri Bashmet, Yuri Kramarov. Very young, winners V International Violin Competition named after Bashmet: Niels (Germany), Andrey Usov, Vladimir Akimov, Natalya Alenitsyna (Russia).

Homework:

1. Watch interesting content

Yuri Bashmet and the Moscow Soloists ensemble play Stradivari, Guarneri, Gasparo da Salo, Paolo Testere.

Listen to fragments of works for viola:

Schnittke Concerto for viola and orchestra

Mozart Duo for violin and viola

Shostakovich Sonata for viola op.147

Kancheli "Stix" for viola, choir and orchestra

Mozart Symphony Concerto for Viola

2. Play viola parts from orchestral compositions. Pay attention to the tricks of the game!